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Orlando Magic Daily Mailbag Volume 11: New beginnings

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Apr 8, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) falls during an NBA basketball game at Amway Center. The Orlando Magic beat the Chicago Bulls 105-103. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 8, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) falls during an NBA basketball game at Amway Center. The Orlando Magic beat the Chicago Bulls 105-103. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /
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Paul Millsap, Kent Bazemore, Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, Victor Oladipo
Feb 27, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Orlando Magic guard Victor Oladipo (5) fights for a loose ball with Atlanta Hawks guard Kent Bazemore (24) and forward Paul Millsap (4) in the third quarter at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /

The Final Piece

This was asked at the end of last season and I had it banked up for a future mailbag (I try to make sure the love gets spread around in the mailbags and not take multiple questions from the same person). But the question is still pretty relevant.

What more do the Magic need to get to the Playoffs? Are they close enough as they stand right now?

There is certainly plenty of optimism out there that this team can get to 40 wins and make the Playoffs. I have heard it from you. Scott Skiles has set a pretty clear goal of not only making the Playoffs but getting to 41 wins and a winning record.

That 16-win improvement is difficult to say the least. It does not happen very often that a team jumps up that much. Particularly one without a surefire star.

The Magic’s young core might be good, but the plain fact is we do not know. We are still waiting for Victor Oladipo or Tobias Harris or Nikola Vucevic to make a true star turn and reach comfortable All Star status. That would be how the Magic ensure their status as a Playoff team.

Paul Millsap really would have been a player who fits the Magic perfectly. Going after him in free agency this summer was really a perfect fit.

Why? He had versatility. He was a good defender. He is capable of carrying the load, but still fitting in with the young core. He was a veteran who could lead the team in the critical moments.

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I am not one to go raiding other teams’ rosters and speculate who might be available. The Magic, as Rob Hennigan said, need to continue to be opportunistic in who they go after to fit into this core. Or they need to cash in on some of these players and see what they can get for them to shore up the team.

Before doing that, the Magic need to figure out who they want to keep. Maybe they have already done that in giving big contract extensions to Nikola Vucevic and Tobias Harris. Some of this sorting out through the pieces the Magic have has to begin this year. There needs to be some urgency to get it done.

So at this point, I cannot really tell you who the Magic should go after to complete the roster. I think this team is still in an incubation phase. Orlando needs to see if Victor Oladipo takes a step up. Or Nikola Vucevic or Tobias Harris. They need to figure out what Aaron Gordon is. They need to see if Elfrid Payton continues his improvement.

Once this team establishes itself a little bit more, then we can start addressing specific needs.

Next: UK tickets

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