Orlando Magic’s Point Guard Problem
The Orlando Magic have made sweeping changes to their roster over the last few months, but they’ve yet to find a solution to their point guard woes.
We’re now a couple of months removed from the hectic, fast paced times of this year’s offseason, but the moves made from a few teams still remain puzzling, even with time to reflect.
While some additions or subtractions are more mystifying than others, the team that has certainly created the most confusion surrounding their moves this summer is the Orlando Magic.
From their shocking draft night trade for Serge Ibaka to handing out lucrative, yet perplexing deals to the likes of Bismack Biyombo and Jeff Green during free agency, the Magic’s offseason has caused many followers of the team and around the NBA to wonder what their master plan is.
That’s not to say all of the team’s moves this offseason have provoked a lot of head scratching as the hiring of head coach Frank Vogel may ultimately be the biggest deciding factor if the Magic gets back to competing in the East as soon as next season.
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But despite their reshuffling at multiple positions over the last weeks and months, the Magic still did not do much to address arguably their most questionable position on the roster.
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The fact that the Magic, or specifically the team’s front office, decided against overhauling their point guard spot this summer speaks volumes on how they view the young, but inconsistent Elfrid Payton.
In his first two seasons in the league, Payton has struggled to become the promising player the Magic envisioned when they acquired him in a draft night trade a little over two years ago.
Some of his struggles, such as shooting (Payton has an effective field goal percentage of 44.5 percent in his career so far), haven’t come as much of a surprise, considering his player profile coming out of college.
Considering the shooting inconsistency of former backcourt partner Victor Oladipo, it’s not hard to understand why there was so much rearranging in the starting lineup between the two under former Magic head coach Scott Skiles last season.
But now, the Magic have done away with any fit issues by jettisoning Oladipo to the Oklahoma City Thunder and constructed their starting lineup with Payton’s strengths and weaknesses in mind, for better or for worse.
With Fournier locked down long-term as well as the added shooting at the team’s power forward spot with Serge Ibaka, the pressure is on Payton to start developing and fitting in with the new-look Magic.
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That doesn’t necessarily mean Payton must drastically turn his offensive limitations into something more workable starting next season.
If Payton can start showing incremental growth on the offensive end and combine that by becoming a stout defensive player, the one many believed he’d be when he entered the league, that gives more hope for the Magic that Payton is worth the gamble long-term.
That’s where the problem lies for the Magic. Not only are the Magic betting on Payton to start delivering when the pressure is on, but they don’t have much of a backup plan in case he doesn’t show signs of being a starting level point guard soon.
Their current alternatives, C.J. Watson and D.J. Augustin, are hardly viable starting options for the foreseeable future, despite their long-spanning deals with the team.
Sure, they both can deliver solid backup minutes in theory, but between Watson’s injury troubles and Augustin’s trick-or-treat production, the Magic will have to see if either or both players are sure things as reserves.
A lot is riding on the Magic to turn their fortunes around and more importantly, turn their high risk plan into high reward for the upcoming season and beyond.
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But for as much as the summer has been a gamble all around for the Magic, their biggest gamble lies on the shoulders of Payton and it’s up to him to prove that he’s worth it.