With more than a quarter of the season already in the books, it is safe to come to some conclusions for the Orlando Magic.
We knew what we were getting into this season.
The Magic came into the season with one of the youngest rosters in the league, two starters on the sideline with major injuries and a first-year head coach.
All of these signs pointed to one thing: a rebuilding season.
The Magic are no stranger to these types of seasons. It has been 10-plus years since the team had a real shot of winning a playoff series.
But something about this one feels different. Gone are the days of the never-ending cycle of entering the playoffs as an eight seed with veteran players just to lose and do the same thing the next year.
The Magic have real assets and young prospects playing big minutes every night. Despite the team’s poor record, those young players are showing real growth and real promise. There are things that are working for this team.
Orlando has a record that could land them another top-five pick and the chance the draft another potential star.
The Orlando Magic may be struggling to compete for a playoff spot. But the first quarter of the season showed them a lot about their young roster.
The Magic are long, athletic and play fast even if it is not completely directed at the moment. The Orlando Magic are currently in the top half of the league in pace after a slow start, just below the Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors.
And the excitement is there. A couple of players have the ability to produce a highlight play at any given moment and Cole Anthony has begun to garner some national attention.
It is all there. It looks like the Magic are building the foundations for the future.
But to go forward, we must look back. Here are 3 takeaways from the first 25 games of the 2022 season.