Orlando Magic Could Be On Similar Path To Success As Oklahoma City Thunder

The Orlando Magic and Oklahoma City Thunder have a lot of similarities.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is guarded by Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Orlando Magic are sitting on the couch watching the Oklahoma City Thunder face the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals, but there's a chance in the foreseeable future for them to be in the same situation.

The Magic have a young core growing together, and that could give them the opportunity to become an elite team within the next few years.

Bleacher Report thinks the Magic are very similar to the Thunder, just a few years behind schedule.

"The Magic are like the Oklahoma City Thunder, though not as successful yet," the article wrote.

"They have a productive group of homegrown players who are rapidly becoming expensive. Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs begin their rookie-scale extensions this season, while Paolo Banchero will presumably get a max extension in July."

The Magic are building their foundation based off of homegrown talent and defense, which is also how the Thunder have made their bread and butter. Sure, the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander trade set things into motion for them, so Orlando may need one trade to get things from where they are to the next level.

Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman teased the idea of a big trade taking place this offseason, which means that deal could be what gets Orlando closer to Oklahoma City's level.

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