2018 Orlando Magic Outlook: A reset? A step forward? A season of uncertainty

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ORLANDO, FL – MARCH 6: Elfrid Payton #4 of the Orlando Magic drives to the basket against the New York Knicks during the game on March 6, 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) /

The Starters

Typically after winning 29 games and failing to meet expectations, a team will look to make some type of major change. Something has to give if the team is going to make progress of some sort.

And so retaining the same starting five with little challenge does not seem like the answer. For those who believe the Magic are not about to get much better this year, this is the signal to point toward.

And that starting lineup of Elfrid Payton, Evan Fournier, Terrence Ross, Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic still lacks that breakout star. It is no coincidence both ESPN and Sports Illustrated did not have many Magic players in their top 100 — Elfrid Payton and Nikola Vucevic made Sports Illustrated’s list and Aaron Gordon made ESPN’s list.

Someone in that group will have to step up if the Magic are going to improve their fortunes. Coach Frank Vogel is right that internal improvement is still the best way for the Magic to take its next step.

Yet. . . that starting group played exceedingly well to end the season last year. There is no getting around it and no denying it. Something within that lineup clicked to end the season.

In 410 minutes after the All-Star Break, that starting lineup posted a +1.4 net rating. The team outscored its opponents by 1.4 points per 100 possessions. For a team to do that, it would statistically mean that team finishes at a bit better than .500.

More surprisingly, the team posted a 112.0 offensive rating with that group. That would suggest the defense needs to improve by a lot for it to be sustainable.

Still, these numbers were encouraging. Enough to decrease some of the urgency for dramatic change.

The Magic told anyone who would listen they saw improvement toward the end of the season. Enough to keep going with it or give it a chance. That argument seemed to win the day.

No one is confusing that starting lineup with the Golden State Warriors or any of the elite teams. The Magic are just hoping to hover around .500. That would be enough to make the Playoffs and accomplish some of their goals.

In order to do that, they will need to see nearly everyone in the starting lineup take a step up and bounce back from a down year last year.

They will need Payton to continue his torrid pace through the second half of the season when he accumulated five triple-doubles and averaged 13.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 8.4 assists per game.

It will require Nikola Vucevic and Evan Fournier bouncing back to their efficiency levels from a year ago.

And, most of all, perhaps, it will take Gordon taking the leap to consistency. He, in a contract year, has to prove what he is in the NBA and whether he has that star potential in him. Gordon took some step in that direction after the All-Star Break last year. He averaged 16.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game after his move back to power forward.

The starting lineup provided some form of hope for the Magic. There is evidence to suggest it can work.

The Magic appear set to see it through. The hope now is the work they did in the offseason will not leave it as their only option, as it was last year.

Elfrid Payton Outlook
Evan Fournier Outlook
Terrence Ross Outlook
Aaron Gordon Outlook
Nikola Vucevic Outlook