Orlando Magic: Ranking every offseason acquisition

The Orlando Magic were not expected to be active this offseason.

The team was at the beginning stages of a rebuild and the draft was the most important date for them to get started. the team was operating as if it was over the salary cap and had little cap room to spend.

This was not a team set to make a splash. The team did that at the trade deadline when it hit reset.

Still, the team made some important acquisitions this offseason. The team supplemented its roster with a few veteran players. But the main prizes were the rookies the team added. And much of the team’s future will depend on their success.

The Orlando Magic were fairly quiet this offseason adding players to the roster. But the team made a consequential addition to begin their rebuild.

This is not the transformation summer for offseason moves — outside those draft picks. This is really just step one of the process. And the Magic did not lock anything long-term.

This offseason was really meant for laying the foundation for the team.

Still, the moves the Magic made at least had some impact. They will help the team establish a foundation in this first year. There may not be a ton of wins, but these players will still help the team create a base to grow from.

This season is important not for the record the team has, but for the habits and principles the team establishes in the process. The team needs to see some signs of growth as they figure out which players and which combinations work for the team in the long-term.

This is not some throwaway season. And even if many of the players the team cycles through this year are on their way out after a season, they will still help establish the basis for the team to move forward.

Ultimately there are still holes the team needs to fill. This year’s offseason acquisitions were more about filling out the rotation rather than fitting any specific needs.

The Magic are likely to struggle with their shooting still and defense will remain their calling card — albeit likely inconsistent as they learn a new scheme and deal with the inconsistencies of youth.

And there are still holes in the roster itself. The team bulked up its frontcourt but is lacking any true small forwards. For a team that seems to pride itself on positional size will still be short on the wings.

The Magic may not have been the most active team this offseason, but they still made important gains and important moves this offseason that will help the team achieve its goals this year — even if it is ultimately to fall.