Approximately 18 months ago Dwight Howard left Orlando in a trade that sent him to the Los Angeles Lakers, consequently dumping the Magic near the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Along with that, most Orlando “fans” placed their support elsewhere, leaving the real Orlando fans as an insignificant minority.
If you are (un)lucky enough to be acquainted with one of these people, you will be aware of their rather deluded ideas about their side: Glen Davies is the new Shaq, Tobias Harris is better than Dwight Howard, Vucevic is the best rebounder the NBA has seen since Rodman, and Oladipo is the next Kobe Bryant. I have a friend who fits in all those categories, but who also relentlessly repeats one thing: In five years time, the Orlando Magic will be one of the elite teams in the NBA, fighting for the title.
Just like you right now, I dismissed his opinion with a mocking laugh. But since he put forward his arguments, I must admit I have re-visited my initial judgement; though it pains me to say it, I agree with him, and let me explain why.
Firstly, Orlando has a solid roster, one that provides a base for the future. They have veterans such as Jameer Nelson and Jason Maxiell who posses the experience and knowledge to help the younger players grow, relatively consistent performers like Glen Davies and Aaron Afflalo, but more importantly young players who have bags of potential including Tobias Harris, Mo Harkless, Nikola Vucevic, Doron Lamb, Kyle O’Quinn, and of course rookie Victor Oladipo. All of these players have the talent and situation to grow into very valuable players in the years to come. Every single player on this roster plays over 10 minutes a game, getting the chance to gain invaluable experience. This is portrayed by the fact that six players on this roster are average more than 10 points a game.
Although this is a satisfactory roster, Orlando’s results clearly outline the fact that it needs improvement. Fortunately, the Magic will get the opportunity to do just that in the draft. Currently thirteenth in the East (16-37), they will be yet again one of the first teams to choose from the very promising mix of upcoming players. But the question is, which position do they need to strengthen most? My friend thinks Orlando needs a young, talented point guard to replace Afflalo in the starting line up because although he is the leading scorer for the team (19.8ppg) he only averages around 3 assists a game. Also, Oladipo often has to play at the point, despite the fact that is clearly not his best position. Dante Exum from Australia could be the perfect fit for the Florida side, with height (6’6″) and great scoring ability. Others argue that Orlando need a top quality big man, because Tobias Harris and Vucevic simply don’t make enough of a contribution for the Magic to be successful. In that case, center Joel Embiid from Kansas could be a potential pick.
Whatever happens in the draft, the Orlando Magic and head coach Jacque Vaughn have bright years ahead of them. Although this season the Magic are once again an afterthought for most, their three game winning streak, including two stellar wins against the Thunder and the Pacers, and a game winning dunk that was shared over the internet by millions has shown that when things start to click for this side, they can be very menacing. It will be interesting to see what pick Orlando gets in the draft, and who they decide to opt for. Whether I can call my friend a fool or not I don’t know; but I guess we will have this discussion in a few years. One thing is for sure; he has convincing arguments.
Thank you for reading. Please take a moment to follow me on Twitter – @fourpoint_play or @MatthieuRident -Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport – and “liking” our Facebook page.
Interested in writing for LWOS? We are looking for enthusiastic, talented writers to join our Basketball writing team. Visit our “Write for Us” page for very easy details in how you can get started today!
