Have Magic Fixed 'Biggest Weakness' This Offseason?
The Orlando Magic have flipped the script this offseason and have some promising days ahead. One look at the undeniable talent littered across the roster makes it nearly impossible for Magic fans to not feel some boost in optimism.
But the team with the NBA's second-worst record last season can't turn everything around overnight. Bleacher Report even noted a primary area that still needs to be improved as the Magic continue to grow into a playoff contender once again.
And that area? More skill on the wing.
Here's Bleacher Report's analysis:
With the selection of Paolo Banchero, re-signing of Mo Bamba and eventual return of an injured Jonathan Isaac, this is going to be a huge Magic team.
The wing, well, still leaves a lot to be desired. Orlando's not in win-now mode yet, and that's probably for the best. There's a lot of overlapping pieces on this roster, with the 2022-23 season being about figuring everything out around Banchero. For now, the wing simply isn't good enough.
Is it Fixed?: No. Harris and Houstan will help, but this is still a frontcourt-heavy roster that needs more perimeter threats.
By re-signing Gary Harris and selecting second-round rookie Caleb Houstan, Orlando helped itself by securing talent at the wing. But it's hard to completely agree with Bleacher Report's reasoning. Considering that, as of now, the team also has an athletic and dependable veteran wing in Terrence Ross along with a versatile second-year forward Franz Wagner, the Magic have a handful of players capable of providing important minutes at that spot.
And given that the starting lineup is fixing to be one of the league's tallest, head coach Jamahl Mosley may not be concerned with position specifics like having enough wings or guards on the floor at once.
On paper, Orlando has the talent, size, and versatility needed to be a successful team in the coming seasons. It's important to not get too ahead of ourselves on pinpointing improvements the team needs to make before even beginning the preseason.
If anything, the franchise's continuous "biggest weakness" is having a group that proves it's capable of turning the franchise around. Adding some nice - but not necessary - depth at wing should be further down on the to-do list.
