The Orlando Magic had a lot to consider and review as they began their offseason.
The team saw some success, salvaging a 41-41 record and a 7-seed despite tons of injuries to their key players. They remained one of the best defenses in the league.
They could tell that even when healthy, they needed more to be within shouting distance of a championship contender in the Boston Celtics in their playoff series. Having the 27th-ranked offense by offensive rating, the worst 3-point field goal percentage and the fewest threes in the league was not going to cut it if the team had championship ambitions.
The Magic need health first and foremost. But they needed to be aggressive to begin overhauling the roster.
The move to acquire Desmond Bane lifted the Magic into title conversations in a way that has not happened with the franchise for more than a decade. The Magic added a high-level offensive player without taking away much of its defense.
The team went in free agency and acquired Tyus Jones, a steady veteran point guard to manage the bench and be a calming force when he is on the floor.
Orlando is indeed going for it.
But everyone knew the team could not stop there. Offensive reform means also finding new ideas.
As Jamahl Mosley put it in an interview with Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel from this weekend, if the team is going to ask players to improve and the team is going to be under pressure to improve the roster, then the coaches, too, have to find a way to improve.
Mosley said at exit interviews that he would leave no stone unturned to improve himself and his coaching staff.
That led him to make two additions to the coaching staff, both with an eye on offense. The team hired Dallas Mavericks player development coach God Shammgod and added Milwaukee Bucks lead assistant Joe Prunty.
Both moves had an eye on one thing: Improving the team's offense.
The new coaches will impact the offense
There is no doubt that both coaches will have their hands on the offense.
God Shammgod is noted for his offensive player development, having worked with many of the Mavericks' guards in his long tenure with the team. Kyrie Irving quickly connected with him as the Mavericks went to the NBA Finals.
Shammgod is more of a player development coach than a tactical genius. But his focus and expertise is with the ball in his hands. He will surely work with all of the Magic's guards and ball handlers as they try their point guard experiment.
Joe Prunty will be more strategic for the Magic. Mosley praised Prunty's offensive mind and said he will give him a new perspective on building an offense and putting players in a better position to attack and score.
Will that mean a dramatic shift in the team's offense?
Orlando will always profess that it wants to play faster. That is something the team has focused on with its Summer League team. But the changes may be more subtle.
The Magic should have more space and more ability to be creative as they add more shooting -- whether it is Desmond Bane with the starting lineup, Tyus Jones with the bench group or Jase Richardson through the Draft.
The Magic are still going to play their style. They are still going to rely on several players handling the ball and attacking. Orlando should have the versatility to attack in multiple ways.
Mosley needed to level up his game
The NBA is always constantly changing. Pressure comes and goes for everyone.
The Orlando Magic were starting to feel that pressure now that they have given max extensions to their two stars in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, plus a big extension for Jalen Suggs. The pressure to win with all that money spent was going to increase.
The front office answered the call to try to improve the roster in a meaningful and impactful way with the Desmond Bane trade. That turned the pressure over to the coaching staff to make the most of this new roster.
Indeed, the expectations are through the roof this season. The Magic are listed as the third favorite to win the Eastern Conference and have an early over/under set at 50.5 wins according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The Magic have not won 50 games since the 2011 season.
To be sure, if the Magic are not able to improve their offense or hit those marks, the microscope will be trained squarely on Jamahl Mosley.
Mosley continues to get praise for his ability to build a culture of togetherness. His teams play hard and are connected. He has built one of the best defenses in the league. The Magic have consistently been strong during the last three seasons on that end.
But every season is a chance to prove yourself again. And with the Magic improving the roster and making these aggressive moves, inevitably, the focus is on Mosley to see just how he can pull all these strings together.
Mosley aced the player development and rebuilding part of the rebuild. He has built the foundations for a great team. And he has done better in both of his playoff series and managing a winning team than he gets credit for.
The Magic are not where they are without Mosley. But this is a new challenge.
Mosley has always credited his assistant coaches for giving him the support he needs. Both God Shammgod and Joe Prunty come with a lot of accolades and league-wide respect. Like the Magic's offseason roster moves, these moves have been met with universal praise.
At least on paper, the Magic seem to have positioned themselves to make a major step.
The potential for this team is still through the roof. It will be on everyone with the team to bring it all together.