Nikola Vucevic Rumors: Kings Interested in Signing Magic Free Agent Center

The Sacramento Kings are interested in Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7. 

Vucevic is scheduled to be a free agent this summer after playing out a four-year, $53 million extension.

Vucevic is coming off the best performance of his career, as the 28-year-old established new career highs in both scoring (20.8) and rebounding (12.0). Meanwhile, he shot 51.8 percent from the floor while hitting 36.4 percent of his looks from beyond the arc.

That strong campaign led to his first career All-Star selection. Not only that, but it helped Orlando snap a six-year playoff drought.

The Magic were eliminated 4-1 by the eventual Eastern Conference champs, the Toronto Raptors, in the first round.

Last month, Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman made it clear, per Roy Parry of the Orlando Sentinel, that re-signing Vucevic was a priority, though he acknowledged the 7'0", 260-pound center would have no shortage of interested teams around the league. Vucevic has also let it be known he is opening to an Orlando return.

"Obviously I've had a great seven years here, but at the same time, we'll see what happens," he said in April, per Parry. "It's a mutual decision, and it's not just me. They have to decide what they want to do. Based on that, we'll go from there."

After he was taken 16th overall in 2011, Vucevic spent the first year of his career with the Philadelphia 76ers. He has spent the last seven seasons with the Magic.

Though it's in the midst of a 13-year postseason drought, Sacramento found itself in playoff contention for much of the 2018-19 campaign before finishing the year at 39-43. The Kings roster features young talents such as De'Aaron Fox, Marvin Bagley III and Buddy Hield, while veteran Harrison Barnes holds a $25.1 million player option for next season.

Signing Vucevic could make 2015 sixth overall pick Willie Cauley-Stein expendable for the Kings.