The Orlando Magic certainly made a big splash in free agency reshaping their roster almost completely. The question from many remains: What are they doing?
The Orlando Magic promised to be active in free agency when they traded Tobias Harris to the Detroit Pistons for cap room (Brandon Jennings and Ersan Ilyasova). They were clearly taking a step to move the team forward in a meaningful way into the Playoffs. The Magic were pushing their chips in.
The question was what would they do.
The answer: Serge Ibaka (acquired in a trade), Jodie Meeks (acquired in a separate trade), Bismack Biyombo, D.J. Augustin and Jeff Green.
That reality is still sinking in as Summer League turns into Olympic season turns into preseason camp. The Magic are a very different team than they were when the offseason began. Whether that is a good or a bad thing is the question everyone wants to know.
What puzzles everyone though is really what the Magic are trying to build at the end of the day. Not only what direction is the team headed, but also what was the point of the last four years if the team was going to rush to the Playoffs.
Yes, four years is a long time out of the Playoffs — the longest in franchise history. But those that were fans, or at least intrigued with the Magic’s rebuild and believing in the group they were beginning to put together, know a team can only step forward when it is absolutely ready. There is no timeline for it and patience is paramount.
This is why the general question when the national media look at the Magic’s rebuild is: What the heck are the Orlando Magic doing?
From Bill Simmons of The Ringer:
"MOST UNFATHOMABLE JULY: Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks (tie)The most spoken sentence of July: “What are the Orlando Magic doing?” Orlando traded two assets for Serge Ibaka on draft day (a lottery pick and Victor Oladipo), then signed Bismack Biyombo in free agency. How much shot blocking does one team need? The Magic are about to find out. More inexplicable are the one-year rental on Jeff Green (a one-year deal that doesn’t grant Bird rights or allow you to trade him midseason without consent) and a fat little deal for D.J. Augustin despite the presence of C.J. Watson on the roster. Oh, and a huge contract for Evan Fournier. I mean, in theory this could work. Ibaka is talented and Biyombo is a really good defender. But there is just a huge potential for young players being miscast (hello, Aaron Gordon!) and a bigger potential for a bottom-five offense, especially with defensive whiz Frank Vogel running the show."
"YOUR WHAT THE &$#@ TEAMS OF THE SUMMER: Chicago and OrlandoTeams undermine the search by flinging themselves from one shiny object to another. The Magic since Dwight Howard‘s ugly departure have stood for hard work, then defense, then pace of play, then Scott Skiles‘ defense again. Victor Oladipo was the trumped-up tentpole for a lot of that, and now he’s gone — along with more than half the players who began last season in Orlando. The hiring of Frank Vogel makes four coaches in 18 months.Serge Ibaka, Bismack Biyombo and Nikola Vucevic will battle Aaron Gordon for precious minutes up front. Jeff Green clutters up that crowd on a massive one-year deal in Tobias Harris’ salary slot, for some reason."
If the question is whether what the Magic did helped them make the Playoffs in 2017, the answer is: Nobody knows.
If the question is whether the Magic have established a coherent identity that has the opportunity to continue growing their young talent, the answer is: Maybe. Frank Vogel certainly has the basis for a team that will be stingy in the paint.
The debate about what the Magic have done this summer comes down to believing the team is ready or needs to make the Playoffs in 2017. There is some talk of artificial deadlines to make the Playoffs. Of course no deadline is artificial when it comes from your boss. If Magic management want the team to push for the Playoffs now, Rob Hennigan has to oblige, regardless if it is the right decision long term for “sustainable winning” or not.
Questions about what the Magic have done this summer are certainly warranted. It is unclear where the Magic stand in the Eastern Conference pecking order. If there really is immediate pressure to make the Playoffs in 2017, the Magic took some gambles to get there.
In isolation many of the moves the Magic made certainly make sense. Adding rim protection in Serge Ibaka and Bismack Biyombo makes sense. That filled a need the Magic had. Adding them together? That rightly raises questions.
Because it is unclear where Vucevic fits with Biyombo and Ibaka. It is unclear exactly where Aaron Gordon fits and whether the Magic are getting the most out of this still young and promising player.
The Magic may have made moves that make them better at the end of the day. That is ultimately the goal.
Next: Orlando Magic begin prep for entertainment complex
But judging by the reactions and uncertainty sitting here in mid-July, they may have also taken the biggest overall risk in free agency. Particularly for a team and a franchise trying to rebuild.