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Orlando Magic Daily Mailbag Volume 16: Let’s talk free agency

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Dec 17, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Toronto Raptors center Bismack Biyombo (8) gets a rebound from Charlotte Hornets forward center Cody Zeller (40) during the second half of the game at Time Warner Cable Arena. Hornets win in overtime 109-99. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 17, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Toronto Raptors center Bismack Biyombo (8) gets a rebound from Charlotte Hornets forward center Cody Zeller (40) during the second half of the game at Time Warner Cable Arena. Hornets win in overtime 109-99. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports /
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So the players the Magic should target. They have to bring in a veteran, that is key number one this offseason. And not just a veteran, they need a leader and someone who can help the team late in games and snap them to attention.

It is more than fair criticism to say the team lacked really strong leadership last year. When things got tough, there was no one to snap them to attention in the locker room or on the court. Not that Channing Frye and C.J. Watson are bad guys or bad leaders, but they stayed in the background a lot. Orlando’s young players needed someone who could get in their faces a little bit to back up Scott Skiles‘ message of accountability.

So who is that?

Before free agency, I certainly would have said Al Horford. It still seemed even before free agency began that they were not going to get a free agent of that caliber. The team needed to win first to get on his radar.

Mike Conley and Joakim Noah too were likely in the same boat.

But these were kind of guys the Magic wanted to go after, but they likely had to settle for and pursue some secondary guys who could still contribute and play that leadership role on the court.

So did they do it? Or did they go another route?

Serge Ibaka might fit that role of veteran and be able to push his teammates. It is yet to be determined, he has never been an alpha dog on a team. He will be figuring out a lot of things on his own too. Augustin and Meeks fit the lead-by-example mode of leadership. They likely do not move the needle.

The experience factor should continue to be a bit of a concern for the team.

The other option was for the Magic to go out and spend a lot of their money on an up-and-coming player like Harrison Barnes or Chandler Parsons as their primary target. Those were players fans thought were popular targets.

The Magic instead got Bismack Biyombo to fill that question and will rely on several of their young player to take a step up.

Like I have said, there are still a lot of questions as to whether this team can take the step up as anticipated or needed.

Next: The Vuc question