Orlando Magic
Expectations are everything.
To the casual observer passing by, the 2018-2019 Orlando Magic season looks ever so slightly above average on paper: 7th place in the Eastern Conference with a 42-40 record, and a 5-game first-round playoff loss to the eventual NBA Champion Toronto Raptors.
These accomplishments, however, were a significant breakthrough for a franchise that had been waiting for a season like this since the aftermath of Dwight Howard’s departure. It was the first time the Magic had an All-Star since Dwight and it was the first time the Magic had sniffed the postseason in 7 long years. During that 7-year stretch, Orlando won more than 30 games just once.
The Magic’s All-Star is 7-foot center Nikola Vucevic, known as Vooch, who was actually acquired in the 4-team Dwight Howard trade many moons ago. Vooch thrived last year and gave credit to new head coach Steve Clifford, whose system positioned the center with respectable 3-point range (36%) at the top of the key on offense, stretching defenses and opening up passing lanes. It was the best season of Vucevic’s 8-year career by far. Vooch averaged 20 points and 12 rebounds, season-long averages that only Shaq and Dwight have ever accomplished in a Magic uniform. Vucevic added 3.8 assists per game, dime numbers that Diesel and D12 couldn’t pull off.
Seven-year veteran Terrence Ross also made quite a leap as a human torch off the bench for Clifford. T-Ross and Vooch averaged a career high in points, rebounds and assists, leading the Magic to a 17-win improvement from the season before, and besting their preseason Vegas Over/Under by 12.5 games. Both vets entered this summer as free agents with Orlando’s front office facing the question of whether last season was a fluke or a stepping stone toward the future.
The future of the Magic involves a young nucleus that is exciting but quite unproven.
The most accomplished of the group, Aaron Gordon, has 5 years of service under his belt, is still just 24, and shot a career best 35% on threes last year, up from 27% his rookie year. Gordon is a tremendous athlete and a strong defender who appears dedicated to improving his game.
The Lanky Jonathan Isaac showed some progression after a underwhelming rookie season when he couldn’t stay on the floor due to injuries, something that Mo Bamba also struggled with in his first year as a pro. Bamba’s 7-foot-10 wingspan is the longest in NBA history, but the big Texan fractured his left tibia, cutting his rookie season short at 47 games. Isaac and Bamba have shown flashes of brilliance, but they remain as great unknowns.
Speaking of missing games: Markelle Fultz, where art thou? Ohh but wait! New footage of Fultz shooting in the gym has recently surfaced and his shooting form looks… like it might be back to normal? Haven’t we done this before?? The biggest question mark and mystery in the NBA is no longer M.I.A., but we are going to wait until we see it in real NBA action before we get excited. Nobody is rooting harder for Fultz to be an incredible comeback story, but we’re keeping our expectations tempered.
The Magic decided to keep the vets on board this young ship and run that shit back, for the next four years and for a chunk. Vucevic signed a 4-year $100 million contract and Ross signed for 4 years and $54 million. So over the next four years, you could say that expectations for Orlando’s All-Star Center and sixth man are set at least one hundred and fifty four million dollars. For a shot at the playoffs and quick first round exit.
Expectations really are everything.
League Pass Notes
Air Gordon and T-Ross, the rare power dunker pair that can also shoot the 3-ball. (Please note that we have officially removed the Air Gordon nickname from Eric Gordon and bestowed it upon its rightful owner, Aaron Gordon.)
Not regarded as too highly of a player, we’ve still taken notice of Evan Fournier hitting big crunch-time buckets with the game on the line.
With Bamba out due to injury last year, 2nd year unknown Khem Birch filled the void as a solid contributor on both ends of the floor. He might have our favorite name in all of basketballin’. After Birch sets a hard screen or makes a hustle play on D, it’s really fun to yell “KHEM BIRCH!!!” (Side Note: Orlando has a redundancy of bigs. Khem Birch needs playing time!)
The Final Questions / The Final Take
Can Steve Clifford get this group to find the same magic (sorry) as last season when their 17-win improvement was the best in the league?
Was Orlando’s 22-9 record down the stretch more mirage than sustainability?
The Magic could be a versatile perimeter defender and transition playmaker away. The Return of Fultz awaits.
We are feeling UNDER 41.5 wins but this is a tough call in the Junior Varsity Eastern Conference.