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Orlando Magic Daily Mailbag Volume 42: Preparing for a fun season

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Markelle Fultz and the Orlando Magic find themselves squarely in a postseason push and have every reason to keep going for it. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Markelle Fultz and the Orlando Magic find themselves squarely in a postseason push and have every reason to keep going for it. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jamahl Mosley, Orlando Magic
Jamahl Mosley kept the Orlando Magic focused on the big picture all season. Helping foster an atmosphere for their growth. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports /

Orlando Magic Daily Mailbag Vol. 42

Level Up

"What are expectations for Jamahl this year? -Ed Lamoso on YouTube"

There is no bigger flash point among Orlando Magic fans last year than the work of Jamahl Mosley.

Fans who were eager to see the team win more were often frustrated with some of his rotation decisions and how he managed games.

Nobody will find any complaint in the front office about him. Or with his team though.

The job Mosley did last year was really incredible. To hold a young team together after a 5-20 start and keep them pushing to get better and then actually delivering some results does deserve a lot of credit. Everyone on this roster believes in Mosley — and his inclusion in the Team USA program is only further proof of the job he is doing.

But just as he and the franchise are calling on the players to “level up” and get better, the same has to be said for Mosley. He too needs to “level up.”

For the players, that task is simple. It is to play smarter and cleaner basketball, executing at a higher level and committing fewer turnovers.

For Mosley, this year is still about emphasizing development. He still has to allow young players to make mistakes and allow Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner especially to explore the limits of their games.

But this season is also about making better tactical decisions that put the team in positions to win. It means making decisions with winning as a bigger goal than giving young players their chance to play the roles the Magic ultimately view them as playing.

Last year, Mosley was an expert at keeping the big picture in mind. That helped the team work toward peaking at the end of the season and playing more consistently. That also meant putting the ball in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner’s hands late in games when Markelle Fultz might have been the better option if winning was the goal.

This is where the team might have to see a bit of a shift this season. Mosley has to put his team in a better position to win this year because results are going to start mattering here very soon.