The Orlando Magic have undoubtedly had a good offseason.
The team made a big splash with the acquisition of Desmond Bane, seemingly vaulting the team into contention overnight. They added more with the veteran Tyus Jones. And they accomplished a key goal in retaining Moe Wagner.
Orlando added to its offense in a meaningful way without sacrificing its defense. The Magic should remain a factor in the East. And now with the expectation to compete for the East's top seeds.
The Magic did not stop with their trade or free agency acquisitions. They were widely praised for their draft too.
The selection of Jase Richardson and Noah Penda was met with largely rave reviews. Richardson was viewed as a good value pick, a player with Lottery talent who dropped down the board because of some bad measurements at the NBA Draft Combine.
They viewed the selection of Penda as a similarly strong move, grabbing a first-round talent early in the second round who fits the team's defensive mentality.
It was another sign of the Magic's successful offseason.
But that is all on paper. The proof will be made on the court. And the Magic will get their first look at whether they made the right choices to supplement their roster this week at Summer League.
The Magic got rave reviews for their Draft
It has been a good offseason for press for the Orlando Magic. Everyone seems to have met every move they have made this offseason with rave reviews.
The Draft was included.
The Ringer gave the Richardson pick an A- saying that Richardson's catch-and-shoot ability is something the Magic need and taking him at 25 was a much better value play than taking him at 16.
Kevin Pelton of ESPN gave the Magic's draft a B+, echoing the good value proposition of taking a Lottery talent at 25 and noting the Magic do not need Richardson to contribute right away. Pelton questioned the Noah Penda pick for the price the Magic paid and Penda's questionable shooting credentials.
Kevin O'Connor of Yahoo! Sports gave the Magic an A-, praising Richardson and Penda's poise and composure. He says both have weaknesses to overcome, but he likes their tools to improve and add something to the team.
Christopher Kline of Fansided ranked Richardson as one of his players who will outplay his draft position. He wrote that he believes Richardson will learn the point guard skills necessary to overcome his height concerns. Being with the Magic and their laissez-faire offense should help with that too as he will not be expected to do a ton early on.
David Cobb of CBS Sports gave the Magic a B+, crediting Richardson's maturity and pedigree as elements that could help him stick in the league, in addition to his shooting and mid-range jumper.
USA TODAY gave the Magic a B, noting Richardson was considered a Lottery pick for much of the Draft process, a steal at No. 25. They also said Penda has first-round talent.
That is the universal thought about what the Magic added during the draft. They brought in talented players who should boost the team in significant ways even if they come with their share of questions.
The Magic have won a lot this summer. On paper, the draft is certainly one of them.
The Magic get their proof now
Of course, games are not won on paper. They are not won on 2K simulations. Wins are not measured in hype.
While there is legitimate excitement about everything the Magic did this offseason, all of it is uncertain.
Will Desmond Bane fit in with the Magic's offense as seamlessly as everyone thinks? Will the Magic be able to score enough while maintaining their defense? Do the Magic have enough offensive depth to make it through the season?
Orlando still has to figure out how all these pieces fit together.
That starts with Summer League, beginning Thursday in Las Vegas. The Magic are getting their first look at their new rookies in practice sessions in Orlando before Summer League begins. But how good these two players can be will be on full display during these five games in Summer League.
The Magic will get a good look at whether Jase Richardson can handle the point guard duties, he will be paired at times with a guard he played with at Michigan State too. They will see how impactful Noah Penda's defense could be and how much understanding he has.
Orlando clearly added talent this offseason. The team won everything it has done on paper.
But the game is not played on paper. The game is played on the court. And ultimately, the Magic have to see what they can do on the court, even in a Summer League setting.
Orlando is set up where both Richardson and Penda are not likely to get heavy rotation minutes this season. They will have time to develop and grow, assuming the team is healthy and things go to plan.
But all that good will brought on by aggressive moves and improving their talent base starts getting put to the test. The Magic will find out exactly what they have this week in Las Vegas.