Orlando Magic must ignore predictions, expectations

The Orlando Magic are not feeling the love from early NBA predictions. They have a lot of questions. None of it should matter for a team looking to step up.

The writing has been on the wall for at least two summers now. Mostly because Alex Martins, Rob Hennigan and whatever rotating coaching staff the Magic have had the last few years had explicitly said it: The Orlando Magic have playoff aspirations. The expectation is to make the Playoffs.

That was the narrative the last two seasons. Both times the team failed as the organization set lofty goals. The 2017 team though faces a new pressure. The perceived failures of the first two teams to take that breakthrough put added focus on this season’s team.

Whether it is true or not, after four seasons of the rebuild, it feels like this fifth season is the make-or-break season for the Magic. It is the season they have to form a truer identity and be competitively relevant.

The Playoffs keeps everyone safe. Playing to the last days of the season at least creates hope and direction. Missing it entirely and completely and . . . heads may roll.

The Magic’s reformation this summer has been pretty complete. The young core so many were excited for was cashed in for cap room and Serge Ibaka — trying to bring in more certainty in the form of veterans, as limited and defined as they might be. This is a team that needs more definitive production from key young players and a clearer direction. The new coach will ensure there is an identity.

But all the changes bring with them uncertainty. Lots of uncertainty.

And those tasked with making predictions (myself included) do not like uncertainty. We like to hedge our bets that we will be right more often than not so we do not get too embarrassed when someone inevitably recalls our tweets and predictions. Hopefully we look back and laugh at them and can say, “Yeah, I did not see that coming,” or, “I’m happy they proved me wrong.”

That team is the type of team the Magic are going to be this year. The one that surprises everyone by answering the big questions everyone has in the affirmative.

There is no doubt the early predictions for the Magic are not good. ESPN had them finishing 13th in the league again — staying stagnant at 35 wins. Tommy Beer of Basketball Insiders said the same. There are optimists among us, but the Magic made so many changes and seem so uncertain — even with the potential for a strong defense — it is hard to pin down who this team will be.

The Magic very well may be a better team than last year, but by how much is incredibly uncertain. It is not a sure thing they improved enough to make the Playoffs or even to move up from 35 wins in a seemingly more competitive Eastern Conference.

The Magic are certainly capable of making the Playoffs. Things could click the right way.

Or they could bottom out again. The offensive shortcomings are too much to overcome or the Magic feel the need to sacrifice some defense for offense.

None of these predictions matter though. They are just that — predictions. Informed observations of the unknown, but far from the truth.

Orlando will have plenty of doubters. They have emerged throughout the offseason already as everyone asks what the team is doing. The speed at which the Magic changed this summer was also a response, somewhat, to external pressure and expectations.

As the dust from the offseason settles and Frank Vogel prepares to build his team for 2017, the Orlando Magic will have to ignore all these external pressures. None of the predictions matter.

Every goal for the Orlando Magic lay in front of them and completely within their control at this point. Every team starts 0-0 and the media are notoriously wrong in predicting the future. Those articles create discussion — and we are happy to do them — but they mean nothing. They only set a narrative for us to follow. That is not necessarily the reality for the team.

For the Magic to find success this season, they have to ignore these expectations and stick to their own beliefs. Whether outside doubters galvanize the team to come together and prove everyone wrong or not is their decision and motivational tactic.

They have to spend the beginning of training camp learning how to play together and come together as a group to meet the internal expectations the coaching staff and the individuals have for each other. They have to hold each other accountable to that.

Orlando will have to establish its place in the Eastern Conference pecking order early. The team will have to show that something has clicked quickly to put those questions to rest.

There are real questions about the Magic. Questions that need careful examination. Questions that will lead plenty to doubt what this Magic team can do. And legitimate arguments for observers to debate both sides.

Things can work. And they are just as likely to work as they are to fail. It depends on what the observer is comfortable with.

The early predictions about the Magic show plenty of people are uncomfortable with some of these questions the Magic have forced them to ask entering the season.

Orlando will have to put these questions to rest quickly to accomplish their goals. What noise is coming from the outside will not matter. They will need to pay attention instead to their coach and what he wants them to do. They will need to buy in quickly and show performance on the court.

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That, ultimately, is all that matters. The results will always speak for themselves.