As the offseason begins for the Magic there’s no secret the team has plenty of room for improvement. Orlando boasts a roster that can take steps to success.
With the playoffs still looking like nothing more than a pipe dream, the Orlando Magic roster as a whole need to take major strides in the offseason if they want to make any noise next season.
The Magic roster is still youthful. Players like Aaron Gordon and Mario Hezonja still have plenty of room to develop. As do veterans Nikola Vucevic and Bismack Biyombo, who are looking to become a strong tandem on the inside for the Magic.
During the long summer, the players need to spend time improving upon their weaknesses. This will allow the Magic to continue to build from within. The team faces a long climb back to relevancy. A significant development from important contributors this offseason could shorten that climb.
Last season, the most noticeable improvement came from Nikola Vucevic. Prior to the season, Vucevic was criticized for his defensive liabilities. He silenced many of his critics rapidly last season.
As an individual, Vucevic was able to take a step he desperately needed to solidify his status as a starting NBA center, he was able to make the Magic a better team on both ends of the floor. Although he is far from perfect. He still has room to grow.
If a handful of Magic players can get into that mindset and improve their weaknesses, next season may not be as painful. Here is what each key Magic player should work on this offseason.
Aaron Gordon
Aaron Gordon is a ball of potential. So far in his career, there have been glimpses of All-Star caliber play, but there is still work to be done.
So far in his career, Gordon has proven he can use his athleticism on the defensive end. In only a few seasons, Gordon has proven to be Orlando’s best perimeter defender.
Things are not looking as positive on the offensive side. Gordon lacks a true go-to move and his jump shot is far from consistent. If Gordon can use his athleticism like he does on the defensive end, he could skyrocket into the top tier of NBA forwards.
It appears Gordon will return to his more natural power forward position full-time next season. This will allow him to play closer to the basket than he did last season. This could bode well for Gordon as he will rely less on his outside shooting and dribble moves.
It proved to work out best for the team after the All-Star Break.
As he moves closer to the basket, a mid-range game may be Gordon’s key to success. It is not going to take one season for Gordon to become a marksman from the outside. But if he can hit 15-foot jump shots consistently he will get more space to use his quickness to get to the rim.
It is not going to take one season for Gordon to become a marksman from the outside. But if he can hit 15-foot jump shots consistently he will get more space to use his quickness to get to the rim.
If Gordon were to emulate a player, it would be Blake Griffin.
Griffin has developed into a solid offensive player and after six seasons in the league, his range has continually grown. If Gordon can follow in his footsteps, he would be a true building block for Orlando.
Elfrid Payton
The most obvious improvement Elfrid Payton needs to make is his shooting. But it does not seem like Payton will ever be a threat from the outside.
His offensive game is flawed, but he does have a role as a point guard with his court vision and slashing ability.
Defensively, the same cannot be said about Payton. Last season, Payton only had a 0.2 defensive box plus/minus, which was a minor improvement from his 2015 numbers.
Regardless of the improvement, Payton showed little consistency on the defensive side of the ball and left his front court on an island far too often. Payton showed an inability to fight through screens and stay in front of his man.
With many already calling for Payton’s time as a starter to end, the Magic may feel that it is time to go in another direction with the NBA draft fast approaching.
The best way for Payton to remain as the starting point guard is not to miraculously become an outside shooter. But rather become a lockdown defender on the perimeter.
Mario Hezonja
Much like Gordon, Mario Hezonja has the potential to become a special player. With his recent struggles, this is the most crucial offseason of Hezonja’s career.
Heading into his third season, Hezonja desperately needs to find a role. Whether it be as an offensive spark coming off the bench or as a consistent outside shooting threat, he needs to get on the floor.
The most attainable goal for Hezonja to set this offseason is to find his shooting stroke.
Coming out of Croatia, Hezonja was said to have a pure shooting motion that could easily translate to the NBA. Sadly, that has not been the case as Hezonja is only a career 32.7 percent shooter from behind the arc.
If Hezonja wants consistent minutes next season, he needs to shoot well from behind the arc. That is his easiest ticket onto the court. He could easily become the Magic’s best 3-point threat and be a mismatch coming off the bench.
Hezonja seems to recognize this too. He said he plans to skip international play this summer, opting to spend most of the summer in Orlando working on his individual skills.
There should not be much hope that Hezonja is going to take a leap where he pushes for major minutes this offseason. The focus should be on him carving out a role in the offense so he can gain confidence.
Evan Fournier
After signing a major five-year extension, Evan Fournier had a disappointing season. While dealing with lingering injuries, Fournier could never truly turn his season around.
Although Fournier’s offensive game has its flaws, he still remains one of the Magic’s best options on that side of the floor.
The focus for Fournier this offseason should be on his defensive game. He had a brutal -2.2 defensive box plus-minus and was one of the team’s worst defenders.
Whether it was being outmuscled by bigger forwards or his inability to stay in front of his man on the perimeter, Fournier struggled mightily.
This offseason, Fournier should take a lesson from Nikola Vucevic who had a defensive transformation last season. Hopefully, coach Frank Vogel can strike gold again and help Fournier develop into a better player on defense. A lot of the work will have to come from Fournier individually, putting in the work to understand the defensive scheme better.
Bismack Biyombo
Although he did not play at an elite level on the defensive end, Bismack Biyombo was still a plus. He matched up fairly well against opposing bigs and proved his worth.
Offensively, the same cannot be said about Biyombo. To say Biyombo has no offensive game may be an understatement. He constantly looked lost last season with the ball in his hands.
If Biyombo can begin to look competent on the offensive end, the Magic’s second unit could see a minor boost to their offense.
Now, Biyombo has a few strengths that help the offense as a whole. He is a tremendous screen setter. And if a guard and him can find rapport, there will be space for lobs to the rim frequently.
The key for Biyombo will be to become more comfortable. Even figuring out how to hit a little floater or a single post move would be a major improvement.
Too often Biyombo looks unsure of what to do with the ball in his hands. He should look to develop something of a go-to move this offseason.
Nikola Vucevic
Last season, Nikola Vucevic looked like a completely different player defensively. He played very well on the defensive end and was no longer a liability in the post.
It seems as if Vogel and Vucevic’s relationship is going to be a very successful one. This offseason, Vucevic should continue to fine tune his defensive skills, and try to revitalize his shooting stroke.
Oddly, Vucevic’s shooting numbers were down last season. His 48.1 percent shooting on 2-point field goals was the lowest since his rookie year. Plus, Vucevic took 75 3-pointers last season and only hit 30 percent of them. A lot of this was because Vucevic was hanging on the perimeter a lot more with lineups pairing him and Serge Ibaka or Bismack Biyombo together.
Now, if Vucevic has a season like the one he had last season, there will not be any complaints. If he does manage to hit more jumpers, Vucevic could be primed for his best season as a pro.
Next: Orlando Magic must find plan to right the ship
Although his defensive took a major step, his offense was not the same. It may just be an anomaly, but Vucevic needs to find his stroke again.