The playoffs are here and we should all be soaking up every minute of that. However, there are 14 unlucky franchises that are missing out on the fun and already looking forward to next year. With them (and their fans) in mind, this series will take a look ahead and help lay out the priorities for this offseason.
Today, we’re going to be looking at everybody’s favorite — err, sorry, very few people’s favorite franchise:
ORLANDO MAGIC
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. That is an extremely harsh take on the Rob Hennigan era, but there’s some element of truth to that. Hennigan made splashy moves and a flurry of trades, none of which ever appeared to make much sense. Hennigan may have looked the part of an NBA GM, but there was little he did in terms of roster construction that indicated that he was ready for that job.
However, for the first time in a while, the Magic actually have a lineup that makes some sense together. They can go into next season with Elfrid Payton at PG, Evan Fournier and Terrence Ross at the wings, Aaron Gordon at PF (finally), and Nikola Vucevic/Bismack Biyombo at C.
That’s a decent young team, albeit one without a true foundational cornerstone to build on. Going into this offseason, the Magic will try again at their rebuild — hopefully with a clearer vision in mind.
(1) Underwhelm us with a GM hire
By that, I mean avoid the urge that some flailing franchises have to secure a “star” name to fill the GM role. Phil Jackson! Magic Johnson! The Magic may fall into the same trap if they go after names like Doc Rivers or Grant Hill.
The problem with “stars” as your GM is twofold. Often times, they’re already established (legacy wise, money wise) and don’t have that eye of the tiger in them. They’d rather sit at home by the pool then go to Slovenia to watch Luka Doncic practice. (Phil Jackson falls into this trap.) The second problem with star GMs is that they have a tendency to become frozen in time – specifically the era when they were successful. (Hey, look, we’re describing Phil Jackson again!)
If the Magic hire a GM that I’ve never heard of, I’ll take it as a good sign. It means they probably hired someone with front office experience and someone well-versed in the nuances of the modern NBA. It’s hard for me to judge any of those guys, but basic googling suggests Boston assistant GM Michael Zarren as a good example of that type.
Wait, who?
Exactly.
(2) Hold a yard sale for your junk
This may be a bit harsh as well (sorry, Magic fans, not sure why I’m so ornery), but I’ve never been a fan of Mario Hezonja or bought into the hype surrounding him. He had some success in Europe as a budding scorer but didn’t flash much of an all-around game. To make matters worse, he was allegedly arrogant and uncoachable. Coming to the USA as a 20-year-old foreigner can’t be easy, but it’s impossible when you’re not endearing yourself to the staff or your teammates.
I can’t speak to Hezonja’s personality in the States (I haven’t heard much about it, to be honest) but his play has been less than inspiring. He’s 22 years old now and still looks a long way away from being a competent rotation player. Unlike someone like Giannis, he doesn’t have elite traits that make you think he’ll be worth the development, either.
Right now, I’d flip “Super Mario” for an asset, if you can still get one. I’d always eye the Sacramento Kings for a mission like that, especially given Vlade Divac‘s infatuation with international talent. Would the Kings give you pick #10 for Hezonja? Maybe.
(3) Shoot for a star in the draft
Okay, obviously, every team wants a “star” in the draft, but the Magic are more eager for one than most. Among all their young talent – Elfrid Payton, Evan Fournier, Aaron Gordon, Nikola Vucevic – none strike me as the lead #1 option on a team. They’re going to be solid complementary pieces, but this is a team in desperate need of a single superstar to elevate their play.
Particularly, they need a star that can score and create his own shot. There are plenty of good players in this draft, but a few of them project as more secondary pieces — like Kentucky’s De’Aaron Fox and Florida State’s Jonathan Isaac. Both should be good players, but I don’t believe either of them will ever be a #1 scoring option in the NBA.
If the Magic stay at the #5 pick, they’ll have the chance to take someone else who may be. Duke’s Jayson Tatum jumps out as the best potential scorer in the draft. He doesn’t have elite athleticism, but he’s a 6’8″ small forward with an advanced skill set and the ability to get to the line (where he shot 84.9%). It wouldn’t surprise me if he averages 20 points a game in the NBA.
Of course, the Magic don’t have the #5 pick locked up right now – they could end up even higher (or lower) than that. There’s a 9% chance they get #1, and a 29% chance they land in the top 3. If so, Washington’s Markelle Fultz or Kansas’ Josh Jackson would be godsends and instant star-caliber players to build around. UCLA’s Lonzo Ball may be a tougher fit because you’d probably have to flip Elfrid Payton, but he’d give the team a fresh new identity as well.
