5 Bold Predictions for the Orlando Magic’s 2020 Season
The Orlando Magic won’t improve their seeding
The Eastern Conference is a bit of a mess still. The whole league is a bit of a mess with the seismic shifts that occurred this offseason. It was an unprecedented summer of player movement.
The Magic decided to stand still. With a bad free agent summer coming in 2020, the Magic opted to double down on the roster that made the playoffs to preserve their spot in the pecking order.
That has not gone forgotten.
The general consensus of preseason predictions is that Orlando is clearly in the playoff conversation. If the Magic are not in anyone’s playoff field, then they are the first team out. It seems they have established at least that much.
To some, the team is ready to burst forward in a messed up Eastern Conference. There are plenty who believe the Magic can make the leap to win and compete for home-court advantage.
Both missing the playoffs and pushing forward are possible outcomes for the season. The team has a potentially elite defense. But the offense will remain a struggle. And if the Magic want to take a step forward, their young players will have to come to the front.
And this is all still a question. A fair question to ask.
I believe the Magic are a better team this year than last year. I think their record will improve slightly. The way the season will go down will be different. I believe the Magic will comfortably be in the playoffs.
But I do not see them vastly improving their seeding. My Eastern Conference predicted standings are:
1. Milwaukee Bucks
2. Philadelphia 76ers
3. Boston Celtics
4. Toronto Raptors
5. Miami Heat
6. Brooklyn Nets
7. Orlando Magic
8. Indiana Pacers
Maybe the Magic can sneak past the Nets and get the sixth seed. I do not see a huge difference between the Raptors at 4 and the Magic at 7 (I am very low on the Pacers because of their lack of front-court depth and questions about Victor Oladipo‘s health to the mid-point of the season).
So saying the Magic finish in seventh is not necessarily saying they do not make progress this season. I think the team is in a tier with those teams that comfortably make the playoffs — with the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons fighting for that last playoff spot in their own group.
Orlando will be a better team — I will have them at 44-38 for the year, a game better than last year’s mark. But the team will have to map out how to get better after this season to put themselves firmly in that upper echelon.