Hoops Habit
Fansided

3 Realistic goals for the Orlando Magic this season

By Luke Duffy

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 15: Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic poses during the 2022 NBA Rookie Portraits at UNLV on July 15, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 15: Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic poses during the 2022 NBA Rookie Portraits at UNLV on July 15, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
Orlando Magic
Terrence Ross of the Orlando Magic (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /

The Orlando Magic must improve offensively.

For the last two seasons, the Magic have ranked second to last in the entire league in offensive rating. Three years ago, back in the 2018-19 season, they were a bit better, ranking 22nd across the league. Clearly, there is a problem here, and there was no easy solution either.

Magic fans will shudder if you ask them to remember all of their possessions and it was often left to former player Evan Fournier to create something. Anything. To be fair to the Frenchman, sometimes he did actually make a play happen. Still, creation has been lacking, which is where Banchero and veteran Terrence Ross come in.

Ross is a microwave type of player, and despite the persistent rumors that he would be traded once the organization broke up its former core, he has remained. In doing so, Ross has become the veteran leader of the group. More than that, fans love it when he checks in and rattles off 12 quick points before exiting again.

In six years with the Magic, he averaged 13.3 points on 34.8 percent shooting from deep, but so many of those points came at the right time.He has bailed them out off the bench and will continue to do so this year. Crucially, though, he will have more help in the form of the ready-made offensive hub that is Banchero.

It is asking a lot of a rookie to carry the Magic in this area. But considering the fans were happy with Nikola Vucevic doing just that for many years, the bar really isn’t all that high. That is no knock on Vucevic, a franchise legend, but Banchero has far more creativity and individual brilliance in his bag than the fundamentally sound Vucevic.

Preseason games don’t count for anything, but after three games played, the Magic rank 22nd (99.4). There is still tons of work to be done, but any indicator at all that they are trending in the right direction is to be welcomed. Aiming to be league-average offensively this season should be the goal.

Home/Orlando Magic