Orlando Magic: 3 takeaways from 2019 NBA offseason
By Luke Duffy
2. Continued commitment to versatility/defending
In drafting Chuma Okeke and signing free agent Al-Farouq Aminu, the Orlando Magic continued down the path of building a roster with versatile forwards who can defend multiple positions.
Aminu was an underrated player for the Portland Trail Blazers and will help a Magic team which finished eighth in defensive rating (107.6) last season to improve some more in that category.
Okeke may not see game time straight away, but by picking him the organization continue to believe that versatility across the frontcourt positions will continue propel them up the standings.
Of the lottery picks that the front office have selected since they took over in 2017, all have been either forwards or centers.
Jonathan Isaac and Mohamed Bamba the two promising lottery selections they have taken so far, to pair with a forward in Aaron Gordon who was already in place and looked more comfortable than anybody else in the spotlight during their brief playoff run.
Center Khem Birch, a cult hero and a big reason the Magic could defend well throughout the 48 minutes of a game, was also brought back, which shows the intend to continue building what is close to being an elite defensive unit.
There were flashier moves the franchise could have made throughout the offseason and having a go-to scorer to close out games for them remains a problem that will need to be addressed, but there is no question that the identity which was put in place starting with the drafting of Isaac continues to be built upon.
Not abandoning this direction despite the temptation to get involved for more well known or offensively gifted players means that the front office are committed to seeing this rebuild through with the same vision for the roster that they’ve always had.
Time will tell how far it can take them but it has certainly been an offseason that re-affirmed their beliefs.