The Orlando Magic have a big offseason coming up, despite this season‘s disappointment. Due to injuries, things simply have not gone according to plan and the Magic failed to build on last season‘s success.
Nevertheless, the Magic have learned quite a lot about the current team and what the roster is still lacking. One big thing is shooting. The Magic signed one respected 3-point threat in the 2024 offseason. So far, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has not delivered the shooting the Magic expected from him, but even if he had, the Magic would not have enough shooting around Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero. Secondly, the Magic desperately need more playmaking and offensive creation.
Finding offensive-minded players who can help with the Magic‘s scoring woes has not been all that easy because of one big reason. The Magic have a very specific type of player they like. They generally want big, physical players who can defend.
The fact that he has a reputation as one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, was probably one of the main reasons the Magic wanted to add Caldwell-Pope to the roster. The idea was to add shooting without hurting the team‘s defensive identity.
The Magic cannot let their preferences prevent them from adding offense to the team
It makes sense that the Magic do not want to jeopardize their defensive identity. Being a tough and physical group is what the Magic are built on, and it can keep them in games even if their shots are not falling. So, the ideal player to add to the core of Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, and Jalen Suggs would be a point guard who can space the floor, organize the offense, and hold their own defensively.
That type of player is not easy to find, and once teams have it, they do not like to let players like that go. The Magic should not let that stop them from adding some offensive help to the roster this offseason. This team needs to become better offensively, even if it means adding a player who does not fit the Magic‘s usual type.
Between Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner, Jonathan Isaac, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Goga Bitadze, and Anthony Black, the Magic have so many strong defenders that they can afford to add someone who is not quite as good if it helps them reach the next level offensively.
What the Magic cannot afford is to have another uneventful offseason without offensive improvements. The front office has been incredibly patient and careful. The time is coming to use that to their advantage and move some of the assets they have been holding on to.