Is anyone else not really that excited for this season after all that the team has been through?

[The-Stallion70]

Maybe it's just me but last season felt like a kick in the gut after years of being bad. I guess subconsciously it felt like we should see some retribution after a decade of bad performance. When it hit me that we were going to rebuild again and we traded Vooch, Gordon and Fournier, to me it felt like admission that what the team did for the last 9 years failed.

I for one was optimistic for the 2020-21 season before Fultz and Isaac's injuries. We had solid veterans with Vooch, Fournier and Gordon and our two young studs Isaac and Fultz but I suppose the Isaac and Fultz injuries prompted the whole second rebuild.

Now I feel like I'm going into this season not really knowing what to expect. I think my patience limit has been met. I just want to see some return on our investment.

I really believe in Banchero and I like our other players but I wonder if Cole and Suggs will use possessions that should be used by Paolo, Franz and Wendell.

[ORLMagicGirl15]

I understand what you mean about this upcoming season. Our team is such a mystery, the only “sure thing” we know is that Franz and Wendell will be good. Everyone else is a wait and see. There are so many questions for me:

Did we make the right pick?
Are we expecting too much of Paolo?
Can Suggs improve his shot?
Who is RJ, Chuma, and Mo Bamba on this team?
Is Bol Bol going to be an NBA player?
Can Cole improve his decision making and shot selection?
Can this team shoot?
Will we utilize Mo Wagner correction? (I still believe he needs just as much development focus as the young ones).
Can we develop all these guys so they ALL reach their potential?
When will our injured players return and will they be effective?
What are we missing to compete with teams in the East?
If this team only won 22 games, why did we bring almost everyone back?
Is the belief that high on Paolo that we think he can improve everybody?
Did Coach Mosley improve?

I’m excited and anxious at the same time. I think this team has great potential. Can you imagine if the answer is yes to most of the questions, how great can this team be? But if it is no… the meltdown on this board will not be fun.

[JBSouthpaw]

WE have the #1 pick healthy ready to play, looking forward to a follow up from a great rookie season from Franz.
WCJ is a great steadying piece. Chances for others to step up.
Last year in camp, we had zero positions locked up and Franz had looked like crap in summer league.

If it all goes to crap, we have a great draft coming up and we can root against Chicago to get their pick too.

Not sure why you'd be down.

[Knightro]

I'm excited because they have a lot of young guys I want to see.

I want to see how Paolo looks obviously. I want to see if Franz can take a leap from good young piece to actual foundational piece. I want to see if Suggs can become a better offensive player.

But I do feel like I have realistic expectations too. I don't think they're going to be very good.

Despite whatever they're saying publicly about chasing the playoffs, the front office actions this summer was all the prove I needed to know they don't expect to be super competitive again this season.

Next year IMO is where they're going to look to make their mark.

[Def Swami]

Most excited I've felt to watch the team since 2010. Banchero and Wagner are better than anyone this roster was fielding since Dwight Howard left. I never believed in that last iteration of players. Elfrid Payton, Aaron Gordon, Evan Fournier, Nikola Vucevic, Mario Hezonja. Vucevic made himself into an all-star, and I appreciated him for getting better every season. But, I also knew he couldn't be the best player on a team that sought to do anything real. Wagner is good. Carter Jr is good. I think Banchero is going to be good. WE really need one of these guards to pop and they might have something. I don't think this team is a playoff team, but I do believe in the roster more than I did the last one.

[yoyojw17]

I can't even tell you how long it's been since I've been this excited for a season!

[j_n]

No, even with the latest injury news there's still a lot to be excited about, Franz and Suggs sophomore year, Paolo, the development of Markelle ,Wendell and Cole, JI.

Plus the Bulls pick could end up being better than we thought, could be a fun season.

[drsd]

For me the maximal loss total is 52. I cannot see how it's possible for Orlando to be horrible. What are we excited about? mediocrity. As Going from bad to mediocre is part of the path to actually being good.

Thirty Wins here we come !!!!


..


If one reflects on what WILL hold this team back this year, that's easy:

[drsd]

Plus the Bulls pick could end up being better than we thought, could be a fun season.

Here's hoping Orlando makes the Play-ins and Chicago does not. That would be karmic!

..

[tooler]

I was more excited before the stupid injuries to Harris and Fultz, and more non-answers on Isaac. That’s been a downer.

I’m sure I’ll perk back up once the games are on TV. (Lack of full preseason coverage is another bummer!)

[BadMofoPimp]

I am only excited to see if Cole improves and what Banchero and Franz can do. The rest of the team looks no better than last years team and could just as easily be replaced.

[PrimeThyme]

The Wagner/Banchero pairing is going to be must watch for me. Im very excited.

[FFBlitzace]

Well, what we did for all those years with Vuc, Fournier, AG, and whoever else WAS a complete failure. 42 wins was their peak, and they overachieved to get to that win total. Most (but somehow, not all) fans had known for many years that it was going nowhere, so it was a huge relief when the madness finally came to an end. For now, at least. Optimism is back again, but we'll have to wait and see if this rebuild actually works. But yeah, we wasted almost a whole decade, but it is what it is. It happened, but now hopefully things will be better this time. Hopefully.

[tooler]

I'm honestly a little shocked anyone still feels lingering disappointment over the Vucevic, Fournier, Gordon era.

Maybe I would too if I ever thought about it. To me it feels like a lifetime ago.

[jezzerinho]

I seriously doubt Pepe is going to allow that happen.

[jonbob17]

I have not been this excited as a Magic fan since early Oughts. I don't expect them make the playoffs, but i do expect them to chase victories every night. Nothing like seeing a group of young men trying to improve and figure out how to be a good team.

Let me amend my early declaration, the most excited I have been in recent years was when the front office decided they were close to their ceiling with Vuc, Fournier, and Gordon, and that the best way forward was through a rebuild. It was obvious that it what needed to happen in order to be a contender, but trading all three was further than I expected front office would be willing to do. And that decision has gotten us to this point of renewed hope.

[pepe1991]

I seriously doubt Pepe is going to allow that happen.

I don't give a f*** what people are exited about.

My grandfather gets exited about olive tree harvesting.

Judging by viewership ( both Orlando & nba in general) how teams play will determinate how exiting season will be.

If they once again are unwatchable garbage like last year, there will be again 3 pages of game threads.
If they are competitive and float around .500 for 40-50-60 games, season will be exiting.

People say they like watch rebuilding teams, but most rebuilding teams are watched by very few people other than hardcore fans ( i already once said that i was watching my local team in 3rd division in soccer, there was 27 people in stadium of 5000... i counted it... , now when they are in A division, everybody claims they were watching them in 3rd division...spoiler alert, they didn't, but it sounds cool )

[tooler]

I don't give a f*** what people are exited about.

Are you 100% sure?

[VFX]

The Wagner/Banchero pairing is going to be must watch for me. Im very excited.

This is the answer. Orlando has two of the most promising forwards in the nba right now.

Carter Jr and Suggs are probably the next two to round out how excited I am about watching this team grow.

I’m not expecting a gigantic improvement in the win column THIS season because all of the most crucial guys are young. It will still be a good metric to gauge what is possible though.

This is the team to watch on league pass even if you aren’t a Magic fan.

[DiplomaticMagic]

I agree with most of the people here, I've never been more excited for an season!

I'm excited to see the #1 pick, the first offensive minded pick we made in a decade!

Franz looked leveled up in Euro basket, I'm excited to see him.

I'm excited to see Suggs hopefully show improvement.

I'm excited for when Fultz and Isaac come back (i know, i know) But theres been more signs to them playing than ever before.

Hell Im excited for Bol Bol, hes up there with Banchero to players to watch for preseason

And thats not even counting Cole, Chuma, WCJ, Bamba who can show improvements. Even Caleb I'd like to see how he does.

Do we win a lot of games? I dont think its entirely impossible, I think I am more optimistic than most. But even if we are bad team, I think this can be a fun season. And if we have another high lotto pick, good! The draft seems to be deep. Also I'm looking forward to watching hopefully Bulls lose. It's always fun when I have another team to look game watch.