Orlando Magic: An offseason of uncertainty awaits in 2020-21

The Orlando Magic had a bad ending to their season, and this coming offseason looks like it is going to do little to make their immediate future better.

The Orlando Magic‘s time in the NBA bubble came to an end in poor fashion, with the organization going down in five games to the Milwaukee Bucks. That result was to be expected, and the fact they even managed to steal a game one for the second year in a row was actually quite impressive.

But that only masked some much larger issues at play, which are going to surface between now and the new campaign beginning at the end of 2020. The biggest of which, and the one that will dictate how they act, undoubtedly being what direction the franchise is going to go over the next couple of years.

This didn’t always look like the case, and the start of this season actually brought with it a lot of promise. The Magic were locked into the core they currently have, were known as a defensive team with a clear identity, and looked certain to make the playoffs for the second year in a row. But two key setbacks happened to throw their short and long-term future into doubt.

The first was the sickening injury to emerging forward Jonathan Isaac. He had looked like the franchise cornerstone the Magic have been crying out for since Dwight Howard left, and although a knee sprain on New Year’s Day kept him out until the action returned in the NBA bubble, there was real reason for optimism.

That quickly vanished as, after three games in which Isaac looked better than ever, he went down with a torn ACL. He now probably won’t see the court for the entirety of next season, which is a huge problem. What direction does the organization go in from here? If that was bad, and it really is, then the issue of Mohamed Bamba hasn’t helped matters.

Bamba has not had a great start to life with the Orlando Magic. Then again, only in his second year and with All-Star Nikola Vucevic and energy center Khem Birch on the roster, finding a spot for him has been hard. That was bad enough, but then Bamba contracted COVID-19 and had to leave the bubble after recovering from it as a result of continued health issues.

This only adds to an already unclear future for Bamba in Orlando. Which leaves the Magic at an enforced crossroads. If they continue on as they are, with Vucevic leading the way and both Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier going through periods of good play, then they will probably make the playoffs again next season and get bounced in the first round.

Even that isn’t a certainty though, as outfits like the Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards are sure to be improved. But what if they were to explore trades and ways to get better themselves, even if it means taking a step back for the time being? Fans might not like to hear this, but if it could come at a time when Isaac is also missing, it would be easier to take.

Trades in the future for the Orlando Magic?

Exploring the market for Gordon trades, something which has long been talked about by fans, would be a good place to start. He might be best known for his exploits in the Slam Dunk contest to casual fans, but there are a number of organizations out there who would be interested in adding him to what they’ve got going on.

Fournier would be harder to move, perhaps a draft pick would have to be attached, but again it is not impossible. He is also entering the final two years of his current deal (he has a player option in 2020-21 which you better believe he is taking) and could be used as an expiring deal for another franchise looking to make big moves two years from now.

Even if that is an optimistic view of moving Fournier, and it is, there are still ways the Magic can be active in the trade market. Vucevic may have three years and $75 million left on his current deal, but he finally has an impressive playoff series under his belt. Given that centers are suddenly coming back around to being in fashion again, there could be a landing spot for him out there.

The Orlando Magic would absolutely regress if this were to happen, but if you look beyond what could turn into a worrying period for the franchise, there is still reason for optimism. Isaac will come back eventually, and if he can stay healthy he could still be the answer to so many of the Magic’s problems.

Markelle Fultz, in what was basically his rookie season, was so much better than most believed he would be. He is undoubtedly their point guard of the future and will continue to get better. Chuma Okeke, despite never playing for the Magic because of an ACL tear of his own sustained in college, should provide some minutes next season once he is fully healthy.

Wesley Iwundu continues to be overlooked, despite being an important player off the bench. All of which is to say, there is a young group coming through behind the scenes here. It just may take the moving of established guys like Gordon and Vucevic, and the losing that would come with that, to really unearth them. Actually doing this is the biggest decision the Orlando Magic will make this summer, and it will not be easy.