In 2020, Orlando Magic fans can expect a return to the Playoffs

The Orlando Magic sped up the rebuilding process in 2019 by securing the seventh seed. Now fans in Central Florida have the 2020 Playoffs on their minds before preseason.

Their time is now.

The Orlando Magic have a window of opportunity now with LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard taking their talents to Los Angeles. They can actually make some noise in the Eastern Conference next year.

Nothing is for sure anymore in the NBA. Everything feels wide open.

The balance of power has shifted back to a more even playing field after the highly anticipated break up of the former back-to-back NBA champion Golden State Warriors. And that presents an opportunity for a Magic team that stayed virtually the same and bet on their own internal growth and continuity to climb in the East.

As the season approaches, playoff excitement in Orlando is real. More than real, it is expected. The team rightfully believes that it will make a second straight postseason trip. Nothing less will be acceptable.

The changes in the Eastern Conference almost certainly open the door.

None of the top five Playoff teams in the Eastern Conference remained exactly the same. The defending champion Toronto Raptors lost their Finals MVP in Leonard to the LA Clippers. The move likely takes the defending champions out of the running for a return trip to the NBA Finals.

That was only the beginning of the player movement.

Now the team that lost to the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Milwaukee Bucks, are the favorites to make it out. But they are no shoo-in either.

The Bucks’ starting lineup and depth chart will look different without former starting point guard Malcolm Brogdon — go to the Indiana Pacers — and their former power forward Nikola Mirotic signing with Euroleague club Barcelona. These were key losses.

Then there are the Philadelphia 76ers, who lost All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler to the Miami Heat. They still retained Tobias Harris and added former Boston Celtics center Al Horford. This should be interesting to see how Horford and Joel Embiid play together on the court offensively since both big men are considered stretch fives at this point in their careers. This season could go either way for the 76ers.

The Celtics were the team everyone had in the Finals to square off against the Kevin Durant-led Warriors this time last year. Things did not go to plan. They lost Kyrie Irving for nothing and replaced him by acquiring point guard Kemba Walker from the Charlotte Hornets this summer. They are predicted to finish in the top four.

The last team was the Pacers, who will at some point this year bring back All-Star shooting guard Victor Oladipo. He looked like one of the better shooting guards in all of the NBA before a quadriceps injury sidelined him. The Pacers acquired Brogdon from the Bucks and will boast one of the best backcourt duos in the Eastern Conference once Oladipo is healthy.

The Brooklyn Nets were not bad either. They definitely upgraded by signing Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. Irving will have the lion share of the responsibilities until Durant returns in 2021.

The Magic may very well be the team that surprises everyone and sneaks into this elite group, especially while they figure out their new compositions.

Orlando shocked the world by making the Playoffs in 2019. No one thought the Magic could beat the Raptors in Game 1 of the first round. There is little reason to think they cannot repeat that success. And maybe take another step.

All the players on the Magic will be a year better. Highly anticipated players like Mohamed Bamba and Markelle Fultz will make their way back to the court.

If Aaron Gordon and Jonathan Isaac have improved significantly, this could be a breakout season for the Magic. The two will need to be the clear leaders for the franchise if the Magic are to reach their potential.

Orlando was really the only team among the playoff teams that did not face some fundamental change to their starting lineup. The Magic are returning everyone from their starting lineup and have young players eager to grow and develop.

That is interesting by itself.

The addition of a fully healthy Mohamed Bamba and Markelle Fultz is sure to add more fuel to the fire. Players are clearly feeling the excitement too. They are eager to get to work.

The Magic organization has done a great job of minimizing expectations for its future since the rebuild began. President of basketball operations Jeff Weltman has been patient and careful with his rebuild to put the team in a strong position.

After breaking through last year, the expectation has changed.

This year fans can expect the Magic to make the Playoffs again. They may end up with a similar seed to start the Playoffs, but they should expect the team to take a step forward and reveal their future.