Orlando Magic
The 2022-23 Orlando Magic can be defined as being a Young Surprise Team when healthy.
What did we learn?
Paolo Banchero is the real deal, the NBA’s Rookie of the Year.
The No. 1 overall pick touted a rare blend of size and strength for a 19-year-old rookie. Paolo’s game fit seamlessly in the NBA, and he looked like a star in the making from the jump. To hear some call him a potentially bigger version of Jayson Tatum is a scary thought.
However, the Magic started the season on the wrong foot. A 1-7 record over the first two weeks and a 9-game losing streak shortly after left them 5-20 at the bottom of the barrel.
Already a young team, the Magic were dealing with injuries to their veterans, missing shot creation from Markelle Fultz and perimeter defense from Gary Harris. Injuries to others piled up as well. Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs, Wendell Carter Jr and even Paolo missed time. It was no shock that the Magic had a difficult time winning games with such a shorthanded and inexperienced group.
When Fultz made his season debut, the Magic offense immediately had a sense of direction and flow to it. That’s when the Magic started taking teams by surprise, ripping off a 6-game win streak and winning 8 out of 9 games. Orlando was a completely different team from that point forward as they continued to finally became fully healthy and realized.
From the first week of the December until the end of the season, the Magic had a winning record of 29-28 and the No. 6 defense in the NBA. (That’s not a joke and the screenshot from NBA dot com is below if you need proof.)
It’s amazing what actually having your players available can do for a team.
In mid-January, David Steele’s always fantastic “Is this anything?” segment brought to light that both Paolo and Franz Wagner were averaging 20 points a night, the youngest duo in NBA history to pull that off. Paolo held on to average exactly 20 points per game, leading the team in scoring as a rook, while Franz finished at 18.6 ppg for the season.
Franz actually went through a little bit of a sophomore slump at times when the Magic were so shorthanded, but he found his rhythm. He’s still a smooth player who can do a little bit of everything, effective playing both on and off-ball.
Wendell Carter Jr. quietly took his game up another mini-level. His base numbers were about the same as the season prior, but he was more efficient and his 3-point shot rose to 35.6 percent on 4 attempts per game — respectable numbers for a stretch big who previously did not have that in his game. (The Magic made out like bandits in the Vooch trade.)
The jumbo-sized lineups that head coach Jahmal Mosley ran out at the beginning of the season with Bol Bol and Mo Bamba were fun as hell. So were all of the Bol Bol highlights.
Cole Anthony proved to be what we previously suspected: best suited as an off-the-bench gunner. He thrived in that role and was the same leader and positive energy guy as when he started every game last season.
Just as we marveled at the end of last season, it is truly evident that this group genuinely likes playing ball together and always has each other’s backs. The Magic have a strong foundation and a fond sense of togetherness about them.
The future is very bright in Orlando.
Better keep your shades on.
_____________________________________
Additional Notes
Jonathan Isaac actually played basketball, lacing them up for the first time in 904 days since his last game in the Bubble. Alas, he only played 11 games before a torn adductor required surgery and ended his season.
Moe Wagner never missed an opportunity to be an instigator, but he was also a helpful contributor, always playing hard with intensity.
Sophomore Jalen Suggs played less minutes than his rookie season, but his shooting improved dramatically. He had nowhere to go but up, but he made it happen.
Trading Mo Bamba and T-Ross at the deadline marked the end of an era in Orlando. The longest-tenured Magic player is now Jonathan Isaac.
_____________________________________
Did our preseason Over/Under prediction hit?
Hammering this Over and all in on the Magic to be this year’s Young Surprise Team and make the play-in. Over 26.5 wins.
Magic 2022-23 record: (34-48)
YES INDEED! The Magic might not have made the play-in, but they soared over 26.5 wins with a month to spare.
_____________________________________
What’s Next?
The No. 6 and No. 11 picks in the draft can add more lottery pieces to this already fun, young core. Or the Magic can flip one or both of those assets to add more vets and experience.
Per ESPN’s Bobby Marks: “They have $60 million in guaranteed contracts and can spend in free agency or bring back a majority of the roster plus two potential lottery picks. To create up to $30 million in cap space, Orlando could release Gary Harris, Goga Bitadze, Michael-Carter Williams and Admiral Schofield.”
Another lead guard or wing could be the next ingredient for this recipe. It probably won’t happen, but Austin Reeves would be very interesting.
_____________________________________
Favorite Magic Highlight of the 2022-23 Season:
This was the first true power dunk of the 2022-23 season.
The Return of Power Dunk City. Coming Soon.
