Not the time for conclusions with Orlando Magic

With so much negativity about the Orlando Magic cashing in young talent for a potential playoff berth, it is time to step back and save these conversations.

Are Orlando fans waiting on the 2017 season or the 2017 NBA Draft?

It almost feels as if the Orlando Magic has already missed the playoffs five years in a row and the players have not even entered training camp yet. There are a lot of negative conclusions toward a situation that has not even began to unfold.

The national media is certainly doubting the Magic. There is optimism and hopefulness among fans, but plenty are already writing this team off.

On the surface it seems as if Orlando was very impatient. They traded away valuable young players in Tobias Harris and Victor Oladipo. The two did not live up to the hype with “Magic” on their chest. But they also got seemingly little in return.

At the end of the day, they traded those two players because they are role players right now. If they step up this year and become NBA All Stars, everyone will be looking to Rob Hennigan for an explanation and re-evaluating his decisions.

That was the risk. But that interview will have to happen next year. As will many of the answers the Magic are pondering about.

So relax and enjoy the ride.

The world will have to wait until Oladipo and Harris actually develop into what the Magic hoped they would be or not to determine if the Magic lost on this trade or not. The results of these deals and any final answers are still far off into the future.

For example, the Magic essentially traded Oladipo and Harris for Serge Ibaka, Jeff Green and Bismack Biyombo. Did they make the right move? Only time will tell.

How do we know whether Jeff Green, Bismack Biyombo and Serge Ibaka will not be a good fit with this young core before a single game plays out? That seems a bit premature.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion about the roster moves and decision that will affect the 2017 season. These opinions are not the results. No one can make conclusions before witnessing the first game of the regular season.

There is always the opportunity for surprise. Nothing is set in stone.

When looking at it from the negative side, it does feel like a pressure-packed season because if the Magic start losing with Nikola Vucevic struggling beside Ibaka in the starting lineup, people will beginning whispering about the lineup and the $17-million man on the bench.

A losing start combined with a struggling center could put the season at risk considering Vucevic is the best scorer on the team.

There is a long time before any of the team’s Playoff goals succeed or fail. It is tempting to think about April. But it is still only August. The postseason is still far, far away.

In theory the Magic need to get the most out of everyone on the roster for this offseason to become a success. The truth is there is not room for any regression from any player on the team, especially Aaron Gordon, Elfrid Payton, Nikola Vucevic, Evan Fournier or Mario Hezonja.

When looking at it from the positive side, Orlando could beat the pressure if Frank Vogel figures out how to maximize this roster’s potential.

If Vogel stays true to his word and keeps a rim protector on the floor at all times, the defense should remain consistent. Last year, Scott Skiles changed the starting lineup so much because of injuries or lack of effort or chemistry, it was hard to remain consistent on the defensive end.

This could mean Vucevic will start at the center position alongside Ibaka. Then, when Biyombo enters the game, he slides down to the power forward. Vucevic surely will not mind playing alongside both rim protectors instead of being substituted for one.

The most interesting sports story in Orlando is the Magic’s future and potential chemistry issues from the offseason roster changes. Although Orlando was not the only team that made changes, Orlando was the only rebuilding team that made significant roster adjustments.

The fact is most teams with Playoff aspirations in the Eastern Conference made roster adjustments and will have a new team chemistry to figure out during this season.

Take a look at the Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat and Boston Celtics. Three of the four made the playoffs last year and all made major roster adjustments.

Each one of these teams have improved by adding respectable talent into key positions. But each team will need to figure out their chemistry for the upcoming year.

Every team except the NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers will have chemistry issues during the year. Even the Golden State Warriors will have their chemistry issues with Kevin Durant‘s arrival.  Klay Thompson has already been on the record saying he will not sacrifice his role.

You can make the same case for Orlando. The only difference is they made the most changes in the offseason than any other NBA team.

The fact remains the Magic will have to figure out their chemistry. At least Nikola Vucevic did not say like Klay Thompson, “I aint sacrificing [expletive],” after Bismack Biyombo’s arrival. But he did not back down from saying he expects to win the starting job.

Fortunately, they have seemingly found an identity, something they were looking for during Victor Oladipo’s tenure with the Magic. It is going to start and end on the defensive side of the ball.

There was a defensive focus when Scott Skiles led the Magic last year. But they were absent elite rim protectors like Serge Ibaka and Bismack Biyombo. The Magic grew tired of uncontested layups.

Whether viewed with a positive or negative reaction to the roster adjustments this offseason the fact remains: Everyone will have to allow the season to conclude to determine if the moves were right or not.

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Now is not the time to make final judgments.