Analyzing the Orlando Magic’s long-term future prior to the trade deadline

The Orlando Magic tried to speed up their rebuild process during the offseason in order to end their playoff drought.  The results have put the team’s long-term future in question.

There is no doubt the post-Dwight Howard era has been difficult for Orlando Magic fans. The Magic have not made the Playoffs since 2012 and the hopes of making the Playoffs this season are fading away with each passing day. If the Magic miss the Playoffs, this would be the fifth consecutive year the Magic would be a lottery team, the longest stretch in franchise history.

Due to the lack of progress in recent years, many suspect Rob Hennigan has been on the hot seat for quite some time now.  As a result, Hennigan has attempted to speed up the rebuild process, but it has not worked out the way it was supposed to.

The Magic find themselves with a worse record this year than they did at the same time last year and on their way to missing the Playoffs once again.

Despite hiring a quality head coach in Frank Vogel, re-signing Evan Fournier and acquiring veterans Serge Ibaka, Bismack Biyombo, D.J. Augustin and Jodie Meeks this past offseason, the Magic find themselves with the third-worst record in the Eastern Conference at 18-30.

Hennigan and the Magic must make some serious decisions heading into the trade deadline in February.

The Magic have made it known that they will be active heading into the trade deadline, but what is the team looking for? Are the Magic looking for a quality player to help them this season or are they ready to pack it in and trade for young pieces and salary cap relief?

Thinking of the long-term success of this team, the Magic need to realize this season is over and focus on next year and beyond. Hennigan needs to learn from his past mistakes and continue to rebuild this team through the draft and hope with some luck the Magic can draft or acquire a player who can turn this franchise around.

In a recent article written by Christopher Reina of RealGM.com, he reviewed “every team as if they were a portfolio of assets to determine which is most valuable in terms of their on-floor capabilities.”

The Magic ranked near the bottom of his list at 28th, down from 16 since the last time he compiled this list.

"The post-Dwight Howard rebuild has been defined by a lot of good yet not great young players who also haven’t made each other better. It is difficult to see Aaron Gordon or Evan Fournier becoming All-Stars but at least they’re legitimate NBA starters while Elfrid Payton is destined to be a career second unit point guard and Mario Hezonja may return to Europe before his second NBA contract based on his current trajectory.The Magic gave up a lot to acquire Serge Ibaka in a walk year and will either need to double down on it with a new contract, or write off the loss altogether of Victor Oladipo and a lottery pick."

As Reina stated, the Magic have not drafted a star-quality player and have made some questionable trades, which has changed the course of the Magic long-term future.

The Serge Ibaka trade may come back to haunt the Magic for years to come. The Magic gave up fan favorite Victor Oladipo and a pick for a player who may not finish the season in a Magic uniform. The situation around him has not been what was expected.

Hennigan and the Magic now need to decide which direction to follow going forward.

Do the Magic go back and try to continue their rebuild process or do they try to acquire a star player through a trade or during the offseason?

It certainly is not an easy decision to make. But a quick decision will be needed since the trade deadline is only three weeks away and a decision on Ibaka needs to be made.

The Magic have a solid collection of assets to continue to build their team around, such as expiring contracts, draft picks and team-friendly contracts.  These assets should help the Magic facilitate trades and help the team long-term future if used properly.

What should concern Magic fans is the Magic are enamored with the idea of making the Playoffs as soon as possible. This mentality has proven costly in recent years as the Magic have traded key young players such as Maurice Harkless, Tobias Harris and Victor Oladipo hoping it would yield them cap space and veteran presence to help them compete for a Playoff seed immediately.

Hennigan and the Magic need to learn from past experience and slow down their rebuild process. Due to their lack of success this year, the Magic need to consider their next course of action very closely and make decisions based on the long-term future of this team.

Making the Playoffs as an eighth seed in the Eastern Conference just to get swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers does not help this organization long term. Especially considering how far out of the race the team is now. Chasing that fleeting dream can only do harm.

There is no question Magic fans are anxious to see their beloved Magic back in the Playoffs. The current playoff drought has not been easy for the organization and its fans. But it has provided this team with experiences that they can learn from.

The Magic were once seen as one of the top young teams in the NBA like many see the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Milwaukee Bucks. Instead, the Magic tried to speed up their rebuild process and changed direction in the middle of their rebuild and now they face more questions than answers going forward.

Next: Everyone is to blame for Orlando Magic’s lethargic play

The next few weeks should help clear some of the confusion that is currently surrounding the Magic organization. Will the Magic continue their win now approach or finally realize that this team needs to be reconstructed?