2014-15 NBA Season Preview: Orlando Magic
Welcome to theScore's preview of the 2014-15 Orlando Magic. Visit our preseason hub for previews of all 30 NBA teams.
Orlando Magic
2013-14
| Record | Division | East | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23-59 | 5th | 13th | DNQ |
The Orlando Magic are still reeling from the loss of former franchise cornerstones Dwight Howard and head coach Stan Van Gundy. In the two seasons since, the Magic boast a pitiful record of 43-121.
That record includes last season, in which the Magic effectively tanked to secure decent draft position. The strategy worked, as the Magic landed the fourth overall pick.
The corollary to tanking afforded the Magic's young prospects extended reps to iron out the kinks. Ten players played over 1,000 minutes for the Magic last season. Of those ten, only two players - Jameer Nelson and Arron Afflalo - had more than three seasons of NBA experience.
An extended look proved useful for the Magic as it helped put things into perspective. The Magic have three solid prospects in center Nikola Vucevic, forward Tobias Harris and guard Victor Oladipo, though none rank as elite as of yet. That's why the Magic elected to continue rebuilding and to get even younger this offseason.
Offseason Roundup
Without a clear cut superstar talent on the roster, the Magic trudged onwards with their rebuild. They let Nelson walk and dealt Afflalo to Denver, freeing even more minutes and possessions for their prospects.
Losing Afflalo, and to some extent Nelson, will hurt. The two steady veterans scored over a quarter of the Magic's points last season, often bailing out their rookies on broken plays. Without them, the Magic's 29th-ranked offense figures to get even worse.
Afflalo's departure brought back shooting guard Evan Fournier from the Nuggets. Fournier is a decent wing who can handle and score. He plays best in an up-tempo offense. He averaged 8.4 points per game last season, posting a true-shooting percentage of 53.3, and should form a three-guard rotation with Oladipo and incoming rookie point guard Elfrid Payton.
The Magic's biggest offseason addition will most likely be the signing of center Channing Frye. He isn't a huge name, but his ability to shoot should help open up the paint for one of the league's worst three-point shooting teams. Unfortunately, Frye sprained his MCL during training camp and a timetable for his return is not yet clear.
Arrivals
SG Evan Fournier (trade)
PF/C Channing Frye (4/$32M)
SG Ben Gordon (2/$9M)
SG Willie Green (waivers)
PG Luke Ridnour (2/$5.5M)
PG Peyton Siva (undisclosed)
Departures
SG Arron Afflalo (trade)
SG Doron Lamb (waived)
PF Jason Maxiell (waived)
PG E'Twaun Moore (free agency)
PG Jameer Nelson (waived)
PG Ronnie Price (waived)
2014 Draft
PF Aaron Gordon (1st round, 4th overall)
PG Elfrid Payton (1st round, 10th overall)
SG Roy Devyn Marble (2nd round, 56th overall)
The fruits born from the Magic's lost season were a pair of lottery picks, of which they used to add a pair of hyper-athletic rookies in Gordon and Payton.
Gordon is an undersized forward who can slot in at the three but projects as a power forward long-term. He can't shoot with any consistency yet, but he has the explosiveness and quickness necessary to impact games with his athleticism. He has a giant wingspan measured at just shy of seven feet and a max vertical of 39 inches. Gordon averaged 12.4 points and eight rebounds per game at Arizona last year while flashing a 3-point stroke over a small sample of attempts.
Payton, on the other hand, rocketed up draft boards after impressing scouts during the rookie combine. The 20-year-old point guard played for a small school in the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, but managed to post impressive per-game averages in points (19.3), rebounds (6.3), assists (5.8) and steals (2.3). By all accounts, Payton is a strong floor manager who should dominate on the defensive end.
Finally, Roy Devyn Marble is a solid late-draft pickup. The 22-year-old stands at 6-foot-6 with decent athleticism. He can potentially develop into a solid 3-and-D player.
Starting 5
- PG Victor Oladipo
- SG Evan Fournier
- SF Tobias Harris
- PF Channing Frye
- C Nikola Vucevic
Breakout Player: Tobias Harris
Astute fantasy basketball owners and Magic fans are already aware of Tobias Harris. Otherwise, Harris is something of a well-kept secret.
Harris is a 22-year-old forward who can play both small and power forward. Standing at 6-foot-8 and weighing 226 pounds, Harris either makes for a strong wing, or a quick smallball four. He also has the skill set to play inside-out, though his three-point shot is still a work in progress.
Courtesy: Nylon Calculus
Last year, Harris battled injury issues but managed to average an impressive 14.6 points and seven rebounds per game. With Frye's ability to stretch the defense with his shooting, Harris should be afforded more room to drive, which is when he's most deadly.
Season Expectations
In all likelihood, the Magic will likely find themselves in the lottery for the third consecutive season. The roster boasts a number of talented prospects, but their time to shine will be in the future, not the present.
For now, the Magic will settle for development from their prospects, which would help answer some key questions facing the franchise. Is Oladipo a star in the making? Can Vucevic develop into a rim-protector? Can Gordon develop a functional jumper? Can Harris become a number one scoring option?
Perhaps the most interesting question is whether any of these talented pieces fit. As currently constructed, the Magic's long-term starting five is thin on spacing but could be hellacious on defense.
1 to Follow on Social Media: Aaron Gordon
It's slim pickings on the Orlando Magic. Reluctantly, Gordon is our pick because he occasionally drops nuggets of wisdom on Twitter.
Don't let your conscious go unheard just to fit in with social norm. Social norms aren't whats cool. Wats cool is who u truly r as a person
— AG (@IamAaronGordon) August 7, 2014