The NBA is a business first and foremost.
Players know that and understand they are always on the proverbial hot seat due to the ever-changing nature of the league. In a lot of cases, those players must prove and re-prove themselves to their respective organizations each year.
Especially for rebuilding teams searching for their player to build around, player roles can be changed quickly. And this year’s shiny new toy becomes the latest what-have-you-done-for-me-lately disappointment.
Every step back for a young team especially can feel like the ground giving way. There are always players fighting for attention.
Looking ahead to next season certain Orlando Magic players will need a resurgence as they look to be a part of the team’s future and revive their own careers.
In the Orlando Magic’s case, the players looking to turn things around include much of their young core who have not quite lived up to expectations because of injuries or even inexperience. Players like Jonathan Isaac, Jalen Suggs and Markelle Fultz are looking to prove themselves after coming off serious injuries. And they know that there is intense competition on this young roster to cement their place in the team’s future.
Magic fans hope they can or else it will mean another setback in the rebuild.
For those players, they need to bounce back to keep good standing with the team. They are fighting for playing time, a new contract, and trust to stay vital part of the Magic’s plan.
At the end of the day, nobody is rooting harder for these players to turn it around than the Orlando Magic.
But if they do not they could find themselves moving on elsewhere like veteran Terrence Ross seems set to.
Guys like Ross want to prove that they still have something left in the tank even if they will not be a part of the team’s future.
The Magic are aware he wants to move on and they will shop him to playoff teams.
Sadly we will not have many answers until next year but even in the early part of the offseason, the stage is set.
The 2023 season will be used a ton for figuring out which young players fit into the Magic’s future. And a lot of that will have to be proven with what goes on the court in the end.