Orlando Magic 2019 Offseason: 5 biggest needs for Orlando Magic, and how to fill them

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Evan Fournier, Orlando Magic, Minnesota Timberwolves

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JANUARY 4: Evan Fournier #10 of the Orlando Magic shoots the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves on January 4, 2019 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 2019 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) /

3-Point Shooting

The Orlando Magic were not a bad 3-point shooting team at all last year. That is the craziest thing about what many consider to be the team’s biggest weakness.

The Magic shot 35.6 percent from beyond the arc, the 11th-best mark in the league. This was even with Evan Fournier having one of the worst shooting seasons of his career and with a team that was full of players most would consider non-shooters.

Orlando took a healthy amount of attempts too. It was not as if Orlando was shying away from 3-pointers.

But their weakness beyond the arc was apparent in the playoffs against the Toronto Raptors. There the Magic made just 29.9 percent from beyond the arc. Orlando missed its share of open shots, but the team was getting poorer quality shots and struggling to get free.

More importantly, the Raptors bet they could get out to the 3-point shooters and prevent the Magic from getting clean looks. They probably did not see Evan Fournier having such a poor shooting series, but that was a happy accident.

When it counted, the Raptors were able to pack the paint and dare the Magic to shoot. And Orlando kept missing.

The goal then for the Magic is not necessarily to become a better 3-point shooting team. They are already better than average. It is about getting players that defenses have to respect at the 3-point line.

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Internal improvement is still the best way to do this. Aaron Gordon has progressively gotten better as a shooter (topping off at 34.9 percent). Jonathan Isaac had a strong finish from beyond the arc as the Magic made their run to the playoffs. Even Wesley Iwundu, while still selective about the 3-point shots he took, improved dramatically as a shooter.

Their improvement as shooters is necessary for the team to keep the team competitive. This is an absolutely key skill everyone has to develop.

But perhaps the player with the greatest gravity on the team in Terrence Ross is set to become a free agent. The team will find it difficult to find anything approximating a replacement for him. He had a unique season and plays a unique game.

There are some options around. A player like Tyler Herro of the Kentucky Wildcats works well off screens and he is one of the best 3-point shooters in the draft. He might enter the league and already have respect as a shooter to force defenses to react to him.

And, of course, Fournier could bounce back and return to his normal averages. Internal improvement is probably the best way for this trait to get better. But the Magic have to be looking for ways to improve their shooting this offseason. Or, at least, the threat of their shooting.