If you stuck with the Orlando Magic through the 2021-22 season, then you truly are a real one. Although the year itself was not as bad as many from the last decade, at this point, all of the losing and hoping for the future has taken its toll on even the most optimistic of Magic fans.
Still, the season was by no means a disaster, and although the team finished with a 22-60 record, the worst in the Eastern Conference, there were still some genuine moments of optimism. Yes, it feels like this is an expression we have used before, mostly because we have. Many times. But something about this group feels different.
A young and exciting core is legitimately in place now, as opposed to the possibility that one could potentially exist for Orlando Magic.
Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, Wendell Carter Jr., Cole Anthony, and Markelle Fultz is a nice place to start, and things will be even better next season. The jury is still out on a number of other players, however, and time will tell if they are part of the long-term vision that the organization is trying to implement.
It is hard to get a gauge on how first-year head coach Jamahl Mosley fared, mostly because he was working with a depleted roster in a year they were always going to lose a lot of games. If nothing else, he definitely deserves and will be given the chance to come back next season to see what he can do with this group. The following though, are the three main takeaways from the 2021-22 season.