
Nikola Vucevic spent nine of his first 10 NBA seasons with the Orlando Magic, becoming a franchise icon in that span.
Vucevic was ultimately traded away from the franchise during the 2020-21 season and has spent the past five seasons with the Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics. Now, in what will be his 16th season, Vucevic is reportedly returning home.
According to NBA insider Shams Charania, Vucevic and the Magic agreed on a one-year contract for the veteran to return to the place where he built a name for himself.
According to Charania, Vucevic had more lucrative offers from other teams but chose to return to Orlando.
Free agent center Nikola Vucevic has agreed on a one-year, $3.9 million deal to return to the Orlando Magic, sources tell ESPN. Vucevic -- who started his career in Orlando as a sophomore, spent nearly nine years with the Magic and has maintained a home there since -- turned down… pic.twitter.com/e2mT6pyXxm
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2026
In his nearly nine seasons with the Magic, Vucevic averaged a double-double with 17.1 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. He was a two-time All-Star selection while in Orlando and was averaging a career-high 24.5 points per game when he was traded during the 2020-21 season.
Vucevic ranks in the top five in nearly every important offensive and defensive category in Magic history, trailing only Shaquille O'Neal and Nick Anderson in many cases. Vucevic joins an Orlando team with both Wendell Carter Jr. and Goga Bitadze, both of whom are much younger than Vucevic. It may be a struggle for the 16-year veteran to find playing time during his reunion with a team he spent over half his career with.
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