The Rise and Fall of the Orlando Magic

[RookieStar]

wait what? people really thought that we weren't gunning for 2 straight #1 picks ( this and next year?)

[Def Swami]

I'm more than satisfied with Hennigan's job in one year. He got good youth with a nice mix of veterans who have been pivotal in the mentoring of the rookies and sophomores. And our team managed to lose enough games to get a high draft pick. The Magic need to draft well this year and next. They're on the right path.

[thelastpope]

Magic will have 2 picks in the top 7, they will be fine

Who's pick to they get in top 7 besides theirs? I'd didn't know that.

Philly from the Howard/Bynum trade i think

[SOUL]

I don't think we have two picks.

[freakon0mics]

After losing Dwight, their roster looked depleted but it has look much better these past couple of months ever since their young guys got more minutes and played more consistent. They just need to make sure and not over pay for players in free agency and keep drafting and stockpiling talent.

[r3demption]

Magic will have 2 picks in the top 7, they will be fine

Who's pick to they get in top 7 besides theirs? I'd didn't know that.

Philly from the Howard/Bynum trade i think

Pretty sure that is protected

[Infinite Llamas]

Hark is 19 and missed all of training camp/beginning of season with an injury. He's also shown range that he didn't have in the beginning of the season, and a really pesky defender / plays the passing lanes well.

Basically, we don't know what he is yet. He isn't the most solid, fluid offensive option but he's intriguing and him and Harris play really well together whether at the 3/4 or the 2/3, so they don't really overlap, like say, Nicholson and Harris.

I think Harkless's defensive potential alone would be worth a top-5 pick. His game is waaay furter along than I thought it'd be when he was drafted and he still has a ton of upside. I think in 2013 draft, he'd easily be a top-5 talent...

[Optimus_Steel]

Lately the Magic have been playing all rookies or 2nd year players with the exception of Udrih. Injuries have been a major factor with Davis, Nelson, Afflalo. Inexperience is the key right now and the team is losing, going with the plan that Hennigan envisioned.

[magicfan9109]

Well, injuries are what really held them back. Key veterans missed a lot of games. Rookies are not going to win a lot. They have showed flashes, grown, and learned a lot though.

[BayAreaMadSkill]

You could make the same thread for the Bobcats, save the playoff talk. Both teams started out hot, have been putrid since.

The big difference between the Magic and Bobcats is that the two best players between the two teams are both on Orlando.

We have legit buildings blocks. Walker? Please.

[J-Mezzy]

The Magic have a bright future. A couple of smart drafts and smart spending and we will be right back in the mix of things. In the East, you can go from bottom feeder to 2-5 seed pretty qucikly. I love the young guys we have and have faith that our GM will deliver in these next 2 years.

[deanwoof]

You could make the same thread for the Bobcats, save the playoff talk. Both teams started out hot, have been putrid since.

The big difference between the Magic and Bobcats is that the two best players between the two teams are both on Orlando.

We have legit buildings blocks. Walker? Please.

nobody except delusional bobcat fans would say that.. kemba walker peaked in college. i'm sorry. but hey you've got mullens!

[arsenal6106]

@OP

Context matters!

[Young_Star11]

I quite like what they are doing. Assembling some young talent without having used a top pick (so far).

[PowerBull]

Magic will have 2 picks in the top 7, they will be fine

Where is that 2nd pick coming from? Philly?

If I was Orlando I would pick Noel. He is the perfect fit next to vucivic and with him being out for a good part of the season they can go into tank mode for the 2014 draft.

Maybe even ship out Afflalo for a future pick and develop your young players while tank for a shot at Wiggins

[b_mind]

When I read people throw the word 'tank' around like losing games is something teams like Orlando/Bobcats/etc. pick to do on purpose. But really, they don't need to purposely 'tank' games...they aren't good enough to even win games if they wanted to.

Anyways, Orlando has some nice players. Maybe they can get lucky in 2, 3, or 4 years and pick up some nice players from the draft...maybe a real impactful star player like Dwight was. They are inline to be losing a lot of games in the future anyways to get high draft picks.

Good luck to them.

[MitchellUK]

Our 12-13 start was clearly an anomaly, and was not a sign of things to come. Of those twelve wins, two came against Phoenix, two against Detroit, then one each against Cleveland, Minnesota, Charlotte and Washington, and they happened with our roster pretty much 100% healthy.

Once our schedule got more difficult we were obviously going to see more losses. Once BBD, Afflalo and Nelson started missing significant time, you could add on a few more Ls, and once we traded JJ Redick for future pieces you could add on some more.

The difference between our 12-13 start and 8-46 record since then is stark, but when you factor in injuries, roster changes and the schedule it's not overly surprising.

[Mad Guru]

The OP clearly has no idea what the Magic are trying to do, but OK!

[kingkirk]

These guys started out 12-13 over the first 25 games this season, better then the Lakers. They were playing great team basketball, moving without the ball, playing solid D. People were saying the Big Baby Davis led Magic were a playoff caliber team, Jacque was getting COY talks.

Since then though, they have gone 8 and 46. They havent won back to back games since mid December a 4 game win streak that put them at 12-13. They have some solid young players in Vucevic, Harkless, and now Harris along with some solid role players to put around them, and Jameer Nelson has probably played his best basketball since his all star season.

What has gone on with them?
Are they tanking?
What do they need to improve?

They are gonna get a high pick but they have Afflalo, Nelson, Davis, and Al Harrington on big contracts, but in my opinion they need to get some young players at the 1 and 4 to put next to those guys.

If you were GM how would you right this ship? 8-46 is near all time bad!

With all due respect, you couldn't be more wrong. Are you trying to troll? Honestly?

You paint a dire picture.

To me, they have such a good future coming up. They have made out like bandits since trading Dwight.

They will endure some tough times early, but they are building a powerhouse.

[BadWolf]

meanwhile people are acting like they got a great future wit haris and vucivic putting up empty stats

how do you know which players on bad teams put empty stats and which are for real?
remember Durant?
what about Kobe first half of the year? empty stats?