Preview of the 2023-24 NBA Season: Assessing the Orlando Magic’s Squad, Future Free Agents, and Objectives

Preview of the 2023-24 NBA season about Orlando Magic. Data, results from the previous season, a look at their squad and their future free agents, the objectives of the course, the player to follow and a prediction about the franchise.

Orlando Magic

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Movements in the market: From the ‘Draft Lottery’, Anthony Black (pick 6) and Jett Howard (pick 11); signing of veteran Joe Ingles and non-renewal of Bol Bol. Previously, during the season, they had released RJ Hampton, Mohamed Bamba and Terrence Ross. Backcourt: Markelle Fultz, Jalen Suggs, Cole Anthony, Gary Harris, Anthony Black, Franz Wagner, Joe Ingles, Jett Howard, Caleb Houstan, Kevon Harris (contrato dual), Admiral Schofield (contrato dual), Mac McClung (Exhibit-10).Frontcourt: Jonathan Isaac, Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Chuma Okeke, Caleb Houston, Wendell Carter Jr., Mohamed Bamba, Bol Bol, Moritz Wagner.

This is how they face the season

After two years of allowing myself to be dominated by optimism when sitting in front of the computer to preview the Magic, this year I will choose the opposite. Let’s see if I fail again and we put them in the playoffs.

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It is difficult to blame the Orlando board (new boss now in charge, with Anthony Parker) for these last three seasons without smelling the playoffs. The team was well-prepared enough and, in the absence of a big star, they had made coherent signings in the market, some risky bets that, if they went well, they could pay for it at a good price, and had patience to develop their draft choices.

Of course you can always draftear better (Mo Bamba in 6th place in 2018, with Gilgeous-Alexander, Mikal and Miles Bridges or Collin Sexton being available; Jalen Suggs in 2021 above Josh Giddey or Alperen Şengün), and trade better (losing Aaron Gordon for Gary Harris, RJ Hampton and a first round doesn’t seem like the deal of the century), but in general the work in the offices has been good. Only bad luck has stood in his way, delaying a success that is destined to materialize sooner or later.

The story boils down to the Magic going too many weeks without a playmaker pure. With Suggs and Fultz out with injuries, it was up to Cole Anthony to fill that role (and he did). The story of Jonathan Isaac, then, is a drama. A tragicomedy but without the comedy. We wish him the best in his umpteenth recovery after a serious injury, but the best thing for this preview is to assume that this season will not be relevant, and everything good that comes will be welcome. Last year we bet a large part of Orlando’s success on the fact that they were going to recover one of the best projects two-way de the league at the wing position. We will not make that mistake again.

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own stars

Let’s go with the good. The continuity arguments. Paolo Banchero has confirmed himself as a wise man first pick. Just winner of the ROY, he will be the ‘4’ of the Magic for a decade if they know how to sell him the project in addition to filling his pockets. And then there is Franz Wagner, who if we add to the vintage NBA its role in the World Cup, it is undeniable that we are facing another emerging star of this league, with the conditions and aptitude to make another leap in quality in 23-24.

The talent that the Magic amass, once again, is beyond any doubt. Their biggest ‘but’, beyond luck with injuries, is surely that they suffer from what all teams frantically look for and openly overpay. Handles. With the departure of Ross, Gary Harris – a player who plays around twenty minutes – remains their best shooter and the only one accustomed to exceeding 40% in triples. All the others (Wagner, Suggs, Fultz, Banchero, Carter Jr.) are mediocre triple shooters, if not downright bad, to consider a style of play that focuses on freeing up the open shooter.

This causes jams in the offense that pushes the Magic to another way of finding the crack, slower and with a very intelligent use of penetration, cuts, backdoors and the pick-and-roll. The good thing is that, as we have said, they can, because they have the talent and the playmaking necessary for it.

For the equation to be balanced, the defense must also work like clockwork. Today their defense is mid-table (deffensive rating of 114.2), and one of Mosley’s great challenges is to get it into the top-10. Fultz is a sensational defender and is coming off his best season in the NBA (25 years old and FA next summer… ¿MIP?), but the rest will depend a lot on the support game and knowing how to keep everyone involved, with high intensity.

Del Draft

From this year’s draft, both being lottery picks, we should not expect more than a gradual adaptation, but without fanfare. Anthony Black, a better defender than attacker, can eat up Suggs’ minutes if he maintains his irregular disposition, or give Mosley entry in games that require a high degree of defensive commitment. Jett Howard could have more immediate impact, a forward who, if he stands out for anything, is his size and shooting ability. And we have already said how in need Disney is of the second.

Good signing of Joe Ingles. Shooter, veteran gene, locker room maker, luxury secondary creator and a contract that is not guaranteed for 2024/25. Chapo. The renewal of Mo Wagner (Franz’s older brother) should not go unnoticed. Good role center, who also helps you keep the Wagner that really interests you happy. Phenomenal.

In short: I said I was not going to be optimistic about the Magic but this preview gives me away. I see equipment because there is one. Their first months, maintaining close to 50% victories, will be essential to know if we can count on them beyond the winter segment.

The player to watch

I’m going all in with Markelle Fultz. His NCAA mechanics are as close to returning as Aznar’s mustache is to his philtrum. We would all love to but it is not going to be possible. Even without her old shot, she has managed to invent another unorthodox one that, standing still, helps her avoid being floated.

In everything else, watching him play is a delight. Dribbling, dribbling, directing, penetrating, rising in suspension midrange and stalk in defense until he cooks his pair. As I indicated before, it is in the year of expiring. He owes a lot to the Magic, who bet big on him when no one else dared and pointed to a broken toy. The age is ideal, and that this number 1 in the Draft that he targeted bust is in a position to score his first check in an All-Star, it is a very plausible statement.

Paolo Banchero will have a sophomore season with greater weight with the ball. More of the same for Wagner, another warrior with the air of a centurion. But Fultz is Pompidou art that I don’t want to look away from.

The prognosis

Elio Martínez, director of nbamaniacs, leaves a personal and subjective forecast about what he believes each franchise will do during the 2023-24 season.

Prognosis, a priori, easy. The 2023-24 Magic are going to improve compared to the previous season, although their short-term ceiling is close to what has been seen so far. The 34 victories of last year should become something close to 40 and be in the fight for the play-in until April, right? If Chicago sleeps and changes are made in Toronto, Orlando should participate in the tournament to access the playoffs. Season to grow and continue building thinking about another jump of five victories by 2025.

Next team: Washington Wizards.

(Cover photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

2023-09-24 13:00:00
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