Why the Orlando Magic Are Better Than You Think

Why the Orlando Magic Are Better Than You Think

Hey, what’s up y’all? It’s Yogs and in today’s video I want to talk to you guys about the Orlando Magic. That’s right. So, the Orlando Magic have quietly made a splash this off seasonason. They have become one of the NBA’s sneakiest contenders in my opinion. They’ve made massive, massive moves in a team that’s felt like they’ve been in a rebuild since, you know, 2010s or after Dwight Howard left, which is kind of crazy to think about. So, that’s what we’re going to talk about in today’s video. So, let’s start out with where the Orlando Magic left off last season. So last year they finished eighth in the Eastern Conference. They had a 42 and40 record. They got into the playoffs by the playin, beating the Atlanta Hawks out in that very first game, but they have a very very good defense that is ranked second in defensive rating last year, but they have an awful offense, right? So that that offense was ranked 27th in the league, which was basically what was dragging them down. And I think with the move that they made this year, they sent a clear message. Defense can only carry you so far. You can’t be a very good team if you can’t score the ball. So Jeff Welman, the president of basketball operations, and Jamal Mosley made a call to the Memphis Grizzlies on June 15th, and they traded for none other than who? Desmond Bane, an elite 40% from three sniper in his prime. And I guess you could say it was kind of pricey. So they sent Contagious Coldwell Pope, Cole Anthony, and four first round picks and a pick off. I mean, those four first round picks is actually pretty insane when you think about it, you know, especially if the Orlando Magic don’t play well over the next seasons, but I feel like with the way they’ve structured their roster, they should play well enough. But Bane is a 19.6 rebound, five assist per game player. And I mean, he basically just fills every single hole that the Orlando Magic have right now. His contract lines up really, really well with the Palo Bonerro situation. and you know, they’re basically going to be ending their contracts around 2029 or 2030. And I know we like to make a fuss about, you know, draft picks, especially being first round draft picks, but they’re picks. You know, Memphis could use those picks and not hit on any player. So, the fact that they only traded picks and not, you know, one of their one of their young assets, I think that’s really, really good for the Orlando Magic going forward. Then after the trade, we hit the NBA draft. And I think Orlando did really, really well in the NBA draft. So they got Jayce Richardson at pick 25. Was a shot creating guard, you know, NBA pedigree. Really, really good pick at 25. Some people say it was one of the steels of the draft. And then in the second round, they traded up for Noah Penda, a 66 Frenchman with a 7 foot wingspan. They got him at pick 32. And in summer league, well, they both balled out. So Richardson averaged 16.5 points per game on two explosive showings, but then, you know, they kind of shut him down because of ankle soreness or something like that. And then Penda showed that he’s an extremely versatile player. So switching everything, guarding one through five, pushing in transition. And they had some other secondyear players that really played well. So Tristan D Silva looked really, really good. So he averaged 18.5 points per game and 38.5% from three. And I mean in the summer league, I really like to see that, especially for those secondyear players that have already played a year in the league. They should do better than the rookies coming in. So really nice to see that Tristan D Silva actually bought out in the summer league really really well. And that Orlando Magic team, man, that youth on that team is actually kind of insane. And then in free agency, they also made a really big splash. So instead of getting flashy names, right, I think Welman hunted fit in leadership. So they got Tyus Jones on a one-year $7 million deal, who is one of the best assist to turnover ratio point guards in the league. I think he he will most likely come off the bench, but we’ll get to that in a second. They brought back Mo Vagner on a one-year $5 million deal, which keeps the bench energized, stretches the floor, and it maintain that, you know, that Vagner brothers chemistry on the team, and they inked up their start. That’s right. So, they locked up Paulo Bonero on a 5-year up to $27 million deal that starts in 2026, and that locks Bonero up until basically 2030. And for a team that’s known to not spend a lot of money, Orlando is flirting with the luxury tax right now, which is the first time they’ve done that since 2011. And then when we look at the depth chart, I think it’s going to be kind of funny because like I said, I think Taius Jones will be a backup player. They have Jaylen Suggs coming back, who was a guy that was dealing with some injuries last year, but I I can see Desmond Bane actually being the starting point guard. So I can see Bane at the point and then you have Jaylen Suggs at the two. Fran Vagner, Paulo, and then Wendell Carter. But maybe Tyus Jones will be the starting point guard for this team. I don’t know. I’m curious to see. They’re actually kind of low on point guards right now. Got to see what’s going to happen. But if Jaylen Suggs isn’t in the starting lineup, he can come off the bench, you know, be a spark plug for that second squad. You got, like I said, Drist Silva playing really well. Jonathan Isaac, I really hope that he is healthy this year. I really like him as a player, but his injury history is not very very good. And then you got, you know, Anthony Black, Noah Penda, the the rookie should be more of a developmental player, but you know, we’ll see how that works out. And Jace Richardson should also get, you know, at least 15 minutes a game, I believe. So, looking at this lineup, you know, for an offense that had a 109 offensive rating last year, which is basically one of the worst in the league, there is absolutely no shot that this won’t go up, right? I feel like with this team, they could get up near, you know, a top 10, top 12 offense in the league. And defensively, they could match once again, you know, that top two defense, but that should go down. I see them more like in the top fiveish kind of range, but we’ll see. You know, they are a very, very good defense. Most of their players are coming back. So, you know, I I I wouldn’t be surprised if, you know, they’re back in the top three as well. So, I feel like the front office just did, you know, an excellent, excellent work this off season, right? They bet big on picks on a proven shooter rather than, you know, going out and trying to get a hypothetical superstar. I think Jamal Mosley is very good at developing players, you know, inside his own locker room. You know, Paulo has really made a big jump. I think Fron, if he can get his three-pointer back, cuz he’s just been atrocious at at shooting the three, but if he can get that back, that will be really, really good. Jaylen Suggs is an alldefense caliber player. Then you got Jacece Richardson played well in Vegas. Noah Pendett, I want to see how they’re going to utilize him on the offense and defensive side. I think he’s a really high upside player, although he’s really raw. And I feel like, you know, the financial commitment that the front office has made giving Paulo the extension, you know, getting Desmond Bane, it really shows that they want to compete and they want to compete right now. So, I think if all goes well, I can see the Orlando Magic being a 50 plus win team this year, maybe getting homecourt advantage, at least in the first round of the playoffs. I feel like, you know, if Wendell Carter can show up, Jonathan Isaac, if he can stay healthy, Jaylen Suggs if he can stay healthy, you know, like I said, battling injuries last year, if Paulo can make the jump, can start knocking down threes, I feel like Desmond Bane will also open up a little bit more. You have to respect his three ball. So that’s going to open up the lane for Paulo Fran Vagner as well driving to the bucket and if Bane can you know just mesh well with the team first time with the team it may take some time to get that team chemistry but if two of these three things hit Orlando could mirror the 2021 Suns or 2022 Grizzlies right a youthful core that’s leapt from promising to powerful overnight and well the Orlando Magic have stopped whispering about the future they’ve invested financially emotionally tactically They’re in the present. They want to compete now. They are a defensive juggernaut. I think they’ve found a guy that can actually put them over the top offensively. Not a major superstar, but just make that offense be good enough to compete. We have a weak Eastern Conference. We have Jason Tatum’s going to be out. We have Tyresese Hallebertton’s going to be out. I think that’s pretty wide open. That Milwaukee team, I just I don’t trust that Milwaukee team whatsoever. Although Giannis is, you know, a top three player in the league, I just don’t trust it. that Milwaukee roster is actually pretty disgusting in my opinion. So, we could see Orlando stepping up and competing, you know, with the Knicks or something like that. But, you know, let me know in the comments what you guys think about this Orlando Magic team. I really, really like them. I think they’re going to do big things this year. And as always, if you guys enjoyed the content, leave a like, subscribe to the channel. We’re trying to hit those 1,000 subscribers. I really appreciate it. And that’s it for today’s video. Piss.