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Orlando Magic: Revisiting the decade that was the 2010s

By Luke Duffy

BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 23: Head Coach Stan Van Gundy talks to Dwight Howard #12 of the Orlando Magic during the game against the Boston Celtics on January 23, 2012 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2012 NBAE (Photo by Jim Rogash/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 23: Head Coach Stan Van Gundy talks to Dwight Howard #12 of the Orlando Magic during the game against the Boston Celtics on January 23, 2012 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2012 NBAE (Photo by Jim Rogash/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Orlando Magic
(Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /

2018-19

The point at which the decade came full circle for the Magic, as they once again found themselves being relevant after plenty of mistakes and letdowns. The best parts of the second half of that season we have already looked at here, but there was so much to like about how the front office and players turned everything around.

A lot of the deadwood was cleared with Payton and Hezonja allowed to move on, while Biyombo was traded to the Charlotte Hornets in return for Timofey Mozgov. Similar sized ugly contracts, with the difference being the Magic could take Mozgov’s money off their books once the NBA cleared that he had suffered a career-ending injury.

Coach Vogel was sent packing, with the no-nonsense Steve Clifford coming over from the Hornets. Right away they improved defensively, and by the end of the season sat eighth (107.6) in that category. Even better, they were among the top two teams in the entire league for the last 30 games defensively.

Birch, after his stint toiling away in the G League and with limited minutes, was key to this. His play off the bench once rookie Mohamed Bamba went down with a fractured leg powering the Magic on that end. Alongside a career year from D.J. Augustin and a first All-Star appearance for Vucevic, the Magic found themselves back in the postseason for the first time since 2012.

Fournier helped too, while Gordon became the best two-way player on the team and Ross lived up to his nickname of “The Human Torch.” Unlike all of the failed previous restarts, and the one forced ending to a previous promising core, everything came together when it was supposed to. That the Magic had a 1-0 series lead over the eventual champion Toronto Raptors only added to the feelings of positivity finally returning to the franchise.

Hard as it seemed to get better, it got exactly that as the organization traded for former first overall pick Markelle Fultz. All it cost them was Simmons and three second-round picks. Although fans were unsure if he would ever get back to being a productive player on the court (he already has), the euphoria of what he could mean to their future alone was enough to give everybody associated with the Magic a boost.

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Which is where they find themselves now heading into 2020. Still with plenty of work to do, especially after leveling out at the tail end of 2019 once the new season began, but with the players and infrastructure now in place to continue climbing the standings. It won’t happen overnight, and you only need to look at everything that has happened in the last decade to be sure of that.

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