Starting the year 5-20 is devastating for any season, however the Orlando Magic pieced things along as the season continued. Members of the team truly found their role this season. The season seemed like another year of player development, however toward the end of the season the Magic were impressive, improving greatly on the defensive end.
Expectations
With the first overall pick in the draft, expectations for a team will be low. The Magic came in to this season with one of the youngest teams in the NBA, and key players were still searching for their true role on the team. Last season, Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter displayed that they will be key members of the team for the future. Wagner played nearly every game in his rookie season, averaging 15 points a game. Seeing these players and others take the next step was the reason head coach Jamahl Mosley was hired. Beginning as the Denver Nuggets player development coach, Mosley has a knack for developing youth and focusing on the defensive end.
Offense: B
Last season, the Magic had an abysmal offensive rating of 103.9. This was good for 29th in the NBA and was a major part of the Magic’s poor record. However with that first selection came a player with the ability to be a primary scorer, Paolo Banchero. Banchero was the Magic’s leading scorer this season at 20 points per game. Banchero also had six thirty-point games, which is twice as many as the nearest rookie. Banchero only shot 29.8% from the three this season, however this shouldn’t be too much of a concern. Other high volume scoring forwards, such as Kevin Durant and Brandon Ingram, also shot below the 30% mark from three in their first season. The playmaking and versatility of Banchero will be the Magic’s cornerstone for years.
This past season, the Magic’s offensive rating was 26th in the NBA at 111.3. This change still does not make the offensive truly dynamic, however it is a massive improvement for the team. Wagner was the only Magic player with a positive +/- over the season. Wagner’s ability to defend multiple positions, facilitate and score made him invaluable on the court for the Magic. Wagner’s ability to distribute the ball at 6’ 9” creates so much flexibility for the Magic on offense. Multiple Magic players have stepped up and had career highs this year, such as Markelle Fultz with 28, and Bol Bol with 26.
Defense: A-
The Magic and Mosley have stated that this team hangs their hat on the defensive end. The Magic defense is rooted in the teams ability to switch with ease and constant effort by a young group. Wagner and Banchero led the team in minutes, working equally hard defensively as on the offensive end. The height and length of the two forwards allows them to be able to switch on nearly any position. The Magic had a defensive rating of 113.7. This puts them eighteenth in the NBA in this category.
A strong aspect of the Magic’s defense was their ability to crash the boards. A performance that was good for eighth in the NBA for defensive rebounding percentage. This rebounding effort was truly a team effort, as no Magic player averaged more than seven rebounds. For a young team, being disruptive and causing turnovers is a key way to get easy baskets and speed up the game. Fultz took true strides on the defensive end, as the twenty-four year old had a career year. Fultz’s average of 1.45 steals a game places him amongst the elite perimeter defenders in the NBA.
Overall Grade: B+
Banchero has been everything you could want out of a first overall selection. Banchero led his team in minutes and scoring, impressing on both ends of the court. Banchero won the Rookie of the Year award with 98 of 100 first place votes, securing himself as one of the premier young talents in the NBA. The Magic finally have a true number one scoring option and relied on him throughout the season. The youth of the Magic has blossomed this season, as Bol, Wagner and Fultz all had career seasons. All of these players are under 24 years old and have solidified their roles on the team.
Jonathan Isaac and RJ Hampton were once viewed as part of the future for the team. However yet another injury has sidelined Isaac, and Hampton was traded at the deadline to the Detroit Pistons. The Magic have a true idea of their future core, as Banchero, Wagner and Carter have blossomed this season.
After such a slow start to the season, it was impressive seeing the Magic rally and attempt to make a push for the Play-In Tournament. Due to the Nikola Vucevic trade, the team will have two lottery picks in this upcoming draft. The Magic used another lottery selection from the Chicago Bulls on Wagner. They will be adding elite athletes to the ensemble of young talent who should only be getting better for years to come.
