ORLANDO – The million-dollar, ooops make that, multi-multi-million-dollar question facing the Orlando Magic as the NBA’s free-agency courting period opens this weekend is as follows: How should they gauge the value of all-star center Nikola Vucevic and super-sub guard Terrence Ross?
It seems like a simple enough question for a Magic team desperately hoping to continue building off the momentum established during a season in which they accomplished an NBA-best 17-win improvement and reached the postseason for the first time since 2012. However, because that question is somewhat loaded and contains many levels of complexities that could present ramifications for years to come, the Magic are facing quite the conundrum this offseason.
The questions that the Magic are asking themselves in the final days before the flag drops on free agency at 6 p.m. on Sunday are seemingly endless. To wit:
So many questions, for sure, for a Magic franchise that has talked about keeping together the core of a team that went 22-9 down the stretch of the regular season and stole a Game 1 victory in Toronto in the playoffs. This is the first offseason since 2014 that the Magic aren’t replacing either a head coach or the head of basketball operations what with Steve Clifford and Jeff Weltman firmly in place for the foreseeable future.
Orlando took some major steps toward keeping its team together earlier in the week by picking up the third-year option on Wes Iwundu’s contract and making qualifying offers to Birch and Amile Jefferson – moves that will allow them to match any contract offers extended to Birch and Jefferson if they so desire.
Bringing back Vucevic and Ross won’t be as easy as both are unrestricted free agents expected to command lots of attention from other teams, but that’s clearly the intention of the Magic’s front office.
``We would like to bring those players back and build that continuity and continue to build that momentum, and we’re going to try to keep doing that,’’ Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman said. ``If we’re unable to do that, then that presents other opportunities for guys on our roster that we believe in and we’ll push to whatever path will help us to ultimately get to our goals, which are winning.
``As I’ve said, our first priority is to bring our own guys back,’’ he added. ``But it’s the NBA, it’s free agency and we go where it takes us.’’
VOOCH’S CAREER YEAR
A career year will take Vucevic into unrestricted free agency for the first time in his eight-year NBA career. This past season, he averaged career highs in scoring (20.8), rebounding (12.0), assists (3.8), blocks (1.1) and 3-point shooting (36.4 percent). In addition to joining Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard as the only Magic players ever to average at least 20 points and 12 rebounds a game in a season, Vucevic ranked eighth in the NBA in Real Plus-Minus (on-court impact measured in point differential per 100 possessions) – a spot behind superstar forward Anthony Davis and one spot ahead of four-time MVP LeBron James.
Acquired in the four-team, 12-player trade centered around Dwight Howard in 2012, Vucevic suffered through six seasons of rebuilding in Orlando prior to the team breaking through this past season. In 2018-19, Vucevic took full advantage of playing in a Steve Clifford system that featured his shooting and passing skills, thriving with the organization putting so much trust in him. Ultimately, he became the franchise’s first all-star in seven years and was the driving force on the Magic getting to the playoffs.
In those playoffs, however, Vucevic ran up against quite possibly his most difficult one-on-one matchup in Toronto’s Marc Gasol. In five games, Vucevic shot just 36.2 percent from the floor and 23.1 percent from the 3-point line and mustered only 11.2 points and 8.0 rebounds a game.
Undoubtedly, Vucevic has been fully invested in recent years in helping the Magic become a winner once again. Just how much that appreciation for the Magic and love for Orlando and its fans – huge selling points that Vucevic has mentioned repeatedly – weigh in his decision to stay or go will be put to the test.
``Everybody knows that I’ve had a great seven years here, but at the same time we’ll see what happens,’’ Vucevic said just after the Magic’s playoff run ended. ``It’s a mutual decision; it’s not just me; they have to decide what they want to do, and based on that, we’ll go from there.
``I’m proud I was able to really put that (free agency question) aside, not think about it and it not be a distraction for me,’’ Vucevic added. ``That was very important for me because I didn’t want it to bother me while I played. Even (back in mid-April), it’s too early (to discuss free agency) because I have no influence – I wish I did; I wish I knew what was going to happen and I had a contract in hand, and it would be all over right now. But, as it gets closer to (the free-agency courting period), I’ll know more. But right now, I can’t give (fans) answers.’’
ROSS WAS A BOSS
Ross proved to be the answer to many of the Magic’s bench questions with his most productive and consistent season in seven years as a professional. Not only did he post career-bests in scoring (15.1), rebounds (3.5) and assists (1.7), Ross became the first player in NBA history to make at least 200 3-pointers (217) without starting a game.
In the regular season and playoffs, Orlando notched 11 victories after entering the fourth quarter trailing – second in the NBA only to Detroit’s 12 fourth-quarter rallies. Ross had a big hand in those fourth-quarter heroics, averaging a team-best 5.3 points over the final 12 minutes of games. Many of his biggest performances of the season – he had four 30-point nights, 20 20-point performances and 16 instances where he led the team in scoring – came following big fourth-quarter performances. In addition to helping the Magic rally late against Philadelphia, Houston and Boston, Ross tormented the Indiana Pacers with three big-time performances in the fourth quarter to lift Orlando to wins each time.
The Magic have to determine whether the 2018-19 season was a norm that Ross can repeat or simply an exception to the rule. In his six seasons prior with Toronto and Orlando, Ross scored at least 20 points 29 times - but just once consecutively (Nov. 30-Dec. 2, 2014). This past season with the Magic, he had 20 games with at least 20 points. He had two instances early in season where he scored 20 points consecutively (22 on Nov. 11 in New York and 21 on Nov. 12 in Washington; and 26 on Feb. 5 in Oklahoma City and 32 on Feb. 7 vs. Minnesota).
Then, he closed the regular season with the best basketball of his career to help Orlando qualify for a playoff slot. Over the final four games of the regular season, Ross went off for 23 points (vs. New York), 25 points (vs. Atlanta), 26 points (vs. Boston) and 35 points (vs. Charlotte).
For what it’s worth, Ross is hopeful of returning to a franchise and a city where he has finally found a home. In Orlando, the Magic gave him the perpetual green light as a shooter and made him the first option off the bench and often late in games. Ross admitted just after the season that those factors – in addition to potentially playing for Clifford for years to come – will be big factors in his decision to stay or leave Orlando.
``I hope so,’’ Ross said of a potential return to a Magic team that he was a leader on. ``It’s fun to be a part of an organization that is doing the right things and then guys get rewarded for it. It would be great to be back, but we’ll see.’’
QUESTIONS ABOUND
Ross’ ``we’ll see’’ was almost phrased in the form of a question, and there are a bevy of questions now for both the Magic and their two highly coveted free agents. For the Magic, the answers to those questions will likely revolve around dollars and sense, meaning do the returns of Vucevic and/or Ross line up with their financial visions and help the franchise become championship contenders in the coming years?
As for Vucevic and Ross – both 28 years old – this will likely be their last shots to land major free-agent contracts and both will have to determine what’s the value of remaining with a Magic organization that they have helped to build?
Plenty of questions, for sure, for both the Magic and their most productive players, and the answers should finally come in the days and weeks ahead. (Teams and players aren’t allowed to officially sign contracts until July 6 even though many will reach handshake agreements not long after the July 30 start to the free-agent courting period begins).
``Obviously, we’ve stated our desire to bring back (Vucevic) and Terrence and Khem, and on July 1 we’ll get busy with that,’’ Weltman said. ``Unrestricted free agency is a wild ride, and those guys are good players and there will be lots of teams that will be pursuing them. But I know they like it here and I think they feel a shareholders’ stake in the team, and they want to see it through. We’ll be hopeful that we can get something done, but we’ll see where that goes.
``Obviously, we’ve been spending a lot of time planning, ``if thens’’ … plan A, plan B, plan C. That’s just the nature of free agency,’’ Weltman added. ``But we look forward to July 1 and we’re hoping to attack it.’’
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