ORLANDO — Nikola Vucevic signed a one-year, $3.9 million contract with the Orlando Magic on July 6, 2026. This marks his return to the team after previously spending nine seasons with them.

Vucevic became an unrestricted free agent in the 2026 offseason. He will be 35 years old and the oldest player on the Magic roster. The center first joined the Orlando Magic in 2012 as part of a four-team trade that sent Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers.

During his initial tenure with the Magic, Vucevic appeared in 591 games. He played in two All-Star games in 2019 and 2021 as a member of the Magic. He averaged 17.6 points and 10.8 rebounds per game throughout his time with the team.

The Magic traded Vucevic and Al-Farouq Aminu to the Chicago Bulls on March 25, 2021. In return, Orlando received Wendell Carter Jr., Otto Porter Jr., and two first-round draft picks. These draft picks were used to select Franz Wagner in 2021 and Jett Howard in 2023.

Vucevic played five seasons with the Chicago Bulls, averaging 18.1 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. He was then traded to the Boston Celtics during the 2025-2026 season. He played 16 games for the Celtics, averaging 9.7 points and 6.6 rebounds.

"When I put it all on paper, it was a pretty easy decision for me to come back," Vucevic said. "I came here very young and I left a grown man with two kids."