The Orlando Magic must address the point guard issue
By Drew Miller
Ever since Jameer Nelson left in 2014, the Magic have been plagued by a revolving door of poor point guards. The Magic must fill this point guard gap soon.
When you look around the league, the best teams have a strong point guard who helps facilitate the offense and can add scoring when needed.
From stars like Russell Westbrook and Stephen Curry to solid players like George Hill and Jeff Teague, most point guards can do these things needed to allow their team and offense to flourish.
About five to seven teams in the league lack this type of player, including the Orlando Magic. Especially after they traded Elfrid Payton. Orlando is looking for some
Since Jameer Nelson’s tenure at point guard for the Orlando Magic ended in 2014, the Magic have search for this franchise point guard. A search they thought they had resolved with Elfrid Payton. But one they eventually moved on from this year at the trade deadline.
If the team is ever going to be competitive in the future, they must address the point guard position. And soon.
The team is doing a disservice to its young players by subjecting them to poor guard play. It is an immediate need for the team this offseason — whether through the draft or the team’s limited free agent or trade means.
This is the biggest need for the Magic. They may not find a stalwart like a Nelson immediately, but it is clear even the stability and confidence he provided was a major boost to the team.
His heir has not emerged in spirit or deed.
Nelson embodied the idea of the stable and productive point guard every team needs to succeed, as he ran an effective and consistent offense during his years as the Magic’s starting point guard.
Nelson also did something that the team has lacked since his departure — score. He consistently reached double digits and was a capable shooter. His All-Star year in 2009 helped turn the Magic into a title contender in many ways.
Nelson’s replacement, Payton, failed in both areas. He failed to run a competent offense, as he was largely unable to facilitate and was also unable to create off the dribble. His lack of shooting led to defenders sagging off him. It practically took the only way he could score — driving to the basket — off the table.
Orlando Magic
Due to his inability to shoot, his ability to score and consistently lead the offense was significantly compromised.
Even with Payton putting up solid numbers — 13.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game with the Magic this year — Orlando never could get over the hump. Their offense consistently floundered still.
Making matters worse, Payton never lived up to his defensive billing. All the fans heard since the team drafted him as their future point guard in 2014 was his defensive ability.
Due to this scouting report of Payton when he was drafted and his college reputation and awards, Payton was wrongly labeled as a “can play defense and pass but can’t shoot” type of player similar to prime Rajon Rondo. This label stuck with him in his time in Orlando, which often gave him a free pass for his play.
The truth is Payton was a subpar defender in Orlando. The results on offense suggested he could not run an offense nor score with any consistency. Not enough to help the team win. He never lived up to those Rondo comparisons. Not in a Magic uniform, at least.
Payton hurt the team defensively and was one of the worst pick and roll defenders in the league.
With these factors in mind, the Magic decided to move on, pawning Payton off to the Phoenix Suns for a second-round pick.
The Magic’s backups to Payton and the team’s current replacements have been inadequate. They were never meant to be a long-term solution.
The Magic have run through a series of backup point guards since Nelson’s departure. All of these guards have ranged from usable backups to players with those who have little to do in the NBA (think Chris Duhon).
While D.J. Augustin and Shelvin Mack have proven to be decent backup options, they are clearly not the answer at the position. D.J. Augustin is too old, too short and lacks the pure ability to distribute. Shelvin Mack has limited athleticism, a broken shot and lacks any dynamic quality to his game.
The team’s trade of Payton left a big hole at the starting point guard spot. One that neither Augustin nor Mack seem able to fill despite their best efforts.
As a future trade for a starting caliber point guard seems unlikely, there are practically two ways to find the team’s franchise point guard.
First, free agency is an option. But it is a very limited one. When looking at the 2018 free agent point guards, it is hard to find a point guard who fits in with the team.
The only established and young guard hitting the market is Marcus Smart. While Smart might be a nice guy to have around with his hustle and hard-nosed style of play, he lacks the true point guard skills and struggles from three. A combination nobody wants with a potential franchise player. It looks likely the Boston Celtics will match any offer the Orlando Magic could give him too.
It seems clear that free agency is not the solution.
This leaves the draft. Again it seems the Magic have run out of luck, as this year is not a point-guard heavy class.
Only one of Sports Illustrated’s top 100 prospects is a point guard.
On the bright side, that one guard, Trae Young, would be an incredible fit for the team. Young is a natural-born playmaker who can run an offense and can score from anywhere on the court.
This might be the best option to fit the Magic’s hole in the point guard position. It is the clearest path forward at the moment. If he is someone they believe can be the team’s leader and point guard for the future, using their high pick on him is the path to go.
But the draft is still a long way away, and there is plenty of evaluation still to do.
Next: Orlando Magic's defense leads to the same results
In any case, the Magic clearly have to address their point guard position. As they prepare for the offseason, they must have a plan for this vital position.