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Orlando Magic Daily Roundtable: The preseason matters, except when it doesn’t

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Jonathan Isaac has built confidence as a strong defender. Now confidence has to come from his newfound strength and on offense. (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)
Jonathan Isaac has built confidence as a strong defender. Now confidence has to come from his newfound strength and on offense. (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Aaron Gordon, Orlando Magic, Miami Heat
MIAMI, FL – OCTOBER 8: Aaron Gordon #00 of the Orlando Magic shoots the ball against the Miami Heat during a pre-season game on October 8, 2018 at American Airlines Arena, in Miami, 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) /

What needs to happen for the Orlando Magic to have a successful season? What is a successful season?

Burnley: A successful season for the Orlando Magic is going to depend a lot on the development of Aaron Gordon, Mohamed Bamba and Jonathan Isaac. Aaron Gordon figuring out his place in the offense, Mohamed Bamba getting some starts and playing some serious playing time, Jonathan Isaac playing a sizeable amount of games next year are all things that would constitute a winning season for the Orlando Magic.

Racine: The Orlando Magic need to stay healthy in order to have a successful season. Jonathan Isaac needs to play a full season. He needs to develop and make an impact defensively and offensively. It is playoffs or bust in my opinion. The Magic have been at the bottom of the Eastern Conference for the last six years. Now is that time for them to make a push in the weak Eastern Conference.

Rossman-Reich: Growth is really the big thing for me. A successful season is seen in whether the Orlando Magic can build a reliable looking future for the franchise and a clear path forward. That means improving their win total but also looking like a better team overall. For this to happen, health is obviously paramount. But the team has to be committed to their principles to get there. They have to be growing individually but in the right direction and within the team concept. The Magic have put a lot of trust in Steve Clifford to usher this growth and development. He will have to direct this growth and the players will have to buy in to that direction.

Henderson: The Magic have to trade Nikola Vucevic in order to have a successful season. A successful season for the Magic is making the eighth seed of the Eastern Conference Playoffs. According to what we all witnessed, albeit just one game, they should be better and able to take the place of the Miami Heat from last year’s Playoff picture. I do not see how the Magic not making the Playoffs is a successful season considering this would be the sixth straight year that the Magic have not sniffed the postseason.

Palmer: I think a successful season for the Magic is simply keeping the young guys healthy and engaged. Many will argue that wins and losses matter this season and they do to an extent. But I believe if the Jonathan Isaac, Mohamed Bamba and Aaron Gordon just stay healthy then the Magic will win more games as a result. The number of games is not as relevant.