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Orlando Magic: 3 former players that would have helped the current team

By Luke Duffy

16 Feb 2001: Tracy McGrady #1 of the Orlando Magic rests on the court during the game against the Houston Rockets at the Compaq Center in Houston, Texas. The Magic defeated the Rockets 108-93. NOTE TO USER: It is expressly understood that the only rights Allsport are offering to license in this Photograph are one-time, non-exclusive editorial rights. No advertising or commercial uses of any kind may be made of Allsport photos. User acknowledges that it is aware that Allsport is an editorial sports agency and that NO RELEASES OF ANY TYPE ARE OBTAINED from the subjects contained in the photographs.Mandatory Credit: Andy Lyons /Allsport
16 Feb 2001: Tracy McGrady #1 of the Orlando Magic rests on the court during the game against the Houston Rockets at the Compaq Center in Houston, Texas. The Magic defeated the Rockets 108-93. NOTE TO USER: It is expressly understood that the only rights Allsport are offering to license in this Photograph are one-time, non-exclusive editorial rights. No advertising or commercial uses of any kind may be made of Allsport photos. User acknowledges that it is aware that Allsport is an editorial sports agency and that NO RELEASES OF ANY TYPE ARE OBTAINED from the subjects contained in the photographs.Mandatory Credit: Andy Lyons /Allsport /
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Orlando Magic
(Photo credit should read STEVE SCHAEFER/AFP via Getty Images) /

3. Tracy McGrady

We could easily put the great Tracy McGrady number one on this list. Perhaps we should. But if we’re taking into account who they were as players while in Orlando, then the caveat of injury is something that will always come with having McGrady on your team.

The further we get from McGrady’s playing days, the more he seems to be disrespected by fans who didn’t see him play live. On his day, and before the well-documented injuries, this was a guy who you’d consider taking over Kobe Bryant. McGrady was that special, that good, and if he were around today, he’d help the Magic where they need it most: Offensively.

Taking out the insane and unexplainable hot stretch the team went on from just before the All-Star break up until when games screeched to a halt (the Magic somehow were the top offensive team in the league during this stretch), a larger portion of the season and the last three years really have seen the Magic play some pretty woeful stuff offensively.

Much of this has to do with two things. They don’t have anybody who can create their own shot outside of Evan Fournier. And two, so much of what Orlando does offensively revolves around Vucevic. If he has an off night, or opponents zero in on him, as happened much more frequently as he became an All-Star in 2019, scoring becomes difficult for them.

In four seasons in Orlando, McGrady averaged 28.1 points per game. He was an All-Star in each of those years, and in 2002-03 put up a ridiculous 32.1 a night. His 3-point shooting wasn’t even that bad either, as with the Magic he shot 36.1 percent from deep despite the fact the league hadn’t gone crazy in that department yet.

Given that the Magic of 2019-20 ranked 22nd in the league in offensive rating (108.2, and that takes into account their hot stretch as well), McGrady would have solved so many problems. A legitimate offensive superstar who you could give the ball to when nothing else was happening.

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