Post Mortem #18 - Orlando Magic

[Curmudgeon]

I don't like teams with two guys that replicate each other as leads unless they are really really compementary and versatile like the two Js in Boston.

So I might consider trading Franz or Paolo. They can probably get an elite package for either of those guys so has to be really planned out well to work.

The two J's in Boston are not really complementary. It's taken them years to learn how to play together, and even then you often see one resting while the other is on the floor.

Just keep accumulating talent and be patient while the players figure it out. Assuming they can stay healthy and continue to learn from experience, the Magic are one good 3 and D wing away from being a 50 win team.

[ForeverTFC]

I don't like teams with two guys that replicate each other as leads unless they are really really compementary and versatile like the two Js in Boston.

So I might consider trading Franz or Paolo. They can probably get an elite package for either of those guys so has to be really planned out well to work.

The two J's in Boston are not really complementary. It's taken them years to learn how to play together, and even then you often see one resting while the other is on the floor.

Just keep accumulating talent and be patient while the players figure it out. Assuming they can stay healthy and continue to learn from experience, the Magic are one good 3 and D wing away from being a 50 win team.

Tatum and Brown have always been good to great defenders and at the very least league average as shooters in any given season. Even then, they needed Tatum to become a good playmaker and 2 of the best off-ball backcourt players that can seamlessly shift on ball when needed to join them for them to fully click. Paolo and Franz are much further back than those 2 were and will need just as much in terms of development and team building.

Also, even if a 3+D player gets them to 50, it doesn't really mean much. Really good defensive teams that are locked in always outperform in the RS. But you need at minimum a top 15 offense to be a viable post season threat and a top 10 offense to be a contender. A good 3+D player does not provide enough of an impact given Orlando was 27th in ORTG this year. They need leaps from at least one of Paolo or Franz as a scorer and/or they need to bring in a high usage player that can handle volume efficiently.

[Optimus_Steel]

Some takes…Paolo and Franz not versatile lol

[CP War Hawks]

I’m sure there’s a 1000 reasons not to do this but I would like them to pursue both Trae & Cam Johnson. They need guys who the defense will guard at the 3PT line. Give up some defense, gain a much needed shot in the arm on offense.

Took a lil longer to scroll down the 1st page to find it, but alas the Trae reference is there.

Orl doesn't have the goods outside of Paolo or Franz to get it done. Also it would have to be a bitter negotiation between Trae and the Hawks FO for him to get traded which is possible but not probable.

Magic should just go after all the off minded guards in this draft. Fears/Clayton/Jakucionis/Richardson, etc.

[Notanoob]

I think if healthy they're a top 4 team as they are now, but they desperately need a SG worth a damn who can hit shots. I'd package their two 1st to go get Kon Kneuppal or Tre Johnson, or pray Jase Richardson falls to them. They don't have a ton of cap space to play with so they need to draft someone. Black has looked pretty solid at guard and should be better with another year of development. Just don't panic and let your young team improve organically and don't do anything to jeopardize your future.

Their defense is already elite, they just need their offense to be okay to be threatening to make the ECF. Don't go crazy!

[okboomer]

Pretty obvious they need better guard play. I know Suggs was injured though Cory Joseph averaged 25 minutes a game for them this series. Definitely need to upgrade.

[Chuck Everett]

Just getting Dennis Schroder would be a huge upgrade next to Suggs in the backcourt. Especially if you believe in Anthony Black's future (he personally still leaves me wanting). You let Cole Anthony walk and you draft Walter Clayton Jr, if he's available. I'd even kick the tires on D'Angelo Russell and Coby White as well. Just anyone who is a guard, who can get his own shot and force defenses to not totally disregard them on offense.

[The Real Dalic]

If the Magic make even one of our draft picks this year, we already messed up this season and will not improve offensively.

[wco81]

They've only been in the playoffs 2 years with this core and their payroll is already over $200 million?

With two first-round exits to show for it?

Sure these players could improve and they're still relatively young. Franz is going to turn 24 soon.

Still if they're near the Second Apron so early in Franz and Paolo's careers ...

[JT3000]

I think almost everyone expected first round exist, and that is what we got. Going into the season, they were projected as maybe 6th. best team in the East, right? Top 4 was seen to be Celtics, Knicks, 76ers, Bucks, right outside top 4 was CAVS, then Indy and Magic. Not everything played out that way, but Magic were one of those teams that finished pretty much exactly where they were ranked.

Oh stop. Literally no one projected this to be a .500 team. No one. They were supposed to improve, not regress due to major injuries to all of their best players. As for the postseason, a second round appearance should have been possible, maybe even likely, because they would have been in the running for a top 4 seed. Not in the play-in.

Maybe in your fantasy land. Did you call anyone who thought this would happen to begin the season a "hater"? When the Hawks went to the ECF, did you project them to make the finals the following year? Perhaps it's your forecasting abilities that you should question.

Did a lot of people project .500? No. But many projected them as a play-in team and first round fodder. Again, just because you refused to hear those people out doesn't mean they didn't exist.

You're completely & utterly delusional, but you're also a Raptors fan, so that's stating the obvious. For your information, yes, anyone who predicted the Magic would merely be .500 and a play-in team, without being devastated by injuries, prior to the season was indeed a "hater," because there is nothing even remotely logical about such a prediction. I know you're going to continue to pretend their season went exactly as expected, but you're just proving what a massive fool you are.

[UcanUwill]

Oh stop. Literally no one projected this to be a .500 team. No one. They were supposed to improve, not regress due to major injuries to all of their best players. As for the postseason, a second round appearance should have been possible, maybe even likely, because they would have been in the running for a top 4 seed. Not in the play-in.

Maybe in your fantasy land. Did you call anyone who thought this would happen to begin the season a "hater"? When the Hawks went to the ECF, did you project them to make the finals the following year? Perhaps it's your forecasting abilities that you should question.

Did a lot of people project .500? No. But many projected them as a play-in team and first round fodder. Again, just because you refused to hear those people out doesn't mean they didn't exist.

You're completely & utterly delusional, but you're also a Raptors fan, so that's stating the obvious. For your information, yes, anyone who predicted the Magic would merely be .500 and a play-in team, without being devastated by injuries, prior to the season was indeed a "hater," because there is nothing even remotely logical about such a prediction. I know you're going to continue to pretend their season went exactly as expected, but you're just proving what a massive fool you are.

Almost 50% of the voters picked - performed as expected - out of 3 options, and yet you call the guy delusional. Most thinks team performed as expected, but I guess everyone hates Magic for some reason.

Yes, team showed more potential than expected early in the season, potential that wasn't realized by injuries, but thats not the question. Question was about expectations before season starts, and at the least, 5 East teams were higher up in the power rankings coming into the season, Magic supposed to flirt with play in and maybe even be in play in, as they were. Props if you saw Magic potential, maybe you even would have been right if injuries doesn't strike, but If you expected Magic higher up before the season started, you are clearly in a minority and can stop calling people names.

[KrAzY3]

I just don't want to see the Magic do anything drastic. They have a good young core, don't mess that up.

They have a history of doing dumb things to in their minds "improve" to roster.
This includes the Ibaka trade which included: Victor Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova, and the rights to Domantas Sabonis

Even if you ignore Sabonis in all of this, this ended up being the backbone of the Paul George trade. No matter how you look at it, horribly stupid. There's a history of these dubious moves, so just don't do anything dumb, you have a good young core.

[ForeverTFC]

Oh stop. Literally no one projected this to be a .500 team. No one. They were supposed to improve, not regress due to major injuries to all of their best players. As for the postseason, a second round appearance should have been possible, maybe even likely, because they would have been in the running for a top 4 seed. Not in the play-in.

Maybe in your fantasy land. Did you call anyone who thought this would happen to begin the season a "hater"? When the Hawks went to the ECF, did you project them to make the finals the following year? Perhaps it's your forecasting abilities that you should question.

Did a lot of people project .500? No. But many projected them as a play-in team and first round fodder. Again, just because you refused to hear those people out doesn't mean they didn't exist.

You're completely & utterly delusional, but you're also a Raptors fan, so that's stating the obvious. For your information, yes, anyone who predicted the Magic would merely be .500 and a play-in team, without being devastated by injuries, prior to the season was indeed a "hater," because there is nothing even remotely logical about such a prediction. I know you're going to continue to pretend their season went exactly as expected, but you're just proving what a massive fool you are.

~60% of the voters think the magic performed as expected or over-achieved. But I'm the delusional one.

Real cute of Magic fans going on this "but you're a Raptors fan" run the last couple of years. It reeks of jealousy.

[Celts17Pride]

Orlando has the two Wagners, Banchero, Carter and Suggs they will be fine. Try to use the others and draft picks to get more shooting

[Ruma85]

Curious Magic fans other than last 4 mins of game 5, how come Howard or Silva didn't get more pt?

[The Real Dalic]

Curious Magic fans other than last 4 mins of game 5, how come Howard or Silva didn't get more pt?

Howard is not an NBA level talent. He can't shoot despite shooting being his only real strength. Is an awful defender who gets lost at times, an okay to decent passer with okay handles, but nowhere near good enough in the scoring or defensive departments to be playable. Especially when he's just going to brick everything.

da Silva is more interesting since he started the year out very solid. He just struggled with his shooting and finishing to close the year out. Because of that, Gary Harris was inserted back into the lineup since you could at least count on his defense on a night in and night out basis.

I disagree with not playing da Silva more because I think it was just the rookie wall that he hit. But he had the potential to give you 18 points on any random night where he was playing well while providing solid defense with his height. One of the few things I personally disagreed with Mosely on.

[Ruma85]

Curious Magic fans other than last 4 mins of game 5, how come Howard or Silva didn't get more pt?

Howard is not an NBA level talent. He can't shoot despite shooting being his only real strength. Is an awful defender who gets lost at times, an okay to decent passer with okay handles, but nowhere near good enough in the scoring or defensive departments to be playable. Especially when he's just going to brick everything.

da Silva is more interesting since he started the year out very solid. He just struggled with his shooting and finishing to close the year out. Because of that, Gary Harris was inserted back into the lineup since you could at least count on his defense on a night in and night out basis.

I disagree with not playing da Silva more because I think it was just the rookie wall that he hit. But he had the potential to give you 18 points on any random night where he was playing well while providing solid defense at with his height. One of the few things I personally disagreed with Mosely on.

Fair enough just with Kcp bricking basically everything it was worth a look.

[Xatticus]

If Franz can't find a 3-point shot, that's going to be a grim contract.

Nah. Franz is really good despite his ineffectiveness from three. Most people won't notice though because it isn't a serious organization. The front office isn't competent, but ownership doesn't hire competent people, so it probably doesn't matter whether or not they fire them.