Season Finish: 23-59
Season Highlight:
Starting the season .500 (10-10)
Prior to the Blake Griffin trade, Orlando appeared poised to make a run for the
8th seed. The Magic were getting well balanced scoring outputs from
Goran Dragic, Lauri Markkanen, Jeremy Lamb and Derrick White, and although
their bench was relatively weak, they were getting nearly 10ppg from Tyler
Johnon during that stretch.
Season Lowlight:
Going 13-49 after the Blake Griffin
trade
The Magic traded for a guy who didn’t even show up until week 19. What once
started as a promising season, ended disastrously. What's worse is that even
after Blake was healthy enough to play, Orlando only managed win one single
game with Griffin in the lineup.
Best trade:
The Orlando Magic send Justinian Jessup to
the Oklahoma City Thunder for 20 GM points.
I don’t think there is a scenario that exists in any universe where
Jessup is worth 20 GM points. That’s not to say he’s a bad prospect, but he was
picked 51st in the NBA draft. Since 1990 only three players picked
with the 51st pick went on to be rotation caliber players (Lawrence
Funderburke, Kyle Korver, Monte Morris). The fact that the Magic were able to
flip Jessup for 20 GM points feels like a highway robbery and an overall great
return.
Worst trade:
Trading Goran Dragic for Bobby Portis.
Sure, Dragic may have ended up walking in the
offseason, but from a talent perspective he’s an infinitely better/more
valuable player than Bobby Portis. To make matters worse, that half a season
rental of Portis amounted to absolutely nothing but a schedule full of losses.
I have to believe there would’ve been better offers out there for Dragic had
the Magic waited awhile longer to move him.
Other notable trades:
Trading Jeremy Lamb and Tyler
Johnson to the Brooklyn Nets for Blake Griffin
There were several smaller moves
made throughout the season, but nothing the Magic did was quite as notable as
this one. Blake isn’t the superstar he once was and his contract isn’t the
friendliest, but getting him for two guys that are best served coming off the
bench? Absolutely worth the risk. On the other hand, however, the Magic aren’t
good enough to justify being tied to that albatross of a contract.
Star:
Lauri Markkanen - F
While there are still questions as
to whether Markkanen is a 4 or a 5, there is no disputing how talented he is on
the offensive end. Nearly making the 50/40/90 club, the Finnish big man
averaged 20ppg on 52% from the field, 40% from 3 (on 4 attempts per game) and
85% from the Free throw line. If Markkanen can catch up on the defensive end,
he very well may end up being one of the very best bigs in the league.
Goat:
Blake Griffin- F
Due to injury, Blake only suited up
8 times for the Magic. Not ideal given he earned 36 million dollars last season
and is still owed over 70 million over the course of his contract. If he’s
healthy, Blake should at least help keep Orlando competitive night in and night
out (he did average 27/8/4 in those 8 games). The worry with Griffin though, is
he’s notoriously injury prone. You’re paying a premium price for a guy on the
wrong side of 30 with a history of injuries.
Draft Picks:
12th/Tyrese Haliburton/Guard
I absolutely love this pick for the
Magic. Haliburton is a high IQ, sharpshooting PG who has top notch court vision
and superb instincts playing on and off the ball. His fit next to Lauri
Markkanen has to have Magic fans salivating, and who knows…maybe 5 years from
now we’re all asking why Tyrese Haliburton wasn’t a top 3 pick.
Future:
IT'S BRIGHT IN ORLANDO
Lauri Markkanen. Tyrese Haliburton.
Derrick White. That’s a formidable long-term trio. Add to that the Magic are in
possession of all their own 1st round draft picks over the next 3
years, add to that the Magic projected to have a ton of cap space going into
the 22/23 offseason. If Blake can live up to the last two years of his
contract, the Magic should be able to stay competitive while also kicking off a
rebuild.
