Orlando Magic: Complete grades for the 2019 NBA offseason
By Luke Duffy
Overall verdict
Like it or not, this was the summer the Orlando Magic were destined to have and in many ways it was the best-case scenario for them as well. They didn’t get any worse and ensured they will be fighting for a playoff spot again this season.
They continued to believe in their young core, instead of panicking and making shortsighted moved like the previous front office.
Bringing back Khem Birch and Terrence Ross made sense, two guys who are becoming more important to the franchise’s culture and whose importance cannot be underestimated.
Some will argue bringing back Nikola Vucevic was a bad move and they may yet be proven right. We could reach a point in two years where this version of the team has peaked, but they are unable to change things up because of the money already committed to certain guys.
Until then, Vucevic will continue to put up big numbers and help them win games.
The organization did what they had to and what they could in free agency and in re-signing players and Al-Farouq Aminu adds veteran depth as well. The draft-night selections and moves were strange, especially for a front office that so far hasn’t had too many missteps in this area.
Players like Jonathan Isaac and Mohamed Bamba still have a ways to go before we can know if they were the right or wrong pick.
But this was a chance to draft a point guard as insurance if Markelle Fultz doesn’t work out or even trade down and try and get something small of value if they didn’t see the draft as a way adding talent.
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A good summer, a quiet summer once again, leaving the Magic continuing to head in the right direction. The slow rebuild continues, but we’re beginning to see the makings of a real team here. They will be improved this season.