Orlando Magic Lineups: Versatility is a Good Problem

It took Steve Clifford nearly half the season to find a working rotation for the Orlando Magic. (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
It took Steve Clifford nearly half the season to find a working rotation for the Orlando Magic. (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Khem Birch, Michael Carter-Williams, Orlando Magic
Michael Carter-Williams and Khem Birch are two key players who are fighting for a rotation spot on this deep Orlando Magic team. (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /

2019’s Second Unit

Last season, the Orlando Magic’s second unit went through more iterations than the live-action — there he is again — Spider-Man.

The coaching staff seemed to spend all of last season trying in vain to find a suitable backup point guard and players to complement Terrence Ross.

Through injury or poor play, it took until almost the final month of the season before the Magic found the right mix. The very, very right mix in . . . Michael Carter-Williams and Khem Birch?

The five-man lineup including the two near-league-castoffs plus Terrence Ross, Evan Fournier, and Aaron Gordon posted a net rating of +19.4 after All-Star Weekend. They smothered their opponents defensively and played fast offensively.

Without the play of Michael Carter-Williams and Khem Birch down the stretch, it is safe to say the Magic likely would have been watching all of the Playoffs from home last season.

It is also not a difficult argument to make to say Wesley Iwundu played an invaluable role in helping get Orlando to the postseason. Some of the team’s best defensive iterations came with him on the floor, and his improvement as a shooter helped avoid a letdown when he was often the first guy off the bench.

Whether he replaced Jonathan Isaac, Aaron Gordon or Evan Fournier in the lineup, Wesley Iwundu knew his place and limits and excelled at playing within himself.

In 2020, though, things look much different.

While president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman and the front office only added Al-Farouq Aminu in the offseason, the supposed back end of the roster will look like it underwent a complete makeover, which will bring about widespread lineup changes.

Steve Clifford has his work cut out for him, but this is one of those good problems.