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Orlando Magic must stay healthy to take their next step

By Spencer R. Henderson

Feb 8, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Orlando Magic guard Shabazz Napier (13) and guard Elfrid Payton (4) fight for the ball with Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) during the first half at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 8, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Orlando Magic guard Shabazz Napier (13) and guard Elfrid Payton (4) fight for the ball with Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) during the first half at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /
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The offseason acquisitions by the Orlando Magic have made the team relevant in media circles. But will the new players stay healthy enough to make a playoff run? 

When a team like the 2017 Orlando Magic squad has the capability of making a playoff run, its biggest challenge is staying healthy.  A problem the Magic had a year ago.

This offseason free agency frenzy netted the Orlando Magic some new faces. Bismack Biyombo, D.J. Augustin, Jeff Green, Jodie Meeks and a re-signed Evan Fournier. All these players will have their chance to contribute to a young growing team.

On paper, the Magic are indeed a better team. A team that has formed its defensive identity. But also now a team that the medical staff is already working on healing. Jodie Meeks is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery to reinforce an injured foot from last season.

This is a very unwelcome setback, particularly after last year.

The Magic have not had an identity since 2012. Whether it is on offense or defense they have not had an identity since the Dwight Howard era ended. Orlando’s young group was unable to get any consistency.

If their identity was anything, it was being injury prone and unable to withstand those injuries. Hopefully, Meeks will make a full recovery and be ready to go by training camp, if not the first regular season game.

With that said, one could argue the Magic would have made the playoffs last year if it was not for a couple of key injuries during the 2016 NBA season.

The Magic started off the season on fire with a 19-13 record, at the time they were fifth in the Eastern Conference standings. The only injured player at this point was Magic backup point guard C.J. Watson. All the Magic had to do was be consistent to make the playoffs at this point.

Add a couple of injuries to key players and the roster lacking depth was thrown for a loop. Elfrid Payton had to sit out four games in January and, the next thing you know, Victor Oladipo and Mario Hezonja are playing at the point without any viable options remaining.

Imagine that, a young Magic team in position for a playoff spot loses their starting and backup point guards. Shabazz Napier struggled mightily and the Magic looked elsewhere. Could any NBA team compete without a viable point guard on their roster?

That is essentially what the Magic were trying to do after the injuries sustained depleted the point guard position.

An injury to Evan Fournier’s hand in February put the offense on mute, although he played a couple of games with the injury. Oladipo sustained a concussion during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers in November and the list continues. Orlando players missed a lot of time. No player made it through all 82 games — Evan Fournier and Mario Hezonja played 79 games.

The Magic were consistently unable to weather these storms.  The Magic only won two games in January dropping their record from 19-13 to 21-25, destroying a promised playoff run.

It is not easy to make the playoffs, especially if key core players sustain injuries.

If the Magic stay healthy in 2016, do they make the playoffs?

If the answer is no, then the offseason moves make plenty of sense. If the answer is yes, then the Magic probably made a mistake by trading Victor Oladipo and even Tobias Harris before that.

The possibility of the 2016 team not making the 2017 Playoffs was something the organization was not fond of going through. Five years on the outside looking in is unacceptable in Orlando.

Bringing in grit was something the team lacked, but they also lacked the ability to stay healthy during the entire season. And the depth to withstand it.

The Magic brought in grit by acquiring Serge Ibaka from the Oklahoma City Thunder by trading Victor Oladipo. Ibaka underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in 2015 and had to fly to New York to see a specialist for the soreness. He played in 78 games last year though, making it through the most of the season.

If Ibaka were to get injured in 2017, Gordon can slide up to the power forward and Jeff Green can slide the small forward position. Orlando could withstand it theoretically.

Likewise, if Elfrid Payton or C.J. Watson get injured again, the Magic have a solid option like D.J. Augustin to insert into the action. Augustin played in just 62 games last year though, but that was largely because he was in and out of the Thunder rotation to begin the year.

Next: Dr. J: 2016 Dunk Contest among best ever

Now it seems as if the Magic are a step closer to the playoffs with the new acquisitions, if they stay healthy. They now have better depth and the ability to survive injuries to some key players, which is what they did not have a year ago.