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Orlando Magic 2023 Free Agency Preview: Improving the team using its most frequent lineups

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Dec 11, 2022; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) and guard Cole Anthony (50) /celebrated after a basket against the Toronto Raptors in the fourth quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 11, 2022; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) and guard Cole Anthony (50) /celebrated after a basket against the Toronto Raptors in the fourth quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports /
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Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic
Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner helped the Orlando Magic wake up from their malaise and score a come-from-behind win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Orlando Magic Free Agency Preview: Analyzing the Magic’s lineups

The Starting Lineup

Markelle Fultz, Gary Harris, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter (113.0/111.6 off./def. rating, +1.4 net rating, 570 minutes)

Unsurprisingly, the Orlando Magic’s most-used lineup was its starting lineup. That is the way things are supposed to be. They are guaranteed six-plus minutes at the beginning of each half and are the most likely group to finish games at the end.

It is also no surprise that the Magic’s starting lineup also did surprisingly well for a team that still finished with a negative net rating for the season.

The offense will still leave something to be desired — a 113.0 offensive rating would rank 24th in the league. The team’s defense, just like it was after the 5-20 start, was really strong. That is still the basis for everything the Magic are trying to do.

Still, there are areas that this group needs to improve on. And it is part of the team’s long-term issues that are hiding in the background.

That group had an overall rebound rate of 49.6 percent, which is not good. Although their 76.5 percent defensive rebound rate is pretty solid.

Rebounding as a whole was an issue for the Magic last year — they were 12th in the league with a total rebound rate of 50.5 percent and eighth with a defensive rebound rate of 73.0 percent. Still, it felt like the Magic gave up key offensive rebounds.

A lot of things the Magic can improve on will be from internal growth.

Both Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner could improve significantly on the glass. Wendell Carter is a solid rebounder, but with the amount of switching and help the Magic give, they need to attack the glass more as a team.

Some of these questions might be longer-term questions the Magic are not looking to address right now. Many of the Magic’s lineups were made better simply by removing the rookie in Banchero. Experience still matters.

For now, it feels safe that if the Magic keep Gary Harris (and there is no reason why they would not), this will be their starting lineup once again. It does not seem like a good idea to upset the apple cart unless another player outright wins the competition.

But it has the balance that comes from having Gary Harris as a shooter with the team’s other best players on the floor.

After all, for as much sense as this lineup seems to make, removing Gary Harris for Jalen Suggs netted a lineup that was +11.3 points per 100 possessions (113.7/102.4) in 58 minutes.

Perhaps going for an all-chaos defensive lineup with Jalen Suggs — or maybe even trying Anthony Black — might be something to explore further.

The structure of this starting lineup seems like one the Magic might only try to tweak rather than outright change.