Nikola Vucevic knows this isn’t the same Orlando Magic team that he left when he was traded away in a blockbuster deal to the Chicago Bulls in 2021. Plenty has changed in his time away from the organization.
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Yet, when it came time to decide what was next for the veteran center, something just felt right about a reunion.
“When I put it all on paper, it was a pretty easy decision for me to come back,” Vucevic told the media Monday. “I’m happy I get the chance to go back to the franchise where I spent the most years and where I left a big mark.”
Vucevic is back with the Magic after signing a one-year, $3.9 million deal to return to Orlando, where he has maintained a home.
The 6-foot-9 center returns to the organization where he spent nine seasons after arriving in 2012 as part of a four-team trade that sent Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers.
He appeared in 591 games with the Magic and played in two All-Star games (2019, 2021) while averaging 17.6 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.
“I came here very young and I left a grown man with two kids,” Vucevic said, reflecting on his time with the Magic. “A lot of stuff happened on the court, like us making the playoffs after a couple of tough years and me making the All-Star Game twice, but more importantly for me, it was just all the people I’ve worked with.
“From my teammates to the staff to all the people that work for the Magic, a lot of them reached out to me when I came back. It’s a special place for me and we’re looking forward to making new memories.”
Vucevic was sent to the Chicago Bulls in another sensational trade March 25, 2021, along with Al-Farouq Aminu in exchange for Wendell Carter Jr., Otto Porter Jr. and two first-round draft picks, which were later turned into Franz Wagner in 2021 and Jett Howard in 2023.
In five seasons with the Bulls, Vucevic averaged 18.1 points and 10.5 rebounds before being traded to Boston this past season. He appeared in 16 games for the Celtics, averaging 9.7 points and 6.6 rebounds.
During the offseason, he became an unrestricted free agent, opening the door for a possible return home.
“The Magic knew I would like to come back and the timing worked out,” Vucevic said. “My agent called me and said they were interested in signing me and for me, it was just about figuring out what my role would be and how they saw me. Once we figured out that part, the rest was pretty easy.”
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Vucevic returns to a franchise that, while it returned to the postseason for the third consecutive season, failed to live up to preseason expectations, losing in the first round to the Detroit Pistons. The Magic fired coach Jamal Mosley after five seasons, hiring San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Sean Sweeney as their new head coach June 1.
“I didn’t know him before, but I’ve heard a lot of great things about him,” Vucevic said of Sweeney. “A couple of people that I worked with, with the Bulls, worked with him and spoke very highly of him.
“He reminds me of Coach (Steve) Clifford, who I had a great relationship with and played some of my best basketball under, so I’m looking forward to working with him.”
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At 35, he will be the oldest player on a relatively young roster, with starters Paolo Banchero (23), Desmond Bane (28), Carter (27), Jalen Suggs (25), and Wagner (24). Vucevic understands he’ll be leaned on to provide veteran leadership while also helping the younger players.
He also understands the expectations surrounding this upcoming season, where just making the playoffs won’t be good enough for a franchise that hasn’t made it past the first round since the 2009-10 season.
“It’s one of the reasons I came back,” Vucevic explained. “This team has a chance to take the next step and go deep into the playoffs. The East (conference) has gotten better and who knows what else might happen before the start of the season, but I like our chances.
“I’ve never had a chance to go past the first round with the Magic and if we were able to do that together, it would be amazing and obviously a great story for me.”
While a deep run in the postseason would be the perfect way to cap off a successful career, Vucevic isn’t ready to write his last chapter.
“I haven’t thought about it much,” he said about retiring. “Hopefully, if things work out well and the team plays well and I play well, I can stay in Orlando for a few years. It would be a great way for me to end it, but it’s something that’s not too much on my mind yet.”
Email Matt Murschel at [email protected] or follow him on X at @osmattmurschel.
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