To get us through the late-Summer doldrums of the NBA, we’re reviewing teams from around the league and how their offseasons went.
Orlando Magic
Key Additions:
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Tristan da Silva
Cory Joseph
Key Losses:
Markelle Fultz
Joe Ingles
Chuma Okeke
Offseason Review and 2024-25 Season Outlook:
The Orlando Magic have undergone a truly successful rebuilding effort. The team has an identity, built around length, athleticism, and defense. The team has some young guys on the verge of becoming true star-level players in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. And the team has serious depth at pretty much every position. They entered the offseason with one glaring need, help at shooting guard, and they addressed it with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. KCP is a perfect fit, bringing outside shooting that the Magic desperately needed while not detracting from the team’s defensive prowess.
One surprise was that the Magic didn’t shake up their roster much. The Magic were one of few teams who had significant cap space this summer, and they didn’t make any big splashes outside of KCP. Instead, they used their space to bring back most of their own free agents, including Mo Wagner, Goga Bitadze, Gary Harris, and completing a team-friendly raise-and-extend deal with Jonathan Isaac. It wasn’t flashy, but I actually thought they made smart moves. The market wasn’t flush with options, especially after Malik Monk removed himself from the market and re-signed with the Kings.
Instead, the Magic kept their roster mostly intact and re-signed players on team-friendly deals. Seriously, go look at their future cap sheet and all the flexibility they have. Club options galore give the Magic tons of affordable, moveable contracts so the team can jump if trade opportunities present themselves or if a free agent market is appealing. The Magic are a fun team on the rise, and they’ve done a great job giving themselves flexibility to continue to grow.
Why We Hate Them:
They took my draft crush Tristan da Silva, they took Franz Wagner out from under us, and they employ our enemy Pete D’Alessando.
I’m sooooo envious of their roster. They have youth, length, and play superior defense. They will only get better this season. I still think the need a bit more outside shooting to reach elite status, but they are a dark horse favorite of mine to reach the ECF.
They’re a fun young team with a roster full of guys I like. Arguably the best place to be as a fan. The sky’s the limit, and you’re enjoying the growth and potential. It’ll be interesting to see how it works out, because we know that not every fun young team actually grows into a legit powerhouse.
Edit: second-best place to be as a fan. Being a fan of a legit title team is obviously better.
Bless you, Greg, for going to the trouble to write these and give us something engaging and informative to read.
August is a rough patch for NBA news lol. Glad you’re enjoying them.
Interesting to see if Franz can regain his 3P touch. He fell from .361 to .281 last season, which is horrible.
Damn near identical career 3pt shooting arc as Fox.
Significantly higher volume for Franz, though.
Franz 965 3P attempts vs Fox 570 3P attempts in their first 3 seasons.
Very true, and I think that is indicative of how much the game has changed in just a few years. In Fox’s rookie year, the Kings were 28th in 3pt shooting, at 24 attempts per game, while last year they were 2nd at 39.3 attempts per game.
Teams, for better or for worse, are just shooting a ton more threes then they were just 5 years ago. It’s probably not Wagner’s strength, but it’s just the way the game is played today.
Then numbers are wild when you think about it. Fox just averaged 7.8 3PTA per game last year. The most Peja ever averaged was 6.8, whereas if he played today, those attempts would likely double.
Yeah, the game has clearly changed.
Can’t wait for the GSW and Lakers ones. Especially since Lauri extended big time in Utah.
Was Fultz traded or sign elsewhere? It’s sad to think that as a former #1 pick that we could be unsure of his whereabouts. Reminds me of a #2 pick a year later.
He’s still a free agent right now. Could end up signing somewhere cheap or going overseas. He actually was playing decent in limited games/minutes last year, I’d be a little surprised if he’s out of the NBA.
That injury and trying to change his shot really ruined his career, though.
Good young team that is being properly managed by the FO, glad they’re in the East.
Agree – the Disney Squad is a fun ride. You have to put them just behind OKC on the successful young build ladder, maybe Houston right behind them. I can’t think of anyone else on The Up-And-Comers that are more interesting than those 3.
The Magic have 6 frontcourt guys at 6’10” or 6′ 11″ (none taller) and excepting Gary Harris (29) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (the second longest last name in The Association behind SGA) at 31, no one older than 26 (and that includes Jonathan Isaac).
I liked what I saw from Anthony Black at VSL this year, and Jalen Suggs is alright, but Cole Anthony leaves you wanting. I like the KCP addition, but a strong leading PG would be something that I would think that really solidify these group along with a more dominant anchor in the middle – it would have been interesting to see Jonas V there rather than Washington. And NO to DeAndre Ayton IMO. I am big WCJr fan, would like him as a King, but he isn’t healthy enough or bringing enough presence to the middle of the middle of the Sunshine State squad.
I am also surprised to see that this young, big, tall and athletic group was 25th in rebounding. Being in the East really helps them, IMO. They finished a game better than Sac (47-35) and 5th in the Leastern, but I think they’ve have a tougher go of it on the Left half of the continental.
I feel Anthony Black is going to be good, as in a core rotational player on a contending team kind of good. I see a Shaun Livingston but with an outside shot kind of player.
Marco…
Awesome.
Appreciate Greg for putting these together.
Orlando has the beginnings of a good team. Depends on a few unknowns like how players develop and what the front office does with the already good players.
On the verge of something solid or ruins.
Maybe that is the skewed perception as a Kings fan?
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