Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Can Magic Become Next Year's Kings?
ORLANDO - The Sacramento Kings are experiencing one of the biggest turnarounds in NBA history.
After 17 years of not even qualifying for the playoffs, the Kings won 48 games, the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference and are halfway towards eliminating the defending champion Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs.
Sacramento's dramatic turnaround and small market success should have Orlando Magic fans wondering if the team in central Florida can have a similar trajectory next season.
While Orlando's playoff drought is only three years old, the Magic has not won a playoff series since 2010.
The past decade or so for the Magic has been defined by mediocrity and being unable to get past being "okay." However, the Magic's current setup has the team dreaming bigger.
In the past three drafts, the team has selected Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero, all of whom have proven to be potential building blocks for the franchise. In addition, the team has acquired Markelle Fultz, Wendell Carter Jr. and Gary Harris in big trades to make the team more whole.
On top of that, the Magic potentially has a pair of lottery picks to work with in the stacked 2023 NBA Draft.
Sacramento's success largely has to do with its draft picks. De'Aaron Fox, Davion Mitchell and Keegan Murray have played key roles for the team. And, trades have turned a pretender into a contender with Domantas Sabonis and Kevin Huerter among others.
While the Kings still have a long way to go, even in the first round series against the Warriors, their early playoff fortunes should inspire the Magic to hopefully do something similar in the near future.
You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.
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