The Orlando Magic expect to be a fun and young team, but there are likely struggles that are going to come with it.
Almost universally, the Magic are projected to be one of the worst teams in the NBA next season. That may end up being the case, but it would be wrong to look at the roster and not be optimistic.
The goal of this season is not the playoffs, but it would be wrong to give up on them before the season begins.
Instead, the goal would seem to be player development. That has been the buzzword the team has thrown out ad nauseum this offseason. How the Magic improve will ultimately be how the team is judged successful or not.
The Orlando Magic appear to be aiming for a rough season in the record, but getting there and this first stage of the development phase should be fun as the team integrates a group of young players.
What the Magic look like in getting there will be the real question the team faces. It is not yet clear exactly how coach Jamahl Mosley will deploy his team. He has had only said the offensive strategy is to play with pace, space and the pass, while focusing his defense on being tough, talkative and tied together.
Those are all pretty generic goals. And it is hard to say exactly what that means in practice.
But judging from Summer League, it means the team will play with a lot of energy and excitement. That seems to be the perfect style for a young team.
And even if the Playoffs are a far-fetched goal, the team should play an exciting brand of basketball that points to an identity the team can carve out in the future.
The hope would be that this will turn into wins in the short- and long-term.
Although the playoffs should not be out of the conversation, that is not the likely outcome for Orlando. The Magic are going into the season with too many question marks and variables that would have to go right for Orlando to find themselves in playoff position or even in contention for the play-in tournament.
The biggest variable for the Magic this season is going to be the play of Jonathan Isaac and Markelle Fultz. Fultz has not played since Jan. 6, and Isaac has not played since Aug. 2, 2020. They essentially both missed the entire 2021 season and will need a year of playing to regain their playing form after tearing their ACLs.
It is impossible to guess how they are going to play and how often they are going to be in the lineup, especially early in the season. The Magic are likely to take their time with Isaac and Fultz. So while they will finally make their return, do not expect to return to 100-percent from the start.
Another question coincides with the lack of experience on the roster. Outside of Terrence Ross and Gary Harris, the players that are expected to play are extremely young. The oldest player of that group is 23-year-olds Jonathan Isaac, Markelle Fultz, Mohamed Bamba and Chuma Okeke.
The rest of the rotation will certainly be short on experience. Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner are rookies, and then R.J. Hampton, Chuma Okeke and Cole Anthony are all going to be second-year players. Mohamed Bamba and Wendell Carter only have three years of experience.
Orlando’s young group is inexperienced and unproven, and it will take time for a young group to learn how to win. There are going to be learning experiences for this team and likely going have games that are close and slip through their fingers.
Then finally there is the new system the Magic are going to implement under Mosley.
This is where the team could really make their mark and likely where the team needs to show the most growth and entertainment. Playing this more aggressive defensive style is what could make the Magic fun. Especially if it unleashes the team young players to get out in transition more consistently.
The Magic are going to get into offensive players defensively and are going to play at a faster pace. The Magic ranked 17th in pace last season with an offense that was a work in progress since the trade deadline.
The team has a lot of hope in its young players nonetheless. And refreshing the team both in players and philosophy has created what feels like a much brighter future.
In the end, there are too many things that would have to go right for the Magic to be in contention for the playoffs.
Isaac and Fultz have to be back to close to what they were before their respective injuries. A group of young players that are inexperienced and some that have injury-riddled histories have to find a way to take their game to the next level, all while learning a new system with coach Mosley.
However, even with the learning pains that are coming, this young team is going to be exciting and fun to watch as the future shines bright.