Magic, Vucevic need each other
Mike Bianchi asks: Would Orlando be as good without Vooch?
Come on in, Orlando Magic. Come on in, Nikola Vucevic.
Welcome to my office. Before you two start your hardcore negotiations in July, please take a seat on the couch of Dr. Diplomacy — your resident prefree-agency counselor and advisor.
Let me just start with this: Like any great relationship — whether it be in business or in marriage — you two are way ahead of the game because you not only want each other, you need each other. Together, you are so much better than you are apart.
Ask yourself this question, Magic: Without Vooch, will you be as good next season as you were this season? Answer: No.
Now ask yourself this question, Vooch: Will you be as valuable and integral on a new team as you are with the Magic? Answer: No.
This is why I say you two desperately need each other.
Magic, you know your history of star players leaving to go elsewhere.
Are you going to allow yet another all-star to walk out the door, especially after a season that was so important for the perception of your franchise? After enduring six miserable years of debilitating losing, you had a breakthrough season, made the playoffs and gave your fans some hope that you have emerged from the abyss of irrelevance.
Without Vooch next season, you likely go back to being bad again because you don’t have anybody to replace his all-star production of 21 points and 12 rebounds. I don’t care what Vooch did or didn’t do in the playoffs, you know what he’s
capable of in Steve Clifford’s system. And Clifford himself even says he believes Vooch, at 28, can still significantly improve.
Are you really going to gamble that Mo Bamba, who was injured for much of his rookie season, can step in and play like an all-star? Magic, if we’re being completely honest here, you have to acknowledge that you played much better when Bamba went to the bench with a stress fracture and Khem Birch became the backup center. Hopefully, Bamba will develop next season just as Jonathan Isaac developed this season, but he still will not be ready to fill Vooch’s void.
You know and I know that diving back into the abyss is just not an option. Magic fans are simply not willing to go through yet another rebuild. And it’s not like other prime free agents (see Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Kyrie Irving, Kemba Walker, Klay Thompson, Jimmy Butler, et al.) are standing in line to replace Vooch’s salary slot in Orlando.
But, Vooch, the same goes for you. You, too, need the Magic for a number of reasons — not the least of whom is Clifford. Let’s face it, without Cliff, you likely wouldn’t be an all-star right now and in the position to be signing a contract in excess of $20 million per year. Cliff came in and had faith in you, had a vision for
you and featured you in the offense.
Remember what you said before the playoffs? You said, “Cliff has helped give me my confidence back. Wanting to play through me and give me the ball in spots that work for me; all those things help you grow as a player. The
way he’s been using me has been perfect; allowing me to play inside-out and giving me the freedom to use my skill set to do what I need to do.”
Vooch, do you really want to go to another team where perhaps you’ll be the second or third wheel? Do you really want to go to the
Lakers and be LeBron’s designated rebounder and pick-setter? Do you really want to go to Dallas and be the third option behind Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis?
Speaking of Dallas, Vooch, you’ve always said you admire Dirk Nowitzki because he stayed with the Mavericks his entire career. In fact, Dirk gave the Mavericks tens of millions of dollars in hometown discounts over the years just to help keep the Mavericks financially competitive.
No, I’m not saying you should accept significantly less money to stay with the Magic; I’m just saying don’t quibble over a couple of million here or there. Orlando offers you more than just money; Orlando offers you legacy. Orlando offers you something no other franchise can match.
Think about it, Vooch. Do you realize if you stay in Orlando and somehow, someway help the Magic win a championship, you’ll go down as the greatest player in franchise history? Hell, you don’t even have to lead the Magic to a championship and you could still go down as the greatest player in franchise history. If Dwight Howard had stayed here instead of becoming the NBA ‘s ultimate unwanted gypsy, the Magic would have probably already commissioned a statue for him.
Let’s remember what late Magic owner Rich DeVos said when Dwight was on his way out of Orlando. “The loyalty you develop in a community is always remembered,” DeVos said. “But if you leave, you don’t pick it up in the next town. It’s not an addon — because you lose what you had. Maybe you gain some new love, but maybe you don’t. Maybe the net gain isn’t as good as you think.”
Translation: A little love goes a long way.
And, so, Dr. Diplomacy is going to close our session by asking both of you one last question:
Who loves you the most? Vooch, isn’t it true that Magic fans, teammates and coaches all have expressed their unconditional love for you even after you struggled in the playoffs?
Magic, hasn’t Vooch — even during all those years of losing — made it clear how much he loves playing and living in Orlando?
This, my friends, is literally a sweetheart deal.
Let’s start drawing up that contract.