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5 questions for the Orlando Magic's 2024 offseason

A month has passed since the Orlando Magic's elimination from the playoffs. As they prepare for a critical offseason after a successful playoff run, how do the Magic answer their pressing questions and take their next steps.

By Philip Rossman-Reich

The Orlando Magic undoubtedly had a successful season in 2024. What comes next? The Magic have a lot of questions to answer to build on that season during an important offseason.
The Orlando Magic undoubtedly had a successful season in 2024. What comes next? The Magic have a lot of questions to answer to build on that season during an important offseason. / Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports
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3. Can the Orlando Magic maintain their defensive foundation?

The Orlando Magic entered last season encouraged by their defense. They finished the 2023 season ranked 18th in the league in defensive rating, but they were sixth after their 5-20 start.

The Magic were able to build on that defense, bringing back much of the same roster. They ranked third in the league in defensive rating for the 2024 season. That carried over into the playoffs. Their defense made every game competitive (even those losses in Games 1 and 2).

This is the foundation of the Magic's identity. The Magic will expect whoever they add to embrace this identity.

But it will be hard to recapture that chemistry again. Defense has to be built from the ground up every year. And this team has not proven yet that its defense will be consistent. That will be the biggest challenge next season.

Much of this offseason will be focused on improving the team's offense. Orlando's offense bogged down in the playoffs and they ranked 23rd in the league in offensive rating (the worst among all teams that made the postseason).

Everyone knows the Magic need shooting—despite Jeff Weltman's protestations that they were 14th in the league in three-point field goal percentage after Jan. 1.

The question will be how much the Magic feel like they can sacrifice defense for shooting. Can they even find shooters that will fit in defensively?

Everyone on this team was committed to this defensive identity. Whoever the Magic bring into the fold has to share a willingness to commit to this defense. The team has to be strong enough to teach that commitment and that way.

The aggression the Magic show this offseason will really be a statement in how confident they are that their defensive foundation is built and how strong their culture is to integrating players into the Magic style of basketball.

Perhaps the Magic are not in it to reinvent the wheel. They did win 47 games, after all. They should not need to do much and they are young enough to improve internally too.

Orlando has to improve its offense, but it has to remain true to its defense too.

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