Magic Guard Markelle Fultz Tweets Cryptic, Yet Bold Orlando Prediction
ORLANDO - Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz is eagerly waiting for his return to the court this season, especially because he has high hopes for his team this season.
Early Friday morning, Fultz tweeted "4th seed," which fans and followers interpreted as what he believed the Magic could be in the upcoming season.
It's going to be difficult for the Magic to go from the worst record in the Eastern Conference to the fourth-best, but Fultz has this quiet confidence about the team.
The Magic didn't change much during the offseason in free agency. The team simply retained its own free agents, but Orlando made a splash in the draft, selecting Paolo Banchero No. 1 overall.
In a way, one could look at Fultz being one of the team's "free agent" acquisitions, considering he didn't play much for the team last season after recovering from a torn ACL. He played in 18 games down the stretch for the Magic, averaging 10.8 points and 5.5 assists per game.
The team also anticipates the return of defensive juggernaut Jonathan Isaac, a former top-10 pick who hasn't played an NBA game in two years.
While the returns of the team's higher draft picks are promising, it will still be difficult to crack the top four of the Eastern Conference. The Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers, last season's top four East teams, are all expected to contend for a championship again. Meanwhile, teams like the Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks all expect to be competitive as well.
The sportsbooks don't like the Magic's chances either.
In Caesar's Sportsbook’s most up-to-date win total projections, the Magic sits at the fifth-worst record at 26.5, with only the Oklahoma City Thunder, Indiana Pacers, Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs holding worse odds.
There's a lot going against the Magic right now, but the team's point guard manifesting success is a step in the right direction towards building a winning culture in Orlando.
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