Orlando Magic Daily
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5 reasons why the Orlando Magic have one of the best young cores

By Philip Rossman-Reich

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 7: Aaron Gordon #00 of the Orlando Magic shoots the ball against the Boston Celtics on April 7, 2019 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 7: Aaron Gordon #00 of the Orlando Magic shoots the ball against the Boston Celtics on April 7, 2019 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Aaron Gordon, Orlando Magic
TORONTO, CANADA – APRIL 23: Aaron Gordon #00 of the Orlando Magic handles the ball against the Toronto Raptors during Game Five of Round One of the 2019 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2019 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Playoff Experience

A lot can be written about playoff experience. Some of it is probably convenient narrative and some of it probably is true. Some of it is probably false.

The power of actually making the postseason and getting playoff experience is a bit nebulous. It is no guarantee a team will copy that success or keep growing. Just look at the wild swings Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s Milwaukee Bucks teams took before last year’s breakthrough.

That burst into real contention is often sudden and not always the steady march to progress. It sometimes does need a little push — the right coach or trade, for instance.

Still, there is at least a little something to young players actually having winning experience. At least in terms of reputation.

The Magic are no longer a team of pure potential. They are no longer a team that could develop into something. This Magic team is something. They won their division and made the playoffs last year. And that has to count for something.

Yes, the Magic still ran a lot of their offense through Nikola Vucevic (still just 29 years old). But the team relied heavily on Aaron Gordon as their second-leading scorer with 16.0 points per game.

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The team’s turnaround was caused at least in part by Jonathan Isaac‘s newfound consistency. His emergence was a necessary step forward for the franchise and for Jonathan Isaac.

It is assumed both the 23-year-old Gordon and the 21-year-old Isaac will continue to improve. Both did some nice things during their first playoff appearance. But obviously, they still have work to do and improvement to make.

They are obviously not the entirety of the team’s young core. The two biggest unknowns are sitting on the bench.

But even looking at The Ringer’s list, they have an unproven Atlanta Hawks group ahead of the Orlando Magic. Even the Phoenix Suns, granted a team with a potential star in Devin Booker and a top overall pick in Deandre Ayton, are ahead of them.

Both those teams have nice young cores. And admittedly, the CARMELO projection system The Ringer relies on is a flawed metric. But there is something to present value too.

The Magic’s two key young players are not just mere potential. They are already starters with the chance still to be greater.