Orlando Magic focused on Playoff push, see Markelle Fultz making progress

The Orlando Magic are in the midst of a Playoff push and see that as the only goal that matters. They also see Markelle Fultz making progress in his rehab.

The Orlando Magic have one focus right now.

They are in the midst of a heated Playoff race for the first time in six years. The team’s experience going through these pressure-packed games and struggling to win and needing to win is vital to their overall development.

And on a base level, it is just fun. This is what every team plays an entire season for. They play to be fine-tuning and peaking in March and April in preparation for the Playoffs ahead. There is some struggle in that process.

But everyone on the team is full bore on the present.

President of basketball operations Jeff Weltman told Josh Robbins of The Athletic the team has to turn the corner of nearly a decade of losing. Making the Playoffs will do that.

He would later tell Roy Parry of the Orlando Sentinel that being in this Playoff race will certainly change the team’s approach and focus. There is some tremendous growth opportunity.

Of course, the team is still going through its growing pains. And, at this point, missing the Playoffs will be considered a disappointment. But an important part of the team’s growth.

The Magic’s future is not too far from everyone’s minds though.

All the reporters asked Weltman about the upcoming free agency for Terrence Ross and Nikola Vucevic. Weltman said the team’s focus is not on the summer yet (at least not enough to comment publicly). He added the Magic would like for them to return and it seems they both like the coaching staff and the city.

But, of course, there is always a wide gap between that and the actual numbers it takes to get a deal done. That will take place in July and Weltman did not feel it appropriate to talk too much about their futures.

That leaves just one question about the Magic’s future — both immediate and long-term: When will the Magic see Markelle Fultz?

Coach Steve Clifford went on the SiriusXM NBA Show earlier this week and said it was not likely Markelle Fultz would play the rest of the season.

That news was not unexpected. With so little time in the season and Fultz still working out and recovering on his own in Los Angeles, it seems presumptuous to parachute him into a team already in the Playoff race and have him perform at that Playoff level.

That was never the approach the Magic were going to take. Clifford may have spoken a bit out of turn when talking about how far Fultz has progressed. He has really not been involved with Fultz quite yet as he worries about his team and the Magic’s Playoff chase.

The comments though did bring much of the Magic front office out of the woodwork in interviews with Josh Robbins of The Athletic, Roy Parry of the Orlando Sentinel and with Dante Marchitelli on Magic Drive Time to discuss Fultz’s progress in addition to the Magic’s Playoff chase.

The bottom line: Fultz is still recovering at his pace in Los Angeles and is in a good place.

At least one member of the Magic’s performance staff is out there getting to understand the injury and Fultz’s process in recovering. Weltman visited Fultz in late February. And the team has no intention to speed things up and want him to arrive in Orlando when he feels he is at a place where it will not disrupt his recovery.

What Weltman would not comment on is whether Fultz is doing basketball activity or put a timeline on when he would return.

Weltman said Fultz is in a great spot right now and he is confident Fultz would return to the court. There is no notion he will not be able to overcome the thoracic outlet syndrome that has kept him out.

He said Fultz was eager to join his new teammates. Weltman said Fultz enjoyed his time in Orlando being around the team and on the bench for that game.

But what the Magic do not want to do was disrupt any progress Fultz has made and disrupt his routine by bringing him to Orlando and forcing change on him or having him too involved with the team’s rhythm.

His full-time recovery is the most important to the team.

Weltman said it best to Roy Parry of the Orlando Sentinel:

"“I won’t get into specifics about what sort of stuff he’s doing, but he’s making good progress and he’s in a good place right now. At the appropriate time, as that part of the process is winding down, we’ll bring him out here and we’ll get our arms around him. I think he’s very eager. The day that he spent when he came in for the press conference was a game day, and he so got to be around the team, he got to be on the bench, he got to be in huddle, and all of those things really excited him. He spoke really highly about just being around his teammates, and he knows some of the guys, and being in Coach Clifford’s huddle was really fun for him, and so he’s chomping at the bit. But as we always say, we’re not going to rush. We’re not going to put an artificial deadline on it."

So things are progressing with the Magic’s newest acquisition behind the scenes and on the opposite coast. The Magic will see when he is ready to make the trip back to Orlando and start joining team activities. Weltman said he is impressed with Fultz’s work ethic and activity.

There is no timetable for his return to happen. And the Magic are now focused on the Playoffs fully.

On to the next game.