YIBADA

NBA Trade Rumors: Nikola Vucevic To Be Traded By Orlando Magic? Analytics Indicate Team Is Better Without Him

| Dec 28, 2015 07:52 AM EST

Nikola Vucevic (9) and Victor Oladipo (5) of the Orlando Magic

The NBA is now more complicated with more statistics to be analyzed aside from the usual statistics, there is now analytics to contend with.

Some of these statistics are hard to fathom but they have been helpful in gauging the real value of players to their teams.

There are some players who get their points and rebounds on a regular basis and while most fans would think that's helpful, other stats like offensive and defensive efficiency ratings would say otherwise.

This was recently discussed in Orlando Magic Daily, a fan site of the team, as they placed center Nikola Vucevic under the microscope.

They say that "numbers show the Magic and their best players perform better with Vucevic off the floor rather than on it."

Their analysis is that "Vucevic appears to be bringing down the rest of the team, which is an issue for a Magic organization that signed Vucevic to a 4 year $53 million contract extension last year that runs through the 2018-19 season. They have no apparent long term solution at center so Rob Hennigan and the rest of the Magic front office may have to begin searching for a better big man to fit with the rest of their young core."

It should be noted that there were rumors about Vucevic being involved in a trade before draft day involving the Lakers and DeMarcus Cousins as per Sporting News. However, it's not easy to just let go of a 7 footer who puts up a solid double-double night in and night out.

The Magic is described as a team that needs a star, and Vucevic could be the key to acquiring that. 

Most Popular

EDITOR'S PICK