The Orlando Magic season was a bitter disappointment for all involved. Here we recap our player evaluations and put a bow on the 2017 season.
The Orlando Magic season started off with promise. So much promise.
The team believed it could build a strong defense with the pieces it had collected via trade and free agency. With coach Frank Vogel in tow, the Magic believed they could build a defensive juggernaut by walling off the paint and protecting the rim.
The players and culture the team tried to build never took. Not really. Even after a strong first quarter of the season playing some of the best defense in the league, things quickly fell apart.
It seemed the weaknesses the Magic had from the beginning of the season — the poor shooting, the lack of spacing and lack of offensive creativity — were too much to overcome. As talented as some of the Magic’s defenders were, the culture of defense was not ingrained enough to overcome the team’s complete lack of offense.
At a certain point, the team invested so much in propping up its offense that it let go of the rope defensively. The rest, as they say, is history. The Magic never got the defense back around again.
Through the entire 82-game schedule, Orlando searched for an identity. By the time the team dealt Serge Ibaka, the season had long been lost. The identity on defense never took hold.
And so the Magic shifted midstream. They changed from a slowed-down team relying on two bigs for scoring and screening — not to mention rim protection — into a fast-breaking team, trying to create space through dribble penetration.
The ball went from centered in the post players to residing with Elfrid Payton. Aaron Gordon went from anchored on the perimeter, struggling to find his way, to playing closer to the basket where his athleticism flourished.
Orlando Magic
This was largely the theme of the year.
Orlando had an imperfect roster. Its pieces seemed to clash and prevent each other from playing well. Nikola Vucevic‘s penchant for fading to the jumper in pick and rolls got in Serge Ibaka’s way. The two bigs prevented Elfrid Payton and Evan Fournier from attacking the basket. Aaron Gordon did not have the spacing and shooting around him to give him an athleticism advantage.
And the list goes on. The Magic’s roster was poorly constructed — in ways no one could even see before the season — and it cost Rob Hennigan his job as general manager. The team’s record was abysmal. Orlando is now looking forward anxiously to the NBA Draft Lottery on Tuesday.
It was that kind of year.
When looking at how players played individually, it was a mix of so many factors that went into the evaluation. Several players had career years statistically and pushed their game to a new level. But, they also proved they were not quite good enough to take on the larger roles the Magic asked of them.
It is not that the Magic have bad players. They simply have players who are not good enough to be “the guy” every night or can lift each other up. This lack of a defining star only accentuated the Magic’s problem. It was as if the team was full of guys who would play better as second or third options on a winning team.
Another reason why the Magic’s record ended up what it was.
So very few players in this disastrous season had bad individual years. But it turned out to be a case of parts not making the whole much better.
The Starters
The Orlando Magic’s final starting lineup at least took on some form of an identity.
The team began playing a much faster-paced style, putting the ball in Elfrid Payton’s hands and allowing him to run. He obviously thrived in that lineup, getting out in transition and tallying five triple-doubles after the All-Star Break.
In all, the Magic’s starting lineup of Elfrid Payton, Evan Fournier, Terrence Ross, Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic finished with an 112.0 offensive rating. That is a lineup with a functioning offense and something that looks like a future.
The defense? The Magic’s defense will need a lot of work though. Coach Frank Vogel will have his work cut out for him shaping this roster into a better defensive unit — that starting lineup gave up 110.6 points per 100 possessions.
This is all part of the belief the Magic played better after the All-Star Break. There is plenty of evidence to support this notion. But the team will have to look for upgrades where it can to make things easier and bolster its bench.
With limited resources, the Magic could be relying on several members of this group again.
2016-17 Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Elfrid Payton
The Orlando Magic invested a lot in Elfrid Payton for the last few years, hoping he would take the next step. Like everyone else, he struggled to find a fit
2016-17 Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Terrence Ross
The Orlando Magic acquired Terrence Ross before the All-Star Break giving the young player an opportunity at a larger role. He showed signs he can fill it.
2016-17 Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Aaron Gordon
Aaron Gordon was the victim of his own success. He was not able to build off of last season, but in hindsight expectations of him may not have been fair.
2016-17 Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Nikola Vucevic
Coming into the season everything seemed to be pointing up for Nikola Vucevic. How did he perform in his first year under defensive coach Frank Vogel?
The sum of the parts of the Magic’s starting lineup could not make a successful whole. There is no getting around this. The group had its moments and looked better as the year came to a close, but far too often the starting unit could not get to a consistent start.
Teams do not lose games by 30-plus points a half-dozen times without a poor start or without the stability of a good starting lineup. It was a common occurrence. And, of course, looking at the team’s record, it is easy to lay things down on the starting lineup.
Despite how well the group played to end the season, the team’s record was still not any better. And the Magic clearly need a talent upgrade.
If this season proved anything it is that the team needs to reshuffle its lineup some and find players that can help the remaining players fall into their proper roles for their ability.
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.
Frank Vogel
The Orlando Magic had high expectations for Frank Vogel’s arrival in Orlando. He brought with him the pedigree as one of the brightest defensive coaching minds in the league.
His dismissal from the Indiana Pacers was shocking and it felt like the Magic backed their way into a coaching improvement after Scott Skiles‘ surprise resignation.
The team largely still believes this. Vogel’s presence will remain a selling point for the Magic as they search for a new president of basketball operations. He remains relatively untarnished.
But like so many other parts of the Magic this disappointing season, Vogel is what he is. And this roster seemed to highlight every single one of his weaknesses that the Pacers’ synergy could hide.
Pacers fans warned Vogel was often slow to change rotations and would stick with his original plan until there was nowhere else to go. They warned his offenses were unimaginative. Then there is the insistence on playing with two bigs — although Vogel would claim he and, in fact, can coach teams that play at a faster pace.
Vogel has shown plenty of adaptability throughout his coaching career, but he never could quite figure out how to make this team work.
Indeed, his insistence on sticking with the same lineups proved to be a death knell for the Magic.
Even as fans — and even Serge Ibaka — asked him to play Ibaka at center with Aaron Gordon at power forward, that lineup never came.
Vogel said he felt he had to use his best players and that it left him in a quandary trying to play Nikola Vucevic, Bismack Biyombo and Serge Ibaka their fair share of minutes. He also said he had to try the original plan until it reached its end, lest he lose his team’s confidence.
But that lack of experimentation when things were clearly not working was a frustrating development. Add on the slow pace Vogel changed his rotation from a 10-man to a nine-man rotation when it was clear his lineup needed some staggering and it was rough watching Vogel manage his team.
He did help improve some of the players defensively. Vucevic had his best defensive season of his career. And the team had that strong start to the season on the defensive end. But it did not last.
The league, it seemed, changed much quicker than Vogel and the Magic anticipated. Vogel never really could adjust and so he was left trying to play an old style in a new world.
That will change this offseason. He will really prove how much he can change to this new landscape and adapt. Not to mention fill in the needs for his team after this disappointing season.
The Departed
The Orlando Magic shuffled through some players on the roster throughout the year.
Serge Ibaka is the obvious one. Ibaka was a good experiment to run, but could not help guide the team to another level. The Magic trusted him with a larger role and he produced statistically in it. But he was not someone who helped make others better.
Most disappointingly, this did not occur on the defensive end. Ibaka seemed to pick his spots when to attack and play aggressively. That is what he has done defensively it would seem for several years as his defensive numbers declined.
When he did bring that intensity, he was a terror defensively still. And the Magic were better for it. But to be the best player on a team, the star player has to set the tone. And Ibaka did not really set the tone well for the team.
Other players who left the team throughout the season were more victim of a lack of opportunity. Anthony Brown and C.J. Wilcox never could seem to get their seasons off the ground. There were few chances for these players to hit the floor.
2016-17 Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: C.J. Wilcox
The Orlando Magic acquired C.J. Wilcox hoping to add some shooting and give a young player a big opportunity. Injuries and poor play kept Wilcox down.
Orlando Magic 2016-17 Player Evaluations: Arinze Onuaku
Arinze Onuaku was a surprise addition to the Orlando Magic roster after the preseason. He earned his spot but also was inevitably going to be a January cut.
2016-17 Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Anthony Brown
The Orlando Magic tried to sign one of the D-League's leading scorers to a 10-day contract in January. They never really gave Anthony Brown a chance.
The Rest
The rest of the Orlando Magic’s players this year were intriguing young players (and C.J. Watson). The Magic are not likely to keep very many of these players next year.
Stephen Zimmerman remains a project. Marcus Georges-Hunt and Patricio Garino are intriguing players, but they still have a long way to go if they are to make next year’s roster.
2016-17 Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Damjan Rudez
The Orlando Magic kept Damjan Rudez off the training camp roster hoping familiarity would help the team transition. His shot did not arrive with him though.
2016-17 Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Stephen Zimmerman
The Orlando Magic expected to develop Stephen Zimmerman slowly, sending him to the D-League for extended trips and keeping him busy in the weight room.
2016-17 Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Marcus Georges-Hunt
The Orlando Magic made a somewhat surprising late-season signing to bring in Marcus Georges-Hunt. He was intriguing but has a long road to stick in the NBA.
2016-17 Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Patricio Garino
The Orlando Magic made a late signing to bring Patricio Garino out of the D-League and onto the roster. He struggled to perform leaving his future in doubt.
Final Grade
There is no way around it, the Orlando Magic had high expectations for this season and failed to meet even modest goals.
The team had everyone believing a Playoff berth was oncoming and the team would be competitive. They promised it to fans before the season.
There were plenty of reasons to believe the team’s defense would improve. At the very least this team was more talented than the 2016 version and would continue making progress.
That was always the tangible goal the Magic wanted to accomplish.
To give up all the assets the Magic had given up in the last two years and to come out of it with one of the most bitterly disappointing seasons in franchise history is not a good sign. The way forward for this team is not entirely clear. The Magic are going to have to find a way to work with the players they have got to some extent.
And the question is just how good this group can be as presently constructed. The Magic took a major step back. And after five years of missing the Playoffs, it feels like starting over is not on the table to save face with fans. That only adds to the urgency.
That may leave the future bleak if things do not change in some way next year.
If there was a saving grace to the season it was that the Magic appeared to play better in a more modern style at the end of the season. The team’s record was not great yet. But so much had to change it was unfair to ask for anything resembling perfection without a training camp to iron out details.
With a clearer style of play, not to mention a familiarity with the roster and the schedule, the Magic should be in a better position to improve. They likely will be better than a 29-win team next year even with some cosmetic changes.
Next: What key players should improve this summer
This year though was a disaster and almost a complete failure.