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Orlando Magic Offseason Needs: Shooting is the top priority

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Apr 16, 2023; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) shoots as Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks (24) defends during the first half during game one of the 2023 NBA playoffs at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 16, 2023; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) shoots as Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks (24) defends during the first half during game one of the 2023 NBA playoffs at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jalen Suggs, Orlando Magic
Jalen Suggs is has started to experience a mini shooting surge that the Orlando Magic need to see continue. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /

Orlando Magic Offseason Needs: Shooting

Option 1: Internal Improvement

The Orlando Magic are flush with resources to improve their roster this summer.

The Magic are expected to have two picks in the upcoming NBA Draft Lottery. Additionally, Orlando is expected to have somewhere near $25 million in cap room the team can use to add to the roster. Not to mention having a roster full of young players on fairly affordable deals and all that cap room to use in potential trades.

Despite all this, nobody is expecting the Magic to throw that weight around. Instead, they are going to be expected to add key players around the core they are building.

And it is easy to see shooting is going to be a big part of this puzzle. It will be hard for the team to add any wing player that cannot shoot, especially considering how much the Magic struggled from deep.

But everything with a young team always starts with how much better their young players get. And so Orlando is not going to solve all of its shooting problems externally. But it is clearly a problem the team has to solve.

The Magic were 24th in the league in 3-point field goal percentage at 34.6 percent. They were 27th in attempts at 31.1 3-point attempts per game and, thus, 25th in 3-point makes at 10.8 per game.

That at least hints that the Magic could be a better 3-point shooting team if they took more. But it is also a statement that the 3-pointer just was not a weapon.

It is OK in this league to shoot a low volume of 3-pointers if you are efficient. The Magic constantly found themselves trapped by being a low-volume and poor 3-point shooting team.

If anything can unlock the Magic’s offense — and thus make life easier for the drives from Markelle Fultz, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner — it is shooting. Certainly, that would boost things off the bench.

There are certainly some hints internal development will help with this. Cole Anthony was a solid 36.4 percent from deep and Franz Wagner also shot 36.1 percent. Jalen Suggs even came on strong, improving his season-long 32.7 percent from deep to 36.0 percent in 19 games after the All-Star Break.

Even Markelle Fultz started to come around with his shooting, hitting 32.4 percent of his 3-pointers after the All-Star Break and 5 for 8 in his final five games. The volume is very low but the potential for improvement is clear.

But the quality shooting depth runs out quickly on this team. Gary Harris, who shot 43.1 percent on 4.5 attempts per game, was by far the best shooter on the team. The Magic are almost begging him to shoot more.

It is easy to see why shooting is the Magic’s biggest need.

Everyone recognizes shooting is a major part of the Magic’s offseason. League executives are already predicting the Magic will make moves for shooting. And certainly, fans have their focus on shooting.

Just how and where the Magic add to their shooting will be one of the biggest keys for this team. Orlando can and likely will add shooting from multiple avenues.