The Magic are 2-16 without Nikola Vucevic this season and since his return from a concussion they are 4-3. While his statistics haven’t dramatically improved from a year ago – in fact they are nearly identical – Vucevic’s value seems even greater. He has become a splendid pick-and-pop player and his rebounding prowess is hard to rival.
Though he has not yet become a stout defender or much of an intimidator compared to some of the other elite centers in the game today (ex. Dwight Howard, Andre Drummond, Roy Hibbert), he is far more committed to the defensive end and is willing to battle down low for positioning against anyone.