The Orlando Magic came into this season retooled, revamped, and was even voted the team that will be the most improved this season, according to the annual NBA GM survey.
The Magic have been, unfortunately, quite the opposite as a team that has regressed significantly, and it may be time for the Magic to consider moving on from Head Coach Jamahl Mosley.
Moving parts in Orlando
Yes, the Magic brought in two new assistant coaches in Joe Prunty and God Shammgod. They added two rookies in Jase Richardson and Noah Penda, along with veterans like Tyus Jones and Desmond Bane.
With the Magic bringing in a bunch of new faces, both into the coaching staff and players into the locker room, adjustments and early-season struggles were expected — but not to this extent.
This Magic team has looked lifeless, unprepared, uninspired, and lackluster at best on both ends of the floor. They aren't just sitting with a record of 3-5 and bereft of any statement win; they simply don't look good at all.
It's hard to fully evaluate a team after just eight games with all these moving parts, but the fact that Orlando retained a majority of their roster and kept their core guys who've been playing together for years, and they still look this bad is telling.
Different style of play
Since Mosley's arrival in 2021, he's established a defensive identity and calling card in Orlando that has seen the Magic ascend into one of the top defensive teams in the NBA and help propel this team to back-to-back postseasons.
If there was one thing the Magic players could lean into every single night was their calling card on the defensive end and to not worry about their lack of floor spacing or shots not going in. So far through eight games, Orlando is playing with a significantly faster pace of play, but they still can't hit perimeter jumpers, and they've regressed defensively.
As of Nov 6th, Orlando currently ranks 23rd in offensive rating (112.9), 14th in defensive rating (114.3), and they're tied for 6th in terms of pace of play (102.94).
Orlando has made a conscious effort to get out in transition and get quick, easy baskets, which has led to more points but has also significantly compromised its defense.
The Mosley experience
Simply talking from the small sample size we have from this season, it's been ugly for the Magic. Not only are they struggling in nearly every department, but they're also simply lacking execution on every level of the floor.
Orlando has been embarrassed by a Bulls team that didn't have Coby White, and to their credit, they're the hottest team in the NBA right now atop of the Eastern Conference. Orlando lost to the Sixers, who didn't have Joel Embiid, Paul George, or Jared McCain. And they've now dropped two games to the Atlanta Hawks, and the most recent loss, the Hawks didn't have Trae Young.
It's simply embarrassing watching Orlando's half-court sets that get little to no production; they don't have a true pass-first guard that can help set up the offense, and they're getting run out of the gym more often than not.
One of the many constants with Jamahl Mosley over his tenure in Orlando has been that you're getting a team with a high level of defensive intensity, and they're going to challenge teams' opposing offenses night in and night out.
But if Orlando is slipping up on the defensive end, which they have, and they still have a poor offense, what does that say about Mosley's game planning and ability to get guys to execute the X's and O's?
Final thoughts
Orlando has enough of a sample size over the years to say that Jamahl Mosley, despite having had one of the best defenses in basketball, also has one of the worst offenses in basketball.
In a league where three-point shooting can make or break a team, Mosley's teams have been towards the bottom of the league every year in three-point percentage, regardless of the personnel. He's not responsible for guys knocking down shots, but he is responsible for getting guys into situations where they can maximize their skillset.
Orlando, even with two ascending young cornerstone franchise pieces in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, hasn't fully figured it out, and their surrounding pieces aren't doing much to help them out.
If Jamahl Mosley can't get this ship turned around quickly, the Magic should be looking at other potential head coaching candidates to take this team from a playoff team to a true contender in the East.