Orlando Magic Daily
Fansided

5 questions the Orlando Magic face in the season’s third quarter

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Jan 20, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic guard Elfrid Payton (4) and center Bismack Biyombo (11) high five against the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half at Amway Center. Orlando Magic defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 112-96. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 20, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic guard Elfrid Payton (4) and center Bismack Biyombo (11) high five against the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half at Amway Center. Orlando Magic defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 112-96. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 6
Next
Frank Vogel, Orlando Magic
Jan 8, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Orlando Magic head coach Frank Vogel in the second half of the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. Lakers won 112-95. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /

What direction will the Orlando Magic move in the future?

The biggest date in the third quarter of the season is Feb. 23. That is the NBA’s trade deadline and a big day for the Magic and their franchise history.

Orlando is quickly fading out of the Playoff race. This bet to make the Playoffs is quickly coming up broke.

That is not to say the Magic cannot climb back into the race. They are 4.5 games out and have a lot of teams to climb over. The odds of them doing so are fewer and fewer.

And that means the Magic, inevitably and likely to make a deal anyway, are going to have to make a deal that moves their team toward whatever future the franchise wants to have.

In all likelihood, the Magic will trade Serge Ibaka. They will try to recoup assets and ensure they do not lose the star forward without some compensation after this failed Playoff push. What kind of player or package they get in return likely determines the direction the Magic head for the next several years.

This is a big decision for the team. And it is unclear which direction they will go.

Regardless if the team tries to push in for more veterans to set up a 2018 Playoff run or if they go back and reset their rebuild, the Magic must pick a direction and truly commit to it. This season’s revamp had a sense of the team abandoning a long-term plan and putting all their focus on one season.

Those kinds of plans can end with disastrous results. Such as what the Magic are seeing now.

Orlando has fallen short of its goals. Now management has to determine how to move forward from here.