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Orlando Magic Daily Podcast Episode 76: What comes next with Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype

By Philip Rossman-Reich

ORLANDO, FL - JULY 27: Arron Afflalo of the Orlando Magic addresses the media on July 27, 2017 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. 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 Gary Bassing/NBAE via Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - JULY 27: Arron Afflalo of the Orlando Magic addresses the media on July 27, 2017 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. 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 Gary Bassing/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Orlando Magic are becoming a difficult team to predict in this new Eastern Conference landscape. Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype joins the podcast to discuss.

The Orlando Magic are a hard team to figure entering this season.

It has been five years of difficulty in rebuilding and the team remade its front office. But the team that returns is largely the same group that won 29 games last year — and finished 8-16 after the All-Star Break.

Despite this, there is considerable optimism about the team this coming season. Many saw what the Magic did after trading Serge Ibaka and the All-Star Break as a good sign for the future. The starting lineup played well, at least, and the Magic worked this summer to improve their bench. Whether they did or not will play out during the course of the season.

Helping matters for the optimist’s case was how the Eastern Conference weakened. Seemingly three teams took themselves completely out of the Playoff picture.  There is a gap to fill. Why not include the Magic in the list of teams who could reach up and grab it?

There is a lot of work to do to get there first. And, understandably, few have faith the Magic can get there. What in the last five years would convince them otherwise?

The team will need breakout years from Elfrid Payton and Aaron Gordon and bounce-back years from Nikola Vucevic and Evan Fournier even to sniff the kind of success they want. The team will also need its bets on its bench to come through in a meaningful way.

The mood is cautious optimism at best. The Magic have tried to sell Playoff dreams before and met them only with disaster. This is still a team without a defining star and without much in the way of offensive cohesion. A lot still has to go right.

As the season approaches — just two weeks until the start of training camp! — these questions will continue circle the team. To begin examining them and look ahead to what is going to come, I sat down with Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype on the latest edition of the Orlando Magic Daily Podcast:

On This Episode:

  • What does it mean that Marreese Speights and Arron Afflalo who want to be in Orlando?
  • Why have the Orlando Magic struggled to fill their young roster with veterans?
  • What went wrong with the Orlando Magic’s rebuild?
  • Did the Orlando Magic have the right approach to their offseason?
  • What happens to Nikola Vucevic in the future and what is his value?
  • How hard is it to find a star or become a star?
  • What is the Orlando Magic’s identity and what are they looking for moving forward?
  • How important is it for the Orlando Magic to have the same coach in consecutive seasons?
  • Can Aaron Gordon take a leap this year with a healthy summer?
  • How should the Orlando Magic approach Aaron Gordon and Elfrid Payton ahead of their free agency?
  • What is Alex’s favorite memories of Tracy McGrady?
  • What is Tracy McGrady’s legacy in the NBA?

Be sure to follow Alex Kennedy on Twitter at @alexkennedyNBA and be sure to check out his work at HoopsHype. You can also subscribe to his podcast, the HoopsHype Podcast, on iTunes.

Next: Orlando Magic Daily Mailbag

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