Orlando Magic
The 2020-21 Orlando Magic season can be defined by the litany of injuries that occurred and by the fact that they blew the team up at the trade deadline.
What did we learn?
In our Season Preview, we stated in our case for taking the Over on the Magic’s win total:
“Vooch, Aaron Gordon, T-Ross and Evan Fournier are the Orlando mainstays you can count on.”
Welp.
T-Ross is the captain (lone survivor) now. And who knows for how long.
The Magic pressed KOC’s favorite “BLOW IT UP” button at the trade deadline because the team’s record at the time was 14 games below .500 and second-worst in the Eastern Conference thanks in large part to an injury bug the size of Epcot.
Jonathan Isaac was already out for the entirety of this season after his torn ACL in the bubble and subsequent surgery. Then Markelle Fultz tore his ACL exactly two weeks into the season. The Magic’s record at the time was 6-2, good for 3rd place in the East albeit against an easy beginning of the season schedule. The Magic were never the same after Fultz went down and lost 15 of the next 18 games as things got even worse after Aaron Gordon suffered a high ankle sprain that caused him to miss six weeks.
Vooch held down the fort as well as he could, showing up to work and giving it his all in his best season yet, 24.5 points per game and 40.6 percent from 3 on 6.5 attempts, earning his second trip to the All-Star Game.
Despite Vooch’s stellarness, it was a lost season for the Magic through and through, finishing with the second-worst record in the East, one game head of the Pistons.
The Vooch trade was a definite surprise but one that we felt necessary to try to build something for the future. (Better luck in the lottery sure would have helped.) After the trade, we really enjoyed the togetherness that this bunch of youngin’s played with the last couple of weeks of the season.
We learned that Cole Anthony has the clutch gene, even as a rookie, with two game-winners under his belt.
Chuma Okeke can play, getting to see him for the first time after he missed the entire 2019-2020 season recovering from a torn ACL in college. Okeke is a cerebral player with a good knack for the game.
Wendell Carter Jr. is somebody who we have viewed as having the talent but just hasn’t put it all together yet. It’s quite possible being sent to Orlando was the best possible move for him. He’s the main big, and a big opportunity awaits.
We STAN R.J. Hampton and have accumulated all of the R.J. Hampton stock that we can. You might have missed that Hampton was the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for May. If you blink, you’ll miss him in the open court, too.
Mo Wagner got that big shoutout from Cole, so we have to mention him here.
Khem Birch is gone so that Mo Bamba can see the light of day.
Steve Clifford is out so that somebody else can stand at the helm of his rebuild. A good move by all accounts. Clifford has always been one to maximize his rosters to their fullest, eeking out every win possible. Not a man of the tank.
Fultz, Cole Anthony, Jonathan Isaac, Wendell Carter Jr. + two lottery picks (and R.J. Hampton!) seems like a smart idea and plan, but it all comes down to how the draft picks pan out. The Magic also have a 2023 1st round pick from the Bulls, so we really won’t know for sure for quite some time.
The previous reiteration of the Magic was mediocre at best. This new path at least gives them a real shot at taking the next step as a franchise.
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Did our preseason Over/Under prediction hit?
Under 31.5 wins, but it will probably be super close either way.
Magic 2020-21 Record: (21-51)
YES, our preseason Over/Under prediction hit! (And it was not close.)
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What’s Next?
Of course the Magic would get the #5 and #8 picks in a four-player draft. Jonathan Kuminga seems to be the most common 5th player in mock drafts. Will the fact that the Magic already have a Jonathan on the team play a factor in the decision?
Find a new head coach. Our vote would be for Kenny Atkinson if the Pelicans don’t land him.
Develop the young talent is the name of the game.
Otto Porter Jr. is an unrestricted free agent. He would not be a bad veteran presence to have around if he’s attainable for a reasonable price. OPJ shouldn’t be hurting for money thanks to Ernie Grunfeld.
Get Fultz and Jonathan Isaac healthy for the start of the 2021-2022 season. Isaac should be good to go, but Fultz could very possibly need some more time.
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Favorite Magic Highlight from the 2020-21 Season:
Yeah.
Yeah!
YEAH!!!!!
