Overview of last season
The Orlando Magic’s 2021-2022 campaign was hardly a season to remember. They ended an era of the Nicola Vucevic-Aaron Gordon core headed by coach Steve Clifford. Despite the end of the road for the two players and the departure of their coach, the Magic celebrated with their draft pick Jalen Suggs. The rookie had a lot of promise but his injury issues haunted him, limiting his output to 11.8 points per game and 36.1 percent shooting overall. This was a recurring theme for the squad as they fell into the second-worst spot in the standings with a record of 22-60.
The skies looked bright as the success of the whole season depended heavily on the comeback of Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac who were both recovering from knee injuries. Fultz had outstanding playmaking and an elite mid-range shot that left basketball fans in awe. His shooting numbers also served as a breath of fresh air for the team. Fultz was restricted to under 20 minutes per game in 18 appearances and his presence was already a big deal to Orlando. However, the franchise never got Isaac back on the floor. It was probably due to being cautious or slow recovery, but he was never in the right physical condition to play out there.
It may be disheartening with the team’s results last year but the real goal for the Magic was to showcase their potential and their eagerness to compete, and in that sense, you can say that the season was actually a success.
What’s new this season?
Last season can still be considered a good run since their young players were able to show that they have the talent and potential to bring this team to a better position. Now, this new season is about showing off the fresh core of Orlando Magic and making the most out of this period to have fun, develop, and build chemistry.
No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero will be leading the team, and he might be the best offensive weapon Orlando has had since Tracy McGrady in 2004. With him is Franz Wagner, who is coming off an impressive rookie year where he made excellent passes in the paint and provided much-needed shooting from deep. Wendell Carter Jr. will also be likely to rally up points and assists this time around, especially after his breakout season last year when he replaced Vucevic. It is expected that this trio in the frontcourt is where we’ll be seeing most of the action.
THE guy
Banchero was definitely the best prospect during Summer League. This 19-year-old is quite special, given his dual ability to threaten the defense as well as create shots and set up plays for his teammates. He thrives in the mid-range and he can pull up over the ones guarding him, and if that still doesn’t open up a clear window for him, he can just use his speed to cut near the rim.
Orlando is definitely going places with this 6’10 forward on their roster. He’s going to be an offensive force as his scoring and playmaking will likely upgrade. If he can improve his outside shooting and defense, he has the chance to become the most productive player in his class. And the best thing about it is, the Magic will surely run the offense through him, which will give him a lot of opportunities to stuff the stat sheet.
Sneaky fun guy
A proof of development in Orlando is none other than Wendell Carter Jr. He was drafted by Chicago to serve as a well-rounded big man who could shoot from the rainbow and defend intelligently. His skills were present but he never really became consistent for the Bulls.
Something clicked for Carter Jr. when he got to Orlando. His production shows us that he is slowly becoming the player everyone expected him to be. He now has confidence in his 3-point shooting?hitting countless 3s on fast breaks, pick-and-pop, or hard closeouts. The big man always had these skills and it would be exciting to see how he’ll play more of his strengths and experiment on the floor with his young teammates.
Vibe check
The Orlando Magic have found quality big men that could complement their promising frontcourt. The franchise has a long way to go but they have already established the needed foundations for the team’s future. With the ample cap room and the improved internal culture brought by new head coach Jamahl Mosley, the future is bright for this young team.
