The Orlando Magic made their breakthrough to the playoffs this season. It was the mark of a successful season and the seeming beginning of a long playoff run for this young team.
They have the key pieces in place with a young star in Paolo Banchero who stepped up on the biggest stage. They have a potential all-star in Franz Wagner, who has grown and made strides in several areas to be the team's second scorer. They have a do-everything role player that defines their culture in Jalen Suggs. They have a coach who had complete buy-in through the early stages of the rebuild and into his first playoffs.
The Magic got to the playoffs and a Game 7. They exited believing they are on the cusp of building a title-contending team.
Everyone seems to understand—including president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman—that this is a big offseason to add to the roster and help the team claim a spot among the top teams in the Eastern Conference. The pressure is on.
The Magic will have somewhere between $30-$50 million in cap room to spend this offseason. There has already been a lot of focus on big names in the free-agent market.
But there is still a need to consider how the Magic make up their roster. The best way to look at the roster is at the depth chart.
The goal for the Magic is still undoubtedly to improve. Orlando could use upgrades and better players at several places in the roster. The Magic's goal should be to replace departing players with better players and let the rotation shake out where it may.
This offseason will not just be about adding a starter-level player to complete and improve the Magic's starting lineup. It is about filling in and improving the rest of the roster. The Magic are not likely using all $50 million in cap room on one player.
So what else do the Magic need to add? The best place to start is by looking at the team's depth chart.
The best place to start to analyze the Orlando Magic is by looking at their depth chart
PG | SG | SF | PF | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Jalen Suggs | Gary Harris (FA) | Franz Wagner | Paolo Banchero | Wendell Carter |
Markelle Fultz (FA) | Cole Anthony | Joe Ingles (TO) | Jonathan Isaac (NG) | Mo Wagner (TO) |
Anthony Black | Trevelin Queen (2W) | Caleb Houstan (NG) | Chuma Okeke (FA) | Goga Bitadze (FA) |
Kevon Harris (2W) | Jett Howard | Admiral Schofield (2W) | ||
FA = Free Agent | TO = Team Option | NG = Non-Guaranteed | 2W = 2-Way |
The Orlando Magic worked with this depth chart for much of the season. They had a solid rotation and comfortably weathered several injuries throughout the year.
But even looking at this depth chart it is pretty clear where the holes might be to fill.
The Magic are likely losing five players this offseason—Markelle Fultz, Gary Harris, Goga Bitadze, Joe Ingles and Chuma Okeke. Some of the roles left by those players should be taken up by young players improving. So there are spots to fill as the Magic look to fill out their roster.
This cannot be about just signing a big-name player. There are clear needs and clear areas the Magic have to shore up this offseason. They have to build out some more reliable depth to get them through the seaosn and give them a more varied attack in the playoffs.
Starting with the absences we expect this offseason, the depth chart reveals where the Magic need to turn:
PG | SG | SF | PF | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Jalen Suggs | Franz Wagner | Paolo Banchero | Wendell Carter | |
Cole Anthony | Anthony Black | Jonathan Isaac | Mo Wagner | |
Caleb Houstan | ||||
Jett Howard |
Immediately, everyone's eyes rightly moved to that guard spot next to Jalen Suggs. Whether Suggs can play point guard more full-time or the Magic need to add a starting-level guard, this is the biggest need the Magic have to address this offseason.
It is why so much focus is on guards like Tyus Jones or D'Angelo Russell in free agency or even chasing Dejounte Murray or Anfernee Simons on the trade market. There might yet be an idea that has not hit the public consciousness.
But from this depth chart, it should be pretty clear that three needs have to be filled in some capacity this offseason. There is that obvious guard need. Then there is the need to improve and cover the team's wing depth and, finally, to find a third center.