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USA TODAY gives Orlando Magic solid offseason grade

By Philip Rossman-Reich

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK- MARCH 9: Jonathon Simmons #17 of the San Antonio Spurs shoots a lay up during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 9, 2017 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK- MARCH 9: Jonathon Simmons #17 of the San Antonio Spurs shoots a lay up during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 9, 2017 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Orlando Magic put together a solid offseason according to another national outlet. The long-term fit may still be the big mystery.

The Orlando Magic did not have big expectations for the offseason. The odds of the team taking a leap through free agency were small with about $13 million in cap room and an already loaded roster. The Magic, even after a 29-win season, had little room to make dramatic improvements.

Things would have to come through the draft and trades.

Jeff Weltman had a lot to fix on his plate and likely was not going to get it all done in one summer. The Magic’s major changes would be cosmetic. In many ways, it seemed the team was going to have to roll things back and hope that the way it finished the season was a bit more permanent.

Weltman said he would be patient this summer. Indeed, Orlando waited to strike in free agency even as money flew around the league, although not at the same rate as last year. The Magic waited their turn to try to find some bargains.

They found a bargain in a three-year, $18-million deal with Jonathon Simmons. They found more bargains getting quality rotation players in Arron Afflalo and Marreese Speights at the minimum.

There are still plenty of questions about the Magic this upcoming season. The team is not quite complete yet. And Weltman is surely still trying to build the players that fit the culture (or whatever he wants to call it) he wants to build with the team. Players like Jonathan Isaac and Jonathon Simmons seem to have gotten the team headed in the right direction.

Overall, the team is still a bit of a mystery. ESPN provided its grade, giving the Magic a ‘B-‘ for its offseason. Similarly, USA TODAY also gives the Magic a ‘B-‘ for the work they did this offseason. Jeff Zillgitt writes for USA TODAY:

"With new front office execs at the top (president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman and general manager John Hammond), the Magic took a measured approach to the offseason. They didn’t commit big money to players. Jonathon Simmons signed a three-year, $20 million contract, and guard Shelvin Mack agreed to a two-year, $12 million deal. Orlando also added Arron Afflalo and Marreese Speights on veteran’s minimum deals."

Maybe everyone believed the Magic needed a more aggressive approach. Maybe the expectation was for the Magic to make a more tangible and clear path forward and clearer improvement. There might even be a contingent that believes the Magic need to undergo a complete rebuild and so the Magic’s investment in veterans does not make sense.

Like the Magic’s summer, it seems like everyone is willing to wait and see how things work out for the Magic. No one is ready to gush about how the Magic did or knock what they did. It was solid. But the fit still seems a bit odd. The timeline seems off too.

Weltman was never going to remake the Magic in one summer. He just did not have the maneuverability to do so. And just about every player on the roster, it seems, is still up for grabs for the right price.

The Magic are far from a finished product. They may have a ceiling that could get them into the Playoffs this year, but their long-term outlook is still a mystery.

In that sense, the Magic did not have a great offseason. But waiting to see how things develop could very well still have been the best move.

Next: Orlando Magic fortunate to have players who want to play in Orlando

Overall, it seems the national media liked the Magic’s offseason. They just are not ready to give the team a passing grade quite yet.