Orlando Magic: 3 bold predictions for 2018-19 NBA season
By Luke Duffy
The Orlando Magic are an organization in the early stages of trying to be relevant again. Here are three bold predictions for them this coming season.
While this summer has been a quiet, but also positive one, for the Orlando Magic, there is still much work to be done. They are still without a genuine star, and they have a growing logjam at the forward and center positions.
This is because lottery pick Mohamed Bamba will require minutes to grow, as will last year’s selection Jonathan Isaac. Aaron Gordon was re-signed to a four year, $80 million deal in the offseason, while Nikola Vucevic and Khem Birch will both need to see time on the court.
We are not even mentioning Timofey Mozgov here either, but as of now he is a part of the roster after coming over from the Charlotte Hornets in a three-team deal that shipped off Bismack Biyombo. With there being too many bigs and not enough minutes for all of them, the contrast with their guard situation is striking.
D.J. Augustin, a perfectly serviceable backup, figures to be the starting point guard on opening night, with a depth chart of Jerian Grant and Isaiah Briscoe behind him. This is among the worst rotation of lead guards in the NBA.
With imbalance such as this, as well as a young core in Gordon, Isaac and Bamba that has never played a minute of professional basketball together, there are going to be growing pains. More than that, there is likely another season of sub .500 basketball ahead too.
Despite these obvious issues, however, the fact still remains that the Magic had a good offseason. They held on to all the players they wanted to, and returning veterans like Jonathon Simmons and Terrence Ross will provide continuity and quality.
Now is the time of year to dream big, and to do it in the grandest ways possible. The Magic won’t be winning a championship this season, but there is plenty they could do in order to have a memorable campaign. Here are three bold predictions for 2018-19.