The beginning of the 2010s for the Orlando Magic was near the end of the Dwight Howard era. After Howard’s departure in 2012, Orlando went through some down seasons. The Magic missed six consecutive postseasons under four different coaches. Then, when Steve Clifford took over in 2018, the 2018-19 Magic bounced back to make the team’s first postseason since 2012.
Orlando Magic Best from the 2010s
Recapping the 2010s
Over the last 10 years, the Magic went to the postseason four times, and three of the playoff appearances were under Stan Van Gundy. In his five seasons with the Magic, Van Gundy led the team to five postseason berths, including a run to the NBA Finals in 2009.
Jacque Vaughn, James Borrego, Scott Skiles, and Frank Vogel then had five consecutive last-place Southeast Division finishes. Vogel finally brought them out of the basement in 2017-18. Then, after Orlando fired Vogel, coach Clifford came on board and brought the Magic franchise back with a division win in 2019.
Orlando Magic All-Decade Team Starting Five
Guard – Jameer Nelson
Jameer Nelson, who was a part of a draft-night trade, was selected 20th overall in 2004 and spent 10 full seasons in Orlando. He played more than 55 games in all but one Magic season and even was an All-Star in that season. He played 44 career playoff games, all with the Magic. Unfortunately, due to a right shoulder dislocation, he played just five playoff games for the 2019 Eastern Conference champion Magic.
Although Nelson had just one career All-Star Game appearance, he is a top 100 player all-time in three-pointers and assists. Nelson is the franchise’s leader in assists with 3,501 dimes. He is the choice for the point guard of the Magic all-decade team because of his impressive performance in the regular season and postseason.
Since the 2009-10 season, Nelson has the most assists of any Magic player to go along with the second-most three-pointers. His Basketball-Reference VORP (Value over Replacement Player) is sixth among all Orlando players in the last decade, with four of the top five being big men.
Guard – J.J. Redick
Just one spot above Nelson on the VORP leaderboard is J.J. Redick. He started just 52 games for the Magic, but he made the most of his time in Orlando. Redick was the team leader in three-point percentage at 40.2, among Magic players with at least 150 attempts in the last decade. In addition, he led all Magic players in free throw percentage (minimum: 100 attempts) during the 2010s.
Redick coincidentally also played 44 career playoff games with the Magic. Although he averaged just under 20 minutes per game, he still came off the bench to make one three-pointer per game. In his playoff career, he has the fourth-best free throw percentage among active players. He has a top-10 free throw percentage in the regular season all-time.
Forward – Nikola Vučević
Nikola Vučević is the only member of the Magic all-decade team starting lineup who is a part of the current team. The Swiss 29-year-old has played eight seasons in Orlando after the Magic acquired him from the Philadelphia 76ers in a four-team trade in 2012.
Vucevic had a career year in 2018-19, as he made his first All-Star Game. He was in the top 10 in win shares and VORP last season. His 10.2 career rebounds per game are ninth among active players. The USC product surprisingly did not make the 2020 All-Star Game.
He played just three minutes in one postseason game over his first seven NBA seasons. Then, in 2019, he got his first taste of real NBA playoff action and averaged 11.2 points per game.
Vucevic has played the most games and minutes for any Magic player over the last decade. He has the most made shots, points, rebounds, and steals for the franchise over the last decade.
Forward – Ryan Anderson
Ryan Anderson, who is also in the starting lineup for New Orleans Pelicans All-Decade Team, is the third-best VORP Magic player over the last decade. With Vucevic playing inside the key, Anderson can handle the three-point shooting duties for the team.
Anderson and Vucevic both were drafted by teams other than Orlando and were traded to the Magic. Both then played their sophomore NBA season with the Magic and grew their games in Orlando. From 2011-12 to 2017-18, Anderson and Vucevic each had a VORP of 9.5.
Unfortunately for the Magic, the 2011-12 season was Anderson’s final one with Orlando. The Magic traded him to the New Orleans Hornets for Gustavo Ayón. Ayón played just 43 games with the Magic and averaged 3.6 points per game.
Anderson’s career was impressive, and he played well with the Magic. He could have had an even better career if he played during the 2020s instead of the 2010s. Not only does he have the 48th-most three-pointers in NBA history, but he also has the best turnover percentage all-time.
Center – Dwight Howard
Current Los Angels Lakers center Dwight Howard, the second-best Magic player in the last decade, led the franchise in made free throws, free throw attempts, and blocks. In the last 10 years, he was the leader in effective field goal percentage and true shooting percentage.
Of course, Howard does not need much explanation for why he is on this team. He is arguably the best player in franchise history, and his team-best 29.0 VORP just beat out Tracy McGrady’s 28.4.
Howard, the franchise leader in points, was the main reason for the Magic making six consecutive postseasons. He was the team’s win shares leader for five of those six seasons. Although the eight-time All-Star did not win a championship with Orlando, he had an amazing career with the Magic.
Orlando Magic All-Decade Team Bench
Guard – Victor Oladipo
Victor Oladipo, who was also drafted by the Magic, played just three seasons in Orlando. However, he is still among the top five Magic players in free throws and steals in the last decade. He finished in the top 10 in games played, minutes played, points, three-pointers, rebounds, and assists for the franchise over the last 10 years.
Unfortunately for Oladipo, his career in Orlando was full of last-place divisional finishes. After winning an average of 24 games over his first two NBA seasons, the Magic improved to a 35-47 record in 2015-16. Orlando then traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder as a part of a four-player trade. Serge Ibaka came to the Magic in the trade.
Guard – Evan Fournier
Evan Fournier, who began his career in Denver, was acquired by the Magic during the 2014 offseason and has been with Orlando since. Fournier has steadily improved over the course of his career and was having his best season in 2019-20. Orlando expressed early confidence in the French guard by signing him to a five-year, $85 million deal in 2016.
In the last decade, Fournier led the franchise in three-pointers, and he played the second-most games for the Magic. His 984 made free throws rank second overall for Orlando over the last 10 years. Among the 2010s Magic players, he also has the second-most points and steals.
Forward – Aaron Gordon
Aaron Gordon, also a current Magic player, comes off the bench for the all-decade team. The fourth overall pick of the 2014 draft has had a solid career with Orlando thus far, but his statistics are not as impressive as other top-five draft picks.
After having several career highs in 2017-18, he has declined slightly in the two seasons since. On the bright side, the 24-year-old Arizona product achieved his first career triple-double on February 28, 2020. The impressive performance by Gordon was done in the Magic’s 136-125 victory over Minnesota. The Magic scored at least 33 points in each quarter.
Gordon is third among Magic players in games played, minutes played, points, made shots, rebounds, and blocks over the last decade. His 5.5 VORP ranks as the fourth-best for any Magic player in the 2010s. He just missed out on the starting lineup.
Forward – Tobias Harris
Tobias Harris is in the top 10 among Magic players in points, free throws, and rebounds in the 2010s. The journeyman forward played more seasons in Orlando than he has anywhere else, but he scored just 15.6 points per game with the Magic. He has since played with the Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers, and in Philadelphia and has averaged more points at each of those destinations.
Harris has been a part of five trades while in the NBA and since leaving Orlando, he has signed impressively large contracts. His most recent one netted him $180 million over five years, ending in 2024.
Harris has a strong turnover percentage during his NBA career: it is the ninth-best among active players. The Tennessee product, who was drafted by the Charlotte Bobcats in 2011, was on his ascent in Orlando. He could have made it into the Magic all-decade starting lineup if the organization did not trade him to Detroit in 2016.
Center – Marcin Gortat
Marcin Gortat is in the Magic top 15 in blocks, effective field goal percentage, and true shooting percentage in the last decade. He played just 106 games with the Magic over the last 10 NBA years. He did have a 175-game career in Orlando before being traded to Phoenix.
During his NBA career, Gortat had the 20th-best field goal percentage in NBA history. He had a rich playoff history during his career. He played 46 of his 86 career postseason contests with the Magic. In his only playoff start with Orlando, he went for his first career playoff double-double.
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