Nobody consider Orlando Magic as a playoff team in 2023-24 season

[pepe1991]

We will get more clarity after 10-15 games.

East is clustered and nobody will tank given 2024 draft looks dry.

[p0peye]

We will get more clarity after 10-15 games.

East is clustered and nobody will tank given 2024 draft looks dry.

We will have clarity in January.

[YosemiteSam]

I see us in contention most of the year but falling short of the play in at 11 or 12 seed

11th and 12th last year had 35 wins. If the Magic don't top 35 wins, then something probably went wrong.

I was thinking around 35 wins for us and an 11 seed. Predictions are all about speculation obviously, but the 3 main reasons I went with this are 1). Balance in the East and no incentives to tank in the draft. Two strong top teams, but then everyone else is in the mediocre middle so there won’t be a lot of teams throwing away games later in the season. 2). I still think our backcourt is mid, at best, so we will lose games where we shoot really badly. 3). Injuries. I think that while we are young we have players with a history of injuries, especially WCJ. If either Paolo or Franz goes down for an extended period and we play 20-30 games starting either Moe or a Goga at center, then we are not a .500 team IMO.

[Skybox]

So much parity East & West…injuries may be the biggest determinant about who ascends, who tanks, etc

That’s why predicting records is so dicey. Every team has good reason to expect improvement, but math says “somebody has to lose for you to win”

ORL has more than paid their injury dues…karma is with them this season

[pepe1991]

Lot of parity comes from fact that nobody projects 2024 draft as good one.

So that deflates desire to suck.
Magic will be in mix with Bulls, Raptors, Pacers, Hornets, Hawks. Nets.


I have no clue what to expect from 76ers and Heat. Tbh, i have no clue what to expect from Raptors either.

1-2-3 will probably be Celtics- Bucks- Cavs.

Knicks should be solid and above cluster.


And there is mid season tournament, and nobody even knows how serious teams will take that.

Make no mistake about it, there are still only very few real contenders, but middle teams are fairly equal.

[eyriq]

Subtract 10.

That would still be a successful season. I'll take it!

21 year old Durant led OKC to 50 wins. If Paolo is that quality of player he can do the same.

Paolo, Franz, Suggs, oh my. It's happening.

I am starting to think you are not being sarcastic with your 52-win views. To believe in 52 wins means to believe that Fultz is a top-15 PG. And that Orlando's bench depth will keep the team in most games no matter how the starters are doing on a given night.

It's legit what I'm rooting for. That world has fully healthy seasons from WCJ, Suggs, and Isaac, Paolo and Franz taking the leap into stardom, and Cole and Fultz having contract year bounces. It hopefully has Black in the rotation and on the all-rookie 1st team. Perfect all around.

Edit: it would also mean we are a top 5 defense and mid offense.

[JoshuaPotter]

That would still be a successful season. I'll take it!

21 year old Durant led OKC to 50 wins. If Paolo is that quality of player he can do the same.

Paolo, Franz, Suggs, oh my. It's happening.

I am starting to think you are not being sarcastic with your 52-win views. To believe in 52 wins means to believe that Fultz is a top-15 PG. And that Orlando's bench depth will keep the team in most games no matter how the starters are doing on a given night.

It's legit what I'm rooting for. That world has fully healthy seasons from WCJ, Suggs, and Isaac, Paolo and Franz taking the leap into stardom, and Cole and Fultz having contract year bounces. It hopefully has Black in the rotation and on the all-rookie 1st team. Perfect all around.

Edit: it would also mean we are a top 5 defense and mid offense.

I like dreams so I am buying....

[eyriq]

I am starting to think you are not being sarcastic with your 52-win views. To believe in 52 wins means to believe that Fultz is a top-15 PG. And that Orlando's bench depth will keep the team in most games no matter how the starters are doing on a given night.

It's legit what I'm rooting for. That world has fully healthy seasons from WCJ, Suggs, and Isaac, Paolo and Franz taking the leap into stardom, and Cole and Fultz having contract year bounces. It hopefully has Black in the rotation and on the all-rookie 1st team. Perfect all around.

Edit: it would also mean we are a top 5 defense and mid offense.

I like dreams so I am buying....

That's my guy! It'll make the journey a fun one

Just don't go putting any cash on the line hahaha

[IllMagic04]

I believe we would've have made the play in last year if not for the absurd number of injuries. I know every team has injuries but what we had last year was ridiculous. I def think we make the play in. Now if we win the actual play in game I dunno but 9th seed is what I'm predicting. A home play in game would be a amazing atmosphere.

Sent from my SM-G970U using RealGM mobile app

[YosemiteSam]

A home play in game would be a amazing atmosphere.

Sent from my SM-G970U using RealGM mobile app

What if we hosted the Heat?

[drsd]

That would still be a successful season. I'll take it!

21 year old Durant led OKC to 50 wins. If Paolo is that quality of player he can do the same.

Paolo, Franz, Suggs, oh my. It's happening.

I am starting to think you are not being sarcastic with your 52-win views. To believe in 52 wins means to believe that Fultz is a top-15 PG. And that Orlando's bench depth will keep the team in most games no matter how the starters are doing on a given night.

It's legit what I'm rooting for. That world has fully healthy seasons from WCJ, Suggs, and Isaac, Paolo and Franz taking the leap into stardom, and Cole and Fultz having contract year bounces. It hopefully has Black in the rotation and on the all-rookie 1st team. Perfect all around.

Edit: it would also mean we are a top 5 defense and mid offense.

I love your optimism. Note that you are also predicting the Magic as a top-4 team. Meaning home-court in round 1 as a probable 4-seed!

..

[drsd]

I believe we would've have made the play in last year if not for the absurd number of injuries. I know every team has injuries but what we had last year was ridiculous. I def think we make the play in. Now if we win the actual play in game I dunno but 9th seed is what I'm predicting. A home play in game would be a amazing atmosphere.

Sent from my SM-G970U using RealGM mobile app

After a 5-20 start to the season, even with the horror ending in the final three pro-tank games, the Magic was 29-28 to close out the season. It is actually hard to imagine the Magic will be less than a 41-41 roster, if healthy, actually. This year's team is clearly better than last years team.

[IllMagic04]

A home play in game would be a amazing atmosphere.

Sent from my SM-G970U using RealGM mobile app

What if we hosted the Heat?

Not as amazing then

[IllMagic04]

I believe we would've have made the play in last year if not for the absurd number of injuries. I know every team has injuries but what we had last year was ridiculous. I def think we make the play in. Now if we win the actual play in game I dunno but 9th seed is what I'm predicting. A home play in game would be a amazing atmosphere.

Sent from my SM-G970U using RealGM mobile app

After a 5-20 start to the season, even with the horror ending in the final three pro-tank games, the Magic was 29-28 to close out the season. It is actually hard to imagine the Magic will be less than a 41-41 roster, if healthy, actually. This year's team is clearly better than last years team.

Absolutely but other teams have gotten better too. The Hornets will be better with a hopefully heathy Ball and Miles Bridges returning. Pistons should better with Cade back in the lineup. Then the annoying bottom but still more experienced teams like the Hawks Bulls and the Raptors will be tough to get past. I think the 9th spot is a solid bet for us

[drsd]

After a 5-20 start to the season, even with the horror ending in the final three pro-tank games, the Magic was 29-28 to close out the season. It is actually hard to imagine the Magic will be less than a 41-41 roster, if healthy, actually. This year's team is clearly better than last years team.

Absolutely but other teams have gotten better too.

And other teams have gotten worse. If Orlando is actually better, the Magic could easily overtake Chicago, Atlanta and Toronto. I also expect the Knicks to be horrible; why would this season be any different.

[Residual-Heat]

After a 5-20 start to the season, even with the horror ending in the final three pro-tank games, the Magic was 29-28 to close out the season. It is actually hard to imagine the Magic will be less than a 41-41 roster, if healthy, actually. This year's team is clearly better than last years team.

Absolutely but other teams have gotten better too.

And other teams have gotten worse. If Orlando is actually better, the Magic could easily overtake Chicago, Atlanta and Toronto. I also expect the Knicks to be horrible; why would this season be any different.

The Knicks won 47 games and made it to the second round so they pretty good last season.
We could overtake the Bulls, Hawks and Raptors but it wont be easy. Pacers will also fighting for the play offs. They were a 0.500 team when Haliburton was healthy.

[JoshuaPotter]

It's legit what I'm rooting for. That world has fully healthy seasons from WCJ, Suggs, and Isaac, Paolo and Franz taking the leap into stardom, and Cole and Fultz having contract year bounces. It hopefully has Black in the rotation and on the all-rookie 1st team. Perfect all around.

Edit: it would also mean we are a top 5 defense and mid offense.

I like dreams so I am buying....

That's my guy! It'll make the journey a fun one

Just don't go putting any cash on the line hahaha

Well I did vote for playin 9-10. But hey i'm at least vocally supporting the idea.

We are the kinda team that has the potential to do something huge. P+F and anyone of our backcourt discovering they have NBA top 10 position material. Solid defense from Isaac, Suggs would make any other teams know a struggle is incoming.

Our weakness is our backcourt is still a glut of mediocrity at best and this idea that "Fultz will shoot 3's" is instantly dismissed 2 games into preseason. Yet it is still I admit a "contract year" for him and Cole so they should at the very least be playing their respective souls out.

Edit : At some point I would like to see an improvement at C. But WCJ is the definition of "good enough" for the position for now.

[ARandomStranger]

I just don't know where we stand. I will throw us in the 4th to 6th range as I don't have much faith in most of the eastern conference teams outside the top 2. Right now the two 'bad' teams that will make the leap this season are us and Indiana in my mind.

[MasterGMer]

Before we figured out if we are for the playoff, we at least have to figure out our rotation.

Is Jonathan Isaac going to play a lot from the bench? We do we play more, Cole or Black? What is Suggs situation as a starting SG while Gary Harris being the best 3 pt shooter on the team?

A lot of questions to be honest and I do not know where this franchise is heading towards. Why? Because we do not even know who to invest and who to be off the team. If I am Jeff, I'd make a big trade

[pepe1991]

I just don't know where we stand. I will throw us in the 4th to 6th range as I don't have much faith in most of the eastern conference teams outside the top 2. Right now the two 'bad' teams that will make the leap this season are us and Indiana in my mind.

Indiana pretty much has same case for hope as us. Young and overachiving last year. Pacers were 28-28 with Haliburton.

And Pacers, like us, has crazy depth.

Their projected bench might be most talented bench in nba: TJ; Nwora, Thies, Smith, Nesmith, Walker, Hield

Hell, they have Nembhard who had excellent season for a rookie, but he is 24 so i don't know how much potential is in him, anyway, that's another good bench player.