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Orlando Magic: All-decade most liked starting 5

By Luke Duffy

NEW ORLEANS, LA - OCTOBER 30: Jameer Nelson #14 of the New Orleans Pelicans passes the ball around Aaron Gordon #00 of the Orlando Magic at the Smoothie King Center on October 30, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - OCTOBER 30: Jameer Nelson #14 of the New Orleans Pelicans passes the ball around Aaron Gordon #00 of the Orlando Magic at the Smoothie King Center on October 30, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /
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Small forward – Arron Afflalo

Stick with us here, because fans can sometimes have short memories. Arron Afflalo had two stints with the Magic over the course of the decade, and that second run with them was poor. Afflalo was past his best and did not help what was supposed to be a genuine playoff push to materialize.

However during his first period with the team, from 2012-2014, he averaged 16.5 and then 18.2 points per game, the two highest season averages he would ever have in the league. Afflalo was the Orlando Magic’s leading scorer, and light, at a time when there was nothing else to cheer about. Vucevic was still only beginning to come into his own.

Victor Oladipo was frustrating fans with his one step forward, two steps back, approach. Afflalo came in as a guy in his prime (was 27 and 28 during that first run in Orlando), who could be a veteran leader to the young guys while also scoring consistently on the court. Yes, you can argue that the point at that stage in the Magic’s rebuild was to lose games.

They still did a lot of that, even if Afflalo tried his hardest for that not to be the case. He also played more as a two-guard during his second season (when he would average 18.2 points), but much like Evan Fournier after him he had the ability and skill-set to move between both defined positions.

It wasn’t always great when Afflalo was on the court, but that was usually not all down to him. He shot a sizzling 42.7 percent from deep during that second season, in what was really a career year for him. He said all the right things, and was eager to come back in 2017-18 to try to help an improving roster get back to the postseason.

Related Story. Introducing the All-NBA Out-Of-Nowhere team. light

Afflalo failed, playing 53 games (starting only three) en route to average 3.4 points per contest. He was only 32, and he threw down for the cause, but it would be his last stop in the NBA. This flame-out is what fans remember more than the fact he was the only good thing about Orlando Magic basketball there for a minute. He also wanted to be that too, which is just as important.

Looking back, Afflalo was a similar kind of player to Terrence Ross in his ability to be a two-way kind of guy, although he was more comfortable creating his own shot and setting up others. If he were on today’s roster in the place of Ross, he would be remembered more fondly. Afflalo was asked to do a lot while with the Orlando Magic, and he did what he could. Looking at the rest of the players who lined out at that position for the franchise over the decade, and that alone was enough.

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