The Orlando Magic got a new beginning with a new identity. And this one seems to be taking hold. The early reviews are good and the Magic are trending up.
The Orlando Magic after the All-Star Break are different than the Orlando Magic before the All-Star Break for seemingly one simple reason.
Aaron Gordon is now a power forward.
The Magic seemed to go out of their way to keep Aaron Gordon at small forward for the first three-quarters of the season. Serge Ibaka was the starting power forward, and should have been over Gordon. But there was still something missing from the Magic’s lineup. Gordon always played with at least Jeff Green and remained on the perimeter.
The results had some successes. Gordon was a strong perimeter defender. And coach Frank Vogel continues to say learning this was key to the Gordon experiment. Orlando now has to find new ways to employ him defensively on the perimeter, using his versatility more and more.
Offensively, Gordon was an odd fit. He is shooting worse than 30 percent from beyond the arc and struggled to break anyone down off the dribble. It was inconsistent at best and an odd fit in reality.
Everyone seemed to believe Gordon was a power forward. And that is getting proven true every game since it seems.
Gordon’s activity level on offense is much better as a power forward, where he has played almost exclusively since the trade. His dunks — noticeably down as he had to navigate a second layer of defense — has increased. And, at least in Saturday’s win over the Atlanta Hawks, Gordon is out running bigger 4s to get in transition.
This is all about the liberation both Gordon and the Magic seem to be feeling since the team traded Serge Ibaka and downsized.
Frank Vogel admitted in the league today speed beats size. The Magic were too big at times, he said. That is not entirely his fault. With the roster he was given, playing Ibaka and playing big was a necessity. Those were his best players. And Orlando lacked the backcourt depth — and trust — to go small all the time.
Why Vogel never really tried to play smaller, perhaps sacrificing one of those high-priced bigs, will remain a mystery.
Things are corrected now. The Magic are playing smaller. they have speed on the wings with Terrence Ross adding a new element — and some much-needed shooting — on the perimeter.
The Magic promised something of a reset after the All-Star Break. It is still very early — just two games — but Orlando does indeed seem to be a new team.
Perhaps these lessons were learned too late.