5 Biggest Questions for the Orlando Magic Heading this Offseason

What is the team identity?

The Orlando Magic were all over the map offensively in 2021. They were 29th in points in the paint per game and 22nd in 3 point attempts per game.

The team does not need to suddenly become a post-dominant.  The Portland Trail Blazers are 30th in the league in points in the paint per game. The big difference is that the Trail Blazers are second in the league in 3-pointers attempted.

They also do not need to become the most prolific 3-point shooting team. The Los Angeles Lakers are 24th in 3-pointers attempted per game but also seventh in points in the paint.

The league is not geared toward mid-range-based offenses anymore. The Magic ranked fifth in shots attempted from 10-14 feet and fourth in shots attempted from 15-19 feet.

The San Antonio Spurs were the most midrange-intensive offense and they could not even make the playoffs.

If Steve Clifford is able to form a more modern offensive identity next year, it would help the front office target free agents and draft prospects.

The team would also benefit from making good on their promises to increase pace. But that start with playing stronger defense. That certainly has to be a key part to whatever identity the Magic are trying to build for themselves.

It would also benefit the players as well.  There is only so much guys can progress during the offseason so if they have a better idea of how their skillset is expected to be used, the more optimized their workouts will be.

The NBA has proven that different offenses can be successful but the best teams have defined their style and built a team to maximize that identity. Once Clifford identifies who the three most important players on the team, he can understand what kind of talent needs to be around them.