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Orlando Magic: 5 reasons to be excited for 2018-19 NBA season

By Luke Duffy

PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 01: Head coach Steve Clifford of the Orlando Magic talks to Mohamed Bamba #5 during a timeout during the second quarter of the preseason game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on October 1, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 01: Head coach Steve Clifford of the Orlando Magic talks to Mohamed Bamba #5 during a timeout during the second quarter of the preseason game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on October 1, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)
(Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) /

3. Roster flexibility

We’re getting to the really good stuff now, and there is no doubting that the Magic’s flexibility this coming season will be a reason to watch how they develop. Past versions of their rebuild have included traditional players such as Elfrid Payton.

Now though, Orlando not only has weapons to hurt other teams on both ends of the court, but they can be used in many different ways. They can smother opponents by playing Isaac and Bamba together alongside Gordon and Simmons.

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Or, they can stick Isaac as their center and surround him with offensive players while he stretches the floor. Even Gordon could spend time as a 5, just to see what creative lineups could be put around him.

There’s no doubt that the length, shooting touch and paint protecting power of both Isaac and Bamba are key to the Magic being able to beat opponents in different ways. This should come as no surprise either, since general manager John Hammond did the same thing with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Even fellow center Nikola Vucevic has increased his range from beyond the paint over the last couple of years. Evan Fournier is another player who can move up and down the scale depending on what Orlando needs on any given night, with the same also being true of Wesley Iwundu.

This doesn’t mean the Magic are going to have an answer for everybody they go up against, but it’s going to be a lot of fun to see what unconventional rotations the coaching staff can come up with.

If nothing else, it will make losing more fun. If Orlando is out of the playoff picture by the All-Star break, then we could see some truly wacky uses of their players on the way to losing games. Isaac on ball-handling duty? Vucevic, Bamba and Khem Birch playing together? No guards on the floor for stretches? Why not?

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