9. Orlando Magic
Last season: 42-40, 7th in Eastern Conference
Notable additions: Al-Farouq Aminu, Chuma Okeke
Notable subtractions: N/A
It’s hard to know where to set expectations for the Orlando Magic, as they prioritized locking in their existing core this offseason after their first playoff appearance since 2012. By re-signing Nikola Vucevic (four years, $100 million) and Terrence Ross (four years, $54 million) Orlando chose to stay the course in an offseason where plenty of teams took an all-or-nothing approach.
That has left them with a roster that shows some upside, but still has plenty of holes that will most likely now go unfilled. Their emphasis on wing depth and defensive versatility clearly remains, with the additions of Al-Farouq Aminu and Chuma Okeke fitting that mold. With Jonathan Isaac and Aaron Gordon continuing to develop, the Magic should have plenty of viable wing combinations to turn to throughout the season.
The signing of Aminu is an intriguing one, though, given their continued need for a point guard. DJ Augustin was serviceable last season and fantastic in their lone playoff win, but he’s far from a long-term solution in the starting lineup. Maybe the Magic are feeling optimistic about Markelle Fultz‘s development, but it’s hard to have much faith in someone that has played just 33 games in his first two seasons.
It remains to be seen how their long-term commitment to Vucevic will pan out, but in the short term he will bump up their win total as the fulcrum of the offense. He had an outstanding breakout season and emerged as one of the league’s premier centers, but the Magic failed to provide him with any more assistance this offseason.
Despite their promising young pieces and summer without any losses, it’s hard to see the Magic getting any better next season. They’ll be basically the same team on the court, but they could take a step back in the Eastern Conference standings.