The Orlando Magic have returned the same core that finished last season, and their starting lineup for this season reflects that.
If there is an advantage the Orlando Magic have over their rivals this coming season, it is the feeling of continuity that exists on the roster and at the head coach position. Trading for stars is great, and the argument could still be made that this Magic roster needs a shake-up to take the next step.
But for now, this is what they’re working with, and everybody is familiar with one another. Outside of signing Dwayne Bacon and drafting Cole Anthony, the core is the same as the one which closed out a second successive postseason appearance in the bubble.
As a result, the potential for surprises or midseason lineup changes is not as likely as around the league, with head coach Steve Clifford pretty conservative in his approach during his time in charge to this point. He values play defensively sound basketball, something the starters have all bought into in one form or another.
As a result of this it is going to be hard to displace any of them in the starting lineup, but not impossible. Beyond that, there is the potential for a couple of guys to break into the rotation more and have a bigger say in how the franchise performs during the season. Especially with Jonathan Isaac not going to feature at all and Mohamed Bamba still recovering from having Covid-19.
Competition for places in the starting lineup is a great way to ensure a roster stays competitive and sharp, and despite some lean years, it looks like the Magic finally have some depth to be able to do this in 2020-21.