Orlando Magic: 3 reasons they’re above .500
By Luke Duffy
2. They have an identity
For so long, the Magic were nothing but a random collection of young players, role players and barely NBA-level players. There was no plan under former general manager Rob Hennigan, with many moves making no sense, even to the casual fans.
Giving up on Victor Oladipo for a short-term rental of Serge Ibaka was a desperation move for Hennigan to try and keep his job, even before you consider how good Oladipo would go on to be.
Trading the draft rights to Dario Saric for Elfrid Payton is another move that doesn’t get talked about enough for the negative impact it had. The Magic also at one point had the rights to Domantas Sabonis, and traded away Tobias Harris and Maurice Harkless.
All of which is to say, once the new front office took over, a roadmap to establishing an identity was created, and we are now seeing the plan begin to come to fruition. The back-to-back lottery selections of forward Jonathan Isaac and Bamba prioritized length and defensive potential.
Right now that is what Orlando is building its team and identity around, and it shows. More than that, the players also know they are becoming known as a defensive unit, and are playing accordingly.
Yes, that was Ross hustling back to block a Trey Burke effort late in the game the other night in that win over the Knicks. Bamba and Isaac are so disruptive in the paint simply by just being there to alter shots.
Iwundu is playing hard on that end, while Jonathon Simmons always has. Even Vucevic, not exactly known for walling off the rim, has looked more in tune with what the Magic are trying to achieve as a team defensively.
They may be going through a purple patch of improved offensive play recently, fueled by their willingness to pass the ball, but when the points dry up they will still be competitive defensively. Establishing that identity has been huge for them early on.