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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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2. Horace Grant

It might be hard to imagine how a player like Horace Grant could impact the Magic today, but if you look close enough the reasoning is there. Just like during his initial five-season run with the organization (we’ll discount the two later in his career), Grant would bring a crucial winning mentality to today’s squad that would be huge for them in the playoffs.

When Grant did show up for the 1994-95 season, he was coming off winning three straight championships with the Chicago Bulls. He immediately helped the Magic then, going on to beat the Bulls in that year’s playoffs en route to their first-ever trip to the Finals.

Thinking of him on today’s Magic, he’d indeed take up valuable minutes from Gordon and would not be much of a threat offensively. But what a mentor he would be to Gordon and Jonathan Isaac, backing them up and providing quality play off the bench alongside other defensive-minded guys like Michael Carter-Williams and Mohamed Bamba.

You have to think Grant would be a brilliant player for current head coach Steve Clifford to work with too. He would carry out Clifford’s instruction to the letter and act almost like the coach on the court for this young team. All of the great units have that guy who becomes the voice of the coach out there, and Grant would be great for this role.

The regular season might come and go without many people noticing or caring about what Grant would be doing on the roster, but the playoffs would be a different story. Even Grant in his prime likely couldn’t swing a series for the Magic with the roster they currently have. But he’d give them a much better chance of dragging better teams into deep waters throughout a series. You can’t say that about any other player that the organization has right now.

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