Orlando Magic due for unpredictable 2018 season
By Ryan Doyle
The ever-changing Eastern Conference landscape and a new front office regime have the Orlando Magic looking at an unpredictable 2018 season.
Last season, the Orlando Magic believed they were due for a Playoff run. They invested a lot in players in free agency and traded for Serge Ibaka to take a big step up from a 35-win season. Plenty were skeptical, but the general consensus was the Magic would be OK, at least.
They were not. Orlando fell apart and had a 29-win season. It created uncertainty about how the team would move forward.
The Magic were not able to make any dramatic changes. They did not have the money to make a splash in free agency or a high enough draft pick to take one of the big prizes in this draft. Their free agency moves were on the periphery, looking to add depth.
There is cautious optimism the Magic are better today. But it is hard to find someone willing to say the team will take the next step up. And it seems just as likely the team will falter again as it is they will take another step forward.
It is hard to say exactly what Orlando will do this season.
Jared Johnson of FanRag Sports sees the Magic as one of the most unpredictable teams in the NBA. Not necessarily because he thinks Orlando is going to surprise anyone, but he is unsure if this team will enter full-blown “tank mode.”
"Orlando has been stuck in the “bad, but not bad enough” area for several years, and the Magic don’t quite have an elite prospect to build around (sorry, Jonathan Isaac). The team may hold a fire sale at midseason in the hopes of tanking and landing one of the best prospects in the 2018 draft class."
Johnson has sound analysis on Orlando’s outlook for next season. They are essentially running it back with the same squad as last season. Fans who are expecting significant improvement are probably going to be disappointed. The team is going to play similarly to last season and president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman and company will have decisions to make with the roster.
This Orlando team is not unpredictable in the way other teams are.
The Magic are not going to finish near the top of the East. They are not going to shock anyone by winning 45 games. But they could finish seemingly anywhere in the Eastern Conference — from the eight seed to the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
In just one offseason, it appears the entire Eastern Conference has taken a major step back. Orlando did not add any stars or sign any big-salary players. They only added a handful of veterans who should boost the bench.
The East appears to have fallen to a level where Orlando could sneak into the playoffs if they get hot at the right time. A bunch of Eastern Conference teams decided to rebuild and trade their stars. Making room for Orlando to take their spot if they can improve.
As Frank Vogel head into his second season as head coach, Orlando’s defense should be one of the best in the league — or at least better than 24th in the league. The Magic have athletes at every position that excel on the defensive end. Aaron Gordon and Jonathon Simmons should do well at the forward spots. While Nikola Vucevic and Bismack Biyombo should build on a solid 2017 campaign.
Again, this team is eerily similar to last season. It will be up to player development for a successful 2018.
Making the playoffs is probably the most unlikely scenario, but it needs to be mentioned with how bad the East looks on paper. Then again, the team made few changes after going 29-53 last season and just 8-16 after the All-Star Break. It is hard to know what to believe in with this team.
There are essentially two more scenarios for the Magic next season. One of them is the team entering full blown “tank mode.” The Magic’s new front office has made it clear a handful of players are going to have to play extremely well to be part of the future.
Players like Nikola Vucevic, Elfrid Payton and Evan Fournier need to prove they are going to be pieces to build around. If they cannot, the Magic could trade a plethora of players at the deadline. By doing this, the team would be in a position to draft a top-tier prospect in next year’s draft.
Going down this road would be frustrating for a large portion of the fan base. Orlando would be back to the cellar of the East and would be looking to undergo another rebuild. Patience will again be a virtue.
Orlando Magic
Lastly, 2018 could look a lot like 2017. Meaning the Magic continue to struggle and make minor improvements. It sounds boring, but it is probably the most likely scenario. Orlando did not make any large-scale moves and it does not appear they will be ready to soon.
Weltman wants to see what he has. He will allow the team to prove themselves before dealing them or letting them walk when the time comes. Which may be frustrating for fans that have seen the same team constantly lose.
But it makes the most sense. The Magic are not ready to win. They need to see what players are worth keeping around for when the team is in a position to contend. Evan Fournier may not be the number one option on offense, but could he fit on a winning team as a third option?
Those are the types of questions Orlando is going to want to answer next season. It is not the time for the team to focus on adding stars to win. It is time to develop guys and figure out which players are going to be there for the long run.
There are Magic fans who think this team can make the postseason. There are also fans who think Orlando could be right back in the top five of the lottery.
Next: Orlando Magic Daily Mailbag: What comes next?
With the fan base split between two extremes, the 2018 season is going to be an unpredictable roller coaster ride.