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Orlando Magic: 4 Offseason Keys To Success

By Luke Duffy

Mar 11, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Orlando Magic forward Tobias Harris (12) reacts after missing a shot late in the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Milwaukee won 97-91. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 11, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Orlando Magic forward Tobias Harris (12) reacts after missing a shot late in the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Milwaukee won 97-91. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 6, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Nigel Hayes (10) works around the defense of Duke Blue Devils forward Justise Winslow (12) during the second half in the 2015 NCAA Men
Apr 6, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Nigel Hayes (10) works around the defense of Duke Blue Devils forward Justise Winslow (12) during the second half in the 2015 NCAA Men /

3. Drafting The Right Player

Having a top five pick in the upcoming draft does not guarantee success. Luckily for the Magic though, their recent track record of drafting players since Dwight Howard left has been pretty good. With the incoming rookie class looking like it could be sneakily good too, the signs all point toward Orlando picking a guy who will have a positive impact on this team.

There are a couple of reasons to be cautious however. As a team with designs on making the playoffs next season (Or at least being in the hunt after the All-Star game) they may want to steer clear of a project player, a guy who will take more time to help this team in the right way. In some ways their pick last year, Aaron Gordon, was one of those guys. His rookie campaign was marked by injury and inconsistency, the best is yet to come from him. But it’s also fair to say he hasn’t helped hugely since arriving.

Couple that with the potential exit of Harris (There really is a big decision to be made there) and drafting the right player takes on added importance. If Harris were to leave the team, drafting a forward like Justise Winslow or Stanley Johnson would make a lot of sense. Both figure to become better defenders that Harris already is in the NBA pretty quickly, while both will likely be able to contribute almost right away.

While Winslow may seem the obvious choice for a ton of reasons, the Knicks could yet scupper any overtures to add him to the roster. Should they pick him though, it would likely mean they have no serious interest in Harris, allowing Orlando to keep him while going after another talented youngster. Whether it’s a guard or big man however, remains to be seen and is also of great significance for the immediate future of the team.

Next: Time To Move Away From Rebuilding Status

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