Nikola Vucevic and the Orlando Magic are reuniting after the free agent center agreed to a one-year, $3.9 million deal to return, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania.
Vucevic spent 8½ seasons in Orlando before he was traded to Chicago in deal that included Wendell Carter Jr. and two first-round picks, one of which was used to select Franz Wagner in 2021.
Now Vucevic joins Wagner and Carter to bolster the Magic's depth at center.
Also Wednesday, free agent point guard Jevon Carter agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million deal to stay with the Magic, sources told Charania. Carter finished the season in Orlando and earned a rotation role, averaging 7.2 points, 2.3 assists and 2.1 rebounds in 30 games. The Magic, along with Mark Bartelstein and Reggie Brown of Priority Sports finalized Carter's new deal Wednesday morning, per Charania.
And later Wednesday, the Magic agreed to bring back free agent Jonathan Isaac on a one-year deal, a league source confirmed to ESPN. Isaac was waived Saturday before his $14.5 million salary was set to become guaranteed, saving the Magic $6.5 million with the move. There was $8 million owed to Isaac, but the Magic did not stretch that salary over seven seasons which allowed the power forward to return to Orlando.
Vucevic is returning to give Orlando another scoring option after the Magic lost in the first round to Detroit despite leading the series 3-1. Vucevic, 35, was traded to Boston this past season by the Bulls and the center averaged 9.7 points and 6.6 rebounds in 16 games for the Celtics. Prior to the trade, Vucevic averaged 16.9 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists while shooting 37.6% from 3 with the Bulls last season.
After his rookie season with the Philadelphia 76ers, Vucevic was traded in a four-team deal to Orlando before the 2012-13 season. He has maintained a home there since and turned down more lucrative offers elsewhere to reunite with the franchise, according to Charania.
The 6-foot-10 Isaac was drafted sixth by the Magic in 2017. But he played 70 or more games just twice in his nine seasons in Orlando, missing all of 2020-21 and 2021-22 because of a torn left ACL.
Last season, Isaac averaged 2.6 points and 2.5 rebounds in 52 games. He did not play in the final 22 games of the regular season or in Orlando's first-round loss to Detroit because of a sprained left knee.