2016-17 Orlando Magic Player Evaluations

The Bench

The Magic spent a lot of money this summer, as was the plan following the Tobias Harris trade. It was somewhat surprising where they spent that money. Outside of taking on Serge Ibaka’s contract and re-signing Evan Fournier, the majority of the Magic’s expenditures this summer went to the bench.

Particularly to big man Bismack Biyombo ($17 million) and point guard D.J. Augustin ($7.5 million). Both veteran players did much of what they have done for their entire careers. But neither stood out. And that cost is going to begin to add up. Their fit is under question as the Magic pivot 180 degrees from how they planned to play.

The bench was a constant letdown for the Magic throughout the season. Even as Orlando sought to find balance with its roster and mix and match lineups, the contributions were inconsistent.

There were a few stray games where Jodie Meeks would get hot, but the team always needed a starter with them to anchor the lineup. This is where the fault lies with coach Frank Vogel on occasion. He was reluctant to stagger lineups and give the bench the scoring boost it needed.

2016-17 Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Jodie Meeks

The Orlando Magic hoped Jodie Meeks would help provide the team some much-needed shooting. He did. But injuries kept him from reaching his full impact.

2016-17 Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Mario Hezonja

The Orlando Magic had high hopes for the second year of their fifth overall selection. Mario Hezonja failed to meet any of them as his NBA skill left him.

Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Bismack Biyombo

Bismack Biyombo was a big, surprise signing for the Orlando Magic, but team fit led to a startling lack of improvement from the center

For the Orlando Magic’s plan to work without a star player, it needed to be able to put constant defensive pressure on opponents and to be able to plug and play bench players. Without a strong starting lineup, the Magic needed to be like the Boston Celtics and constantly pressure opponents.

It is safe to say that did not happen for the Magic this year. The bench was very often a letdown, pulling the starters down with them by deepening a hole or being unable to climb out of it to give the starters a manageable deficit.

The players the Magic invested so much in — Bismack Biyombo, D.J. Augustin and Jeff Green ($15 million) — did not live up to their hefty paychecks. These were the veterans the Magic relied on to guide and lead the team. They struggled to do so on the court.