Post Mortem #18 - Orlando Magic

[pepe1991]

i do think you don’t need a star PG (via FA or trade) because you already have Suggs.

If you are going to get that 2nd star i think it should be from the wing position (like a Jimmy Butler). Continue the grind it out ways but with another offensive threat to give more space to Banchero and Wagner.

And oh, give up the Jonathan Isaac experiment already.


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Suggs has terrible handles for SF let alone PG, and is wild with ball, has no control, always attacks and isn't good passer. Best Suggs is catch & shoot Suggs at SG ( last year).

His efficiency dropped off cliff (from 60% TS to 53,5%) once we tried to run PG with him again, and his TO skyrocketed, his assist stayed low (3,7 apg /2,8 TO).

He simply isn't PG.

[CLosP]

I doubt they fire the front office but adding Joe Ingles & KCP while retaining guys like Isaac & Gary Harris the past couple of seasons is definitely a fireable offense.

I doubt Phil Jackson would be able to get any offense from this team, I wouldn’t look to fire the coach as the roster construction is horrible. Orlando had at minimum three guys on the floor who were little to no threat offensively at a time.

Orlando clearly performed worse than expected they had major injuries to Paolo, Franz, Suggs, & Mo. That’s literally our top four guys. If Orlando stays healthy they aren’t facing Boston in the first round.

They are technically trending up with a young core. If you don’t make changes to the roster though, you do risk of ending up like a treadmill team. It’s okay to sacrifice a bit of defense to look to upgrade the offense significantly. Orlando not only needs shooting in the worst way, but they also need a PG that can set up their young duo. When you have to not only start but play Cory Joseph a ton of minutes in the playoffs, that shows you don’t have another capable guard you trust. I would like Orlando to trade one of their big man contracts, get a shooter and a PG who can also score, & draft a cheap big man. It would also be nice to get a backup wing that’s playable as Caleb Houstan, Jett Howard, & Tristan Da Silva aren’t cutting it. Getting rid of Cole Anthony, Isaac, & Wendell Carter would be great but we’ll see if the front office actually is pro active or sits on their hands like the trade deadline.

[Celts17Pride]

Shooting, shooting, shooting is what the Magic need. Outside of Paolo and Franz it was a disaster

[Stevy]

We have one of the worst front offices in this league. They simply don't get it done. It doesn't matter if it is cap space, or picks (beside of Franz), they mess it up. And I'm pretty sure - we will never win a title with the duo Paolo-Franz as 1-2 punch.

It's time to try something crazy. Call the Bucks.

Banchero + Isaac + Bitadze + Picks for Giannis. And then build a new core around Jalen, Franz, WCJ and Giannis. Like we all know - Giannis can win a title with a defense-minded guard (Jrue Holiday), an All-Star Wing (Middleton) and a potential Stretch Five (Lopez).

[tiderulz]

I know it's early, but I am not sold on the Paolo/Franz combo. I know their teammates stink offensively and can't shoot, but I don't see what that has to do with neither of them being good shooters themselves. Franz went from being a decent 3pt shooter to being terrible and Paolo has never been a good outside shooter.

I don't see how this duo can ever lead a top 10 offense.

Still I don't think that is an excuse to not pick up the phone and trade Black for some shooting

i dont think you can really make the decision until we get a competent PG and at least 1 other shooter. Paolo and Franz forced to not only carry the offensive load, but also bring the ball up and run everything. dont forget also, Paolo had a big injury that cost him 40 games out and more games getting back into shape. I believe that affected his shooting also. if you look, both playoff series he shot over 40% from 3.

Mosely is a very good coach, gets them all defending but he needs an offensive assistant and actually listen to them. And our front offense has been ignoring our guard and shooting problem for years. Not a believer in Weltman.

[hauntedcomputer]

You're going to be paying about $110 million a year for Wagner, Banchero, and Suggs, and none of them can shoot!

You simply don't have enough money left to cover for that unless you draft all hawkeyes who can also play D. Treadmill. I'd rather be Detroit who have no overpaid players and plenty of youth.

[UcanUwill]

Who voted that they performed as expected? Because that definitely isn't the case.

You had higher expectations for a team that struggles to put the ball in the basket in a sport called basketball?

Considering they were the 5th seed last season, taking the Cavs to 7 games, and the 3rd seed for the early portion of this season, even without Paolo? Uhh... yeah. No one in their right mind thinks this team performed to expectations.

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.

[Froob]

They need to get shooting, the roster construction doesn't make sense and I think coach may end up scapegoated for it. You can't win living on mid range Js in 2025. What happened to Franz's 3 point shot? I'd be going all in on Trae Young if I were them, he fits their culture too.

[HumbleRen]

Paolo, Suggs and Franz won’t be able to work if 2 of them aren’t able to be above average 3 point shooters.

[username_taken]

It’s brutal that the Magic have invested so much draft capital in guards (top 6 picks on Suggs and Black, mid-first on Anthony) and don’t have a guard on the roster that looks like he could be a starter on a contender. Not sure what the best path for them to add one is at this point

[shi-woo]

Love this team, and think they are in a solid spot moving forward, and are the best collection of young talent outside of SAS and OKC. They are in the same spot as Minny right before they made the Gobert trade, and hopefully their front office goes in.

I'm obviously keeping the front office who has proven to draft well, and signed KCP and other solid vets. I'm also keeping Mosely, but he has one more year before I start looking around. I still don't know what he is as a coach yet. I think both the front office and coaching have done an impeccable job instilling a winning, try hard, culture down there in ORL, and you have to respect that. Getting Wagners brother, signing champions like KCP and Joseph, and strong mentors like Harris and Ingles last year. To be #2 in defense, and to still finish 41-41 with all those missed games, as a young team, that was very impressive.

I personally think Paolo is the real deal, and is looking like the 3rd star of his decade with Ant and Wemby. I also think Franz is getting way too much hate, and think Magic fans are going to constantly hear the same arguments that Celtic's fans heard for years over Tatum and Brown. Oddly enough, I actually like the Magic guys more at this point in their careers, and think people are bugging if they want to break these guys up before they reach their prime years of 26+. These are legit 1st and 2nd options.

Ilove what I saw from Black this year and was pleasantly surprised by his passing skills. He is a modern guy who can do it all, and his stroke looks solid. I loved De Silva during the draft process, and he showed why in the early parts of the season when Paolo was out. He is just a smooth wing player, who has a silky stroke and niice ball skills. He looks to be a solid 6th man type going forward.

I think this year while not meeting expectations, answered all the questions that the FO and fans needed answered going forward. Howard is not that good, and got replaced by TDS and Black in the rotation. Goga can play, but only in certain matchups. Cole is not a part of this team, and isn't good enough of a scorer to justify his role. Suggs is incredible on D, a better Smart essentially, but his hustle and effort means he's going to always be a dude on the IR.

This team desperately needs shooting, in the worst way, and think they are in a solid spot to go and get it. They have their picks, and they have a player at ever salary spot you would want to make a move. Goga at 8 mil, Cole at 12, Isaac at 25, and Suggs at 30. I don't want to make the mistake of going for it too early with my 22 year old stars, but this team should def go big game hunting, and if not make trades to improve in the margins.

Isaac- WCJ
Paolo
Franz- Desilva
Black

I'm all for that group next year, and everyone else im trying to trade. The dream scenario is obviously getting Booker in the aftermath of the KD trade. Combining Suggs, Howard, and picks to bring in a legit guard that can shoot is priority #1, and again, i'm overpaying like crazy if I need to. Bane, Booker, Herro, Melo, Reaves, ect are the main dudes i'm gunning for. If not there are oter packages you can entertain.

I've been beatin the drum on the Anfernee Simons trade for a while now, it just makes too much sense money wise and from a team perspective. Same with Colin Sexton, and I think Magic and Utah are trading partners made in heaven right now. MAgic could use and trade for all their vets and think Colins, Sexton, and Clarkson should all be discussed.

People weren't happy in the MIA Heat thread when I suggested Duncan and 15 for Cole filler and 20, but I like that type of trade as well.

Grayson Allen from the Suns for Cole and Howard seems like solid value, maybe throw in a 2nd

Goga swapped to the Lakers for Gabe Vincent.

There are so many moves to be made to improve this team, the front office just has to stay busy. Ideally, Magic will go into the year with a lineup that looks like:

WCJ- Mo- Isaac
Paolo
Franz- Black- De Silva
Suggs- Allen
Simons- Vincent

Win 50 games, and still have the firepower to pull off another huge move if necessary. Still Top 5 in defense and probably around 12th in offense. Mosely will be retained baed off how he does in the post season that year, and if let go, that's when i'm looking for my championship level coach.

[Duffman100]

tough season. They were playing so well until the major injuries and just never found their groove after.

Definitely should try and grab someone like Jace Richardson in the draft. Focus on getting some guard creators and shooters.

[brackdan70]

A lot of potential here if they can string together a reasonably healthy season. Franz and Banchero are legit. A good stable of bigs in WCJ,Mo and Goga. Suggs, Black and Anthony are solid perimeter guys.
Not sure how their recent draftees will pan out, but the future is bright. Obviously they could use a legit shooter or two. If healthy they can be a top 4 team in the east and make a bit of a playoff run.
Coach is solid as well.

[MartinsIzAfraud]

It’s brutal that the Magic have invested so much draft capital in guards (top 6 picks on Suggs and Black, mid-first on Anthony) and don’t have a guard on the roster that looks like he could be a starter on a contender. Not sure what the best path for them to add one is at this point

they continue to try and put square players in round holes. They haven't drafted a single PG who can run an offense and be a 3rd playmaker while also being able to shoot league minimum. Wasted 2 years on waiting for Fultz, Cole is a midget microwave at best. You've then got AB, KCP & Suggs who all run the same role as off ball guards.

Go get Simons, Sexton, White, Ayo, someone that is capable with the ball in their hand.

[meatwad4343]

Nothing about this front office suggests they'll make any kind of major move. They'll draft two guys, run back the same roster and hope for better health.

[itrsteve]

I don't believe you'd have to do too many radical moves. They're in good shape and growing.

I would have Franz spend the summer with a shooting coach. He's too quick and crafty getting to his spots to not have a reliable shot.

[cupcakesnake]

- I had some hope for internal development on players shooting. They had a handful of guys who were at least flirting with being average shooters (Wendell, Suggs, Mo, Isaac) but it's like all those guys went the wrong direction this year. It got comically bad. Last year, this team was arguably the worst 3-point shooting team in the league (last in 3s, 24th in %). This year, the argument ended: Orlando was by far the worst (last in 3s, last in attempts). They shot 31% as a team, one season after shooting 35%. They were kind of off the charts in their own territory of joke awful bad. 26% in the playoffs and only 8 makes a game. They simply don't have a chance at competing against good teams like this.

- Does anyone know what happened to KCP this year? Guy had been 40% on 3s over his last 5 seasons, across 3 different teams. He comes to Orlando and absorbs the team culture, shooting 34%, the 26% in the playoffs. The front office did well to add a starting level player who could space the floor without giving up anything on defense... and the guy stopped shooting.

- This is the first time I've ever thought about breaking up Franz and Paolo. Both are amazing and had stretches of all-NBA level play this year, but if Franz can't fix the hitch in his shot... these guys don't help each other on offense. They're very 'my turn your turn'. It's cool to have multiple 6'10" wing creators, but if they're not doing anything while the other has the ball, it's kind of like you just have one. They also share a right oblique muscle, apparently.

- Defensive guys like Anthony Black and Jonathan Isaac could possibly be super valuable on other teams that aren't already drowning in poor shooters. In Orlando there's just too much compounding duplication of skill sets and weaknesses. I'd rather Orlando slip on defense (go from top 2 to top 10), if they could approach average on offense. Goga is another defense only player for them.

- Tristan Da Silva hd some fun moments in his rookie season. Are Jett Howard and Caleb Houstan already cooked? Houstan looks like he can atleast be an end of the rotation guy. Jett has not.

- Myles Turner is an unrestrictred free agent. The Magic don't have cap space but there is sign and trade potential. Cheaper shooters: Luke Kennard, Malik Beasley, THJ, D'Lo. It would be cool if they could go after someone like Duncan Robinson, I don't hate the idea of them adding an old vet like Khris Middleton or Malcolm Brogdon and hope they have a more stable health year in a smaller role.

[tiderulz]

They need to get shooting, the roster construction doesn't make sense and I think coach may end up scapegoated for it. You can't win living on mid range Js in 2025. What happened to Franz's 3 point shot? I'd be going all in on Trae Young if I were them, he fits their culture too.

you have never watched the Magic if you think Young fits their culture.

[tiderulz]

It’s brutal that the Magic have invested so much draft capital in guards (top 6 picks on Suggs and Black, mid-first on Anthony) and don’t have a guard on the roster that looks like he could be a starter on a contender. Not sure what the best path for them to add one is at this point

Suggs last year looked like he could be a starter. He just cant stay healthy

[Jamaaliver]

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