For eight seasons, any talk about the frontcourt of the Orlando Magic pretty much began and ended with Dwight Howard. So it should have come as no surprise that life without him looked more than a bit unusual.
But let the record show that 22-year-old Nikola Vucevic finished his first season with the Magic averaging more points (13.1) and rebounds (11.9) than a 19-year-old Howard did. He also was a better free-throw shooter, although not by as wide of a margin as you might expect. Vucevic hit 68.3 percent of his attempts, while Howard was a downright respectable 67.1-percent shooter in 2004-05. (The Los Angeles Lakers are surely wondering where in the world that version of Howard vanished.)
The Magic have a lot of ground to make up in the standings, but their current situation at center and forward can hardly be described as dire.
By acquiring Vucevic and Maurice Harkless over the summer and Tobias Harris before February's trading deadline, general manager Rob Hennigan has assembled a core of players 22 and younger that many teams would envy. The growth of all three of them as the season progressed was evident, although Harris was all but missing in action during his final two months as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Glen Davis was averaging 16 points and had seven double-doubles in the Magic's first 25 games prior to spraining his left shoulder. He seems to be taking seriously his role as one of the team's leaders, which should bode well when training camp rolls around and he starts spending more time on the court with Harkless and Harris.
Most of the Magic's frontcourt players can take and make the mid-range jump shot. Davis' shooting percentage was up from where it was during Howard's final tumultuous season in Orlando.
The Magic averaged a paltry 4.4 blocked shots a game, the fewest since their last previous non-playoff season (2005-06). They were one of eight teams who opponents shot 60 percent or better against from 5 feet and in. Although that's not entirely due to a legitimate shot-blocking threat, it's certainly a contributing factor.
While no one is longing for a return to the days of Hack-A-Howard, the Magic's big men must also share some of the blame for the team's setting of an NBA record for the fewest free-throw attempts per game (16.6). No one got to the line as many as four times on average. And if Harkless wants to move forward in his second year, he must improve on his 57 percent accuracy rate from there.
After years of seeing Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis consistently knocking down 3-pointers, the Magic lack a forward who can stretch the defense in a similar fashion.
Nikola Vucevic: Even on a team hard-pressed to string together consecutive victories, his progress went far from unnoticed. He developed more of a post game over the final few months, which is something he will need to rely upon if he is to go from Most Improved Player candidate to All-Star Game candidate.
Glen Davis: Shoulder and foot injuries forced him to miss 48 of the Magic's final 57 games. Given that they went 7-41 without him, a case can be made for him being the team's most valuable player. He can be turnover-prone, but that is offset by his positive attributes and occasional nasty streak that the Magic were lacking from mid-December on.
Tobias Harris: Can he continue to average more than 17 points and nine rebounds like he did in 20 starts with the Magic? Or are those the numbers of someone with a team which was already lottery-bound when he arrived in a trade? If Harris can become a more consistent 3-point shooter, he'll be even more of a find.
Maurice Harkless: He didn't turn 20 until last month, and his inexperience often showed when he was matched up against LeBron James and many of the game's other top small forwards. His length and athleticism are what grab your attention, but he developed into a multi-dimensional player over the course of 59 starts.
Andrew Nicholson: Last year's first-round draft pick had a handful of bright moments but generally struggled to maintain consistent minutes. Perhaps more than anyone else on the roster, he needs to come back stronger. The offensive production is there, but it's his defense which will make or break him.
DeQuan Jones: An undrafted rookie who beat the odds to play in 63 games, including 17 starts, and is now a restricted free agent. He could become a valuable role player who doesn't need to create his own shot to score.
Kyle O'Quinn: A second-round pick who combines the shooting touch of Vucevic with a willingness to dive after loose balls.
Hedo Turkoglu: At 34, time has caught up with someone who was a key part of the Magic's Eastern Conference championship team four years ago. Perhaps a title contender will be willing to take a chance on him, like the San Antonio Spurs have done with Tracy McGrady.
Al Harrington: A thorough professional who was limited to only 10 games, largely because of a longer-than-expected rehabilitation on his right knee. He fully expects to catch on elsewhere next season.
Nerlens Noel, 6-10 C, Kentucky: Despite coming off a torn knee ligament and having glaring deficiencies in his offensive game, he's regarded as the best long-range prospect. The Magic will largely be at the mercy of whatever Cleveland does ahead of them with the No. 1 pick – that is, if the Cavaliers don't end up trading the selection.
Otto Porter, 6-9 SF, Georgetown: Like Noel, Porter needs to fill out; he's listed at less than 200 pounds. But there's not a lot he can't do, including hitting the 3-pointer. Often compared to Tayshaun Prince, now of the Memphis Grizzlies.
Anthony Bennett, 6-8 PF, UNLV: This isn't regarded as a draft with many outstanding power forwards, and it's not a position where the Magic have a pressing need. Bennett, who averaged 16 points and eight rebounds in his only college season, is the best of the bunch.
Shabazz Muhammad, 6-6 SF, UCLA: Another one-and-done player who is thought of as talented but a notch or two below Porter. Others think he might end up as a shooting guard.
Josh Smith, F, Atlanta (unrestricted): The Magic aren't in the market for a nine-year veteran who could cost them up to $85 million over five years. His questionable shot selection might scare them off more than his price tag.
David West, F, Indiana (unrestricted): It's hard to picture a scenario in which someone who helped the Pacers extend the Miami Heat to seven games in the Eastern Conference finals heads elsewhere.
Nikola Pecovic, C, Minnesota (restricted): The Timberwolves have the right to match any offer given to someone who has put up numbers comparable to Vucevic's over the course of two seasons.
Dwight Howard, C, Los Angeles Lakers (unrestricted): No comment.
The Magic's rebuilding project is expected to take another season. With that in mind, perhaps they can afford to draft Nerlens Noel if he falls to them. Taking him might be the only major addition they make to a frontcourt that is already plenty young but with a much larger upside than their guards. You can follow Ken Hornack on Twitter @HornackFSFla or email him at khornack32176@gmail.com.
