I’ve always felt like the Orlando Magic is a name better suited for a minor league baseball team than it is an NBA franchise. Maybe that perception would change if they were able to find success for any sort of longevity. Don’t get it confused, the team has had its moments. They began in the NBA as an expansion franchise for the 1989-90 season. The team reached quick levels of success on the court when they won the 1992 and 1993 NBA Draft Lotteries, cashing in for the talents of Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway. The other notable time for the Magic was when they featured four shooters to surround dominant center Dwight Howard in the late 2000s and early 2010s. These periods resulted in finals appearances in 1995 and 2009, but no championships, and are better remembered for their unfulfilled potential than their dominance.
Nevertheless, this still shows that it is possible to build a team that is capable of competing with the best in the NBA. To win a championship though, that’ll take something just a little more special. The Magic are unique in that unlike the other teams I’m looking at, the Bears and the Athletics, They are a very young franchise. The other two’s inception preceded the Magic by nearly several decades (Athletics established in 1901, and the Bears in 1920). Also unlike the other two franchises, the Magic have the most potential contributing pieces already on their roster.
Franz Wagner has established himself as a solid perimeter defender who can be good in spirts offensively. They also have rookie of the year favorite and the number one overall pick from the 2022 NBA Draft in Paolo Banchero. These two give the franchise a pair of players who have shown great promise immediately, and also have multiple years to develop into their physical peak. It’s more likely that Banchero establishes himself as a number one, or at least a high end number two option, compared to Wagner. The biggest factors are his offensive and athletic upside. If Banchero can polish his defensive skills and grow into a consistent three-point shooter there’s a good chance he can be one of the faces for the NBA’s next generation of stars. Wagner still projects as a solid contributor, but more of an Andrew Wiggins like role player who offers you defensive versatility and can be a second or third option depending on the night. Personally, I believe his ceiling is a taller and right-handed Manu Ginobilli. Maybe not quite as polished even at his best, but a second to fourth best player on a championship level team is not unrealistic.
Beyond Wagner and Banchero, there are other young players who are intriguing on the roster. It is fair to be more questionable about their upside and fit. Bol Bol is probably the most intriguing. He’s been a fascination of basketball guru’s for years due to his 7’2” height, 7′ 8” wingspan, 9’7” standing reach, and guard-like ball-handling and shooting. Even as I type this out, I can’t help but think I’m describing a player I made on 2k. The reason this seemingly ideal build and skill set hasn’t flourished since he was drafted out of the University of Oregon in 2019 is because of health and work ethic. Bol has struggled with injuries, causing him to struggle to find a consistent role and get on the court to develop his game. Even back in his college days he played just nine games before missing the season due to a foot injury. But even in that small sample-size the talent was evident as he averaged 21 points with 9 rebounds on 56% shooting and 52% from 3-point range. Again, absurd to actually think about. The upside is obviously oozing with Bol, but again health makes him a question mark. Part of the reason he’s even in Orlando is because he failed a physical after being traded by the Nuggets to the Pistons. This led Denver to deal Bol to Boston, who then flipped him to Orlando. His work ethic has also been called into question, although sources in Orlando have reported it has improved as he’s gotten healthier. Whether his future is in Orlando or not, it’s going to be worth keeping an eye on if he can ever reach his full potential.
The next guys worth exploring on the current roster are Cole Anthony and Jalen Suggs. Anthony is the son of former NBA player Greg Anthony, and is a small guard who offers high upside as a scorer. If his passing, which has been solid for stretches, can equal his scoring upside he could become a starting level point guard in the NBA. The problem is going to be if he takes too much of the ball from Banchero and Wagner. He’s shown enough potential as a shooter where he could develop into a more combo style guard which would give him more fit flexibility with the team’s young duo. However his height also gives him a lower ceiling on the defensive side, which further causes questions for his long-term fit.
Suggs, on the other hand, has a more natural combo-guard skill set. He is capable of handling the ball and has great feel as a cutter off-ball, but will likely need to develop to a near league average 3-point shooter to be a starter for the team. His defensive upside is awesome, possessing a Marcus Smart like tenacity, and at 6’5” has tons of potential in terms of versatility. Adding ten pounds to his frame would help in that aspect as long as it doesn’t come at the cost of his explosiveness and burst. Suggs is also a full 13 months younger than Anthony, so he may end up being a more enticing long-term option. There is a world where both of these players end up on the team in the end of this, whether that happens or not could come down to something as little as my mood when I get to that part, but it would take one of them taking a bench role, as it’s a big jump to assume they will be able to play anything more than stretches together consistently if both Wagner and Banchero are on the court. It’s possible, but you’re banking on three guys making significant jumps in the shooting department.
The Magic were in the running for the final play-in spot this year, but ultimately came up short. With this in mind, the aim in the next part is going to be laying out an offseason plan for how to help this team jump to a top play-in/middle playoff team. The third part I’ll get into how that team can then take the jump to a championship level.
Make sure to check out part 2, as well as the rest of the rebuilds.
Unqualified GM 
Leave a comment