Power Rankings Roundup: Preparing for the future

The Orlando Magic are holding steady just above the Mendoza line in this week’s power rankings roundup. Really, there isn’t much to report.

The news that came out this week that the Magic will seek to extend Rob Hennigan’s contract. That would certainly stir some controversy among the most frustrated of Magic fans.

But this is largely a procedural move. Hennigan is in the last year of his deal and it is good policy not to have a person in that position on lame-duck status. Hennigan is building a long-term plan after all and confining that to a potentially do-or-die year would not be good for the organization as a whole.

Yes, the final eight games of the season are more or less the Magic playing out the string. The games are more about building for the future than it is about anything happening immediately.

That is all the Magic talk about — building momentum for next season. They want to see some wins fall their way. But they know they have to earn it.

Does this mean we will see more young players like Aaron Gordon, Kyle O’Quinn and Maurice Harkless? The last few games would suggest no, which is sure to continue the confusion.

This confusion over what the Magic are hoping to accomplish and how they go about accomplishing this at the end of the season is probably why the Magic are playing some of the worst basketball in the league.

They seem locked into fifth best Lottery odds, so there is no need to accuse anyone of tanking. There would be no point.

For now, the Magic are just trying to figure out how to get the most out of these final games.

Next: Marc Stein, ESPN.com