The Orlando Magic need to improve in four key areas as a team if they want to have a better season next year. That starts now.
In some ways this has been the most bitter of seasons for Orlando Magic fans since the rebuild began back in 2012. This was supposed to be the year that they at least made a push for playoff contention, as opposed to years gone by when they were out of the running by Christmas.
At least those iterations of the team had the excuse of being not very good. That doesn’t quite work out this time, however, as the team went and got veterans to pair with their young players, including NBA champion Marreese Speights, locker room favorite Arron Afflalo (back for his second stint with the team) and highly coveted Jonathon Simmons.
These were three guys who were going to come in and mentor guys making the leap like Aaron Gordon, Evan Fournier and rookie Jonathan Isaac.
Only it didn’t go like that at all, and after a somewhat promising (early) start, injuries and falling back into their old habits cost this team a shot at playing meaningful basketball after the All-Star break.
Which brings us to now, with the team at 18-40 and once more looking to the lottery to get back on track. This may well be the season they draft a true franchise player, and with a new front office on the job for less than a year, there were always going to be bumps along the way.
A look at the numbers tell us where exactly this team has faltered though, and what it needs to do to ensure it is better equipped to play at least .500 basketball next season.
Here are four areas the team needs to improve. Failure to do so will see us back in the same place in 12 month’s time, once more lamenting what might have been.