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Nikola Vucevic: Congrats on an amazing career brother! Always grateful for you taking me under your wing my freshman year! @Taj Gibson
You were in Boston last season. Were there any signs that what happened this summer might be coming – the major change in direction and Jaylen Brown’s departure? Nikola Vucevic: “I think there were some signs, mostly because the big contracts and the NBA’s new rules made it difficult for them to build the team. “With (Jayson) Tatum and Brown both on such big contracts, it wasn’t easy for them to fit the rest of the team around those two. But while I was there, did I sense anything between the players or any kind of problems? No, I honestly didn’t. I was as surprised as everyone else when the trade happened, even though there had been plenty written about it in the media. But plenty of things get reported and don’t end up happening.”
LeBron James is in Philadelphia now. How much can he still impact a team with championship ambitions? Nikola Vucevic: “A lot, because of his experience and his knowledge of the game. That means so much. Maybe his role won’t be the same as it used to be, when he dominated and controlled the entire game, but he can still contribute a lot. His basketball IQ is one of the highest in the history of the game. The way he reads what other teams are doing, what his own team needs to do, how they’re going to defend somebody… That’s going to mean a lot to Philadelphia. “Now we’ll see how it all fits together.”
Nikola Vucevic: “Which EuroLeague teams would I have played for? Well, Crvena zvezda for sure. I’m a Zvezda fan, everybody knows that. Other than that, Real Madrid has always caught my attention. Or maybe Olympiacos. Real Madrid is the royal club, after all. I love football too. I don’t support them, but I have a lot of respect for their history, their culture and what they represent. I like Olympiacos as well.”
Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade president Zeljko Drcelic also confirmed that Crvena Zvezda discussed a potential move with Nikola Vucevic this summer. The veteran center is a known supporter of the Serbian club but ultimately decided to continue his NBA career. "There were conversations," Drcelic revealed. "First of all, Nikola is an excellent person, but he is also a great Zvezda supporter. "That does not mean he will automatically become a Crvena Zvezda player."
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Drcelic explained that Vucevic's family situation and long connection to the United States made a potential return to Europe a complicated decision. "He is a family man who has lived in the United States for more than 20 years, since his high school days," he said. "Such moves are not easy, and in his case, money was absolutely not a factor."
Keith Smith: Jevon Carter is getting a one-year deal for the veteran minimum. He'll hit the cap at roughly $2.4M. Same cap hit as Nikola Vucevic. I've got the Magic about $6.2M under the second apron with two open roster spots. Could squeeze in a Taxpayer MLE signing, but likely won't to avoid a second-apron hard cap.
Jake Fischer: Very cool for Nikola Vucevic to go back to the Magic. He told me three years ago he wanted his family to live in Orlando upon retirement. And we know the Magic are expecting Moritz Wagner to depart the franchise this week, likely to Brooklyn.
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Shams Charania: Free agent center Nikola Vucevic has agreed on a one-year, $3.9 million deal to return to the Orlando Magic, sources tell ESPN. Vucevic -- who started his career in Orlando as a sophomore, spent nearly nine years with the Magic and has maintained a home there since -- turned down more lucrative offers elsewhere to reunite with the franchise.
Yossi Gozlan: The Magic are likely limited to minimum signings this offseason due to their tax and apron constraints. Not much better they can do bargain-hunting than Nikola Vucevic back on a minimum salary.
Nikola Vucevic: ‘My focus is truly on the NBA; my desire is to stay there. As I’ve said before, it is the best league. I’ve been there for 15 years and I would like to stay there until the end; I believe I still have a place there and the quality to play at a high level. Regarding Red Star (Zvezda), I’ve said before that if I ever decide to return to Europe, Zvezda would be one of the favorites—everyone knows that. But for now, that really isn't the focus. I don't want to create unrealistic desires or expectations among fans, or to sell them some false story or 'hype' them up. I’ve cheered for Zvezda since I was little, my father cheered for Zvezda, and that’s how it started. If I ever returned, Zvezda would be a favorite, but for now, it is not in the plan.’
Nikola Vucevic on Celtics: ‘The hardest thing for me was that I had been a starter for such a long number of years and seasons, where I had my set minutes, thirty-plus minutes, a certain number of shots, and a defined role. When you play like that, you know what is expected of you and you are used to your own rhythm. Coming to Boston, I was prepared for the possibility that I would very likely be coming off the bench if a trade occurred. Regarding me personally, it wasn’t a problem to adapt from an ego standpoint, or that I felt any different, but coming off the bench is simply entirely different, especially for a center. You depend on how the starting center plays. In some games I played more, in some less, but when the minutes are lower, it isn't easy to find your rhythm. It might have looked better if I had been there from the start of the summer.’
