5 questions for the Orlando Magic's 2024 offseason
The Orlando Magic entered the 2024 season hoping to see how far the team could develop. There were playoff dreams but it was meant to be a season to see whether the team could maintain and build on its limited success in the 2023 season.
The Magic had a successful 2024 season then, to say the least.
They accomplished all the baseline goals they could have hoped for from their young roster. They experienced winning for the first time and reached the playoffs. They reached it as the 5-seed, needing a win on the season's final day to avoid the Play-In Tournament.
Then they went the distance in their first playoff series. Reaching Game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers was quite an accomplishment, especially toppling the Cavs at home in Game 6 to force that decisive game.
Of course, only one team gets to end the season on top. The Magic can mark their season as a success.
And yet, Game 7 can still leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth. Orlando saw how close the team was to advancing in the playoffs and yet knew the team still had work to do.
The Magic got their taste of the playoffs now. They went through an 82-game season winning regularly. Now the expectations will raise.
And this is a big offseason.
As everyone knows, the Magic can create nearly $50 million in cap room. After falling short in the first round and seeing their star Paolo Banchero look like a true star through his first playoff series, it feels like there is some urgency to make some major additions this offseason.
It is no surprise there are some real questions about how the Magic solidify their place in the Eastern Conference hierarchy. It comes down to something simple: How do the Magic improve next season and put themselves on a clear championship trajectory?
As the Magic approach this offseason, they will be pondering that big questions and these five questions that point them in that direction.