The Orlando Magic haven't made the playoffs since 2012, when, led by Dwight Howard, they lost in the first round. Howard was traded that offseason and the Magic have been rebuilding ever since. Heading into the 2015-16 season, that rebuild may finally be panning out. Orlando has a roster filled with young, athletic players that have the talent to succeed in the weak Eastern Conference.
Orlando Magic 2015 roster: This young core is poised to make a jump
Scott Skiles inherits a talented squad that could challenge for a postseason spot in the East.
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
New coach Scott Skiles is trying to instill a new identity in Orlando -- he wants teams to "hate" playing the Magic. With athletes like Elfrid Payton, Victor Oladipo and Tobias Harris and big men like Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon, Skiles has the athletes to be a defensive-minded squad.
The future looks bright in Orlando. The Magic have been busy stockpiling young talent with lottery pick after lottery pick. Will this year finally be the year those picks begin to actualize their potential? Can the Magic make the playoffs? In the East, anything is possible.
LAST YEAR
RECORD: 25-57 (13th in Eastern Conference)
PLAYOFFS: Did not qualify
OFFENSIVE EFFICIENCY: 99.6 (27th)
DEFENSIVE EFFICIENCY: 105.2 (25th)
ROSTER
No. | PLAYER | POS | HEIGHT | WEIGHT | AGE | COLLEGE |
| 00 | Aaron Gordon | PF | 6-9 | 220 | 20 | Arizona |
| 3 | Dewayne Dedmon | C | 7-0 | 245 | 26 | USC |
| 4 | Elfrid Payton | PG | 6-4 | 185 | 21 | Louisiana-Lafayette |
| 5 | Victor Oladipa | SG | 6-4 | 210 | 23 | Indiana |
| 8 | Channing Frye | PF | 6-11 | 255 | 32 | Arizona |
| 9 | Nikoa Vucevic | C | 7-0 | 260 | 24 | USC |
| 11 | Evan Fournier | SG | 6-7 | 205 | 22 | France |
| 11 | Devyn Marble | SF | 6-6 | 200 | 23 | Iowa |
| 12 | Tobias Harris | SF | 6-9 | 185 | 23 | Tennessee |
| 13 | Shabazz Napier | PG | 6-1 | 175 | 24 | Connecticut |
| 23 | Mario Hezonja | SG | 6-8 | 215 | 20 | Croatia |
| 32 | C.J. Watson | PG | 6-2 | 175 | 31 | Tennessee |
| 44 | Andrew Nicholson | PF | 6-9 | 250 | 25 | St. Bonaventure |
| 99 | Jason Smith | PF | 7-0 | 245 | 29 | Colorado State |
| 99 | Melvin Ejim | SF | 6-6 | 220 | 24 | Iowa State |
Coach: Scott Skiles
Assistant coaches: Adrian Griffin, Monte Mathis, Mario Elie
OFFSEASON CHANGES
IN: Mario Hezonja, Jason Smith, C.J. Watson, Shabazz Napier, Tyler Harvey
OUT: Kyle O'Quinn, Maurice Harkless, Luke Ridnour, Ben Gordon
The most excitement is coming from top draft pick Hezonja, who looks like he could one day be an NBA star. His electric game is joining an already exciting young roster loaded with talent.
DEPTH CHART
POINT GUARD | SHOOTING GUARD | SMALL FORWARD | POWER FORWARD | CENTER | |
STARTER | Elfrid Payton | Victor Oladipo | Tobias Harris | Aaron Gordon | Nikola Vucevic |
RESERVE | C.J. Watson | Evan Fournier | Mario Hezonja | Channing Frye | Jason Smith |
RESERVE | Shabazz Napier | Devyn Marble | Melvin Ejim | Andrew Nicholson | Dewayne Dedmon |
RESERVE |
THE KEY QUESTION
Can Orlando score in half-court situations?
Even the league’s speediest clubs rarely manage to end one-sixth of their possessions with a fast-break look. Without a go-to scorer or many floor-spacers, the Magic may struggle to produce efficient shot attempts against set defenses.
Payton and Oladipo can get into the paint with relative ease, but it's incumbent on their teammates to knock down the looks they create. It's also incumbent on them to improve as scoring threats off the bounce so as to warrant defensive attention in the first place; for example, no defender is going to leave Channing Frye open on the wing because he's concerned Payton might pull up for a 15-footer, not until Payton proves himself as a shooter.
If Frye improves his individual and team defense enough to warrant more playing time, he ought to help keep the floor balanced. Hezonja can contribute here as well, provided he distinguishes himself enough to earn playing time. The rookie figures to trail Oladipo, Evan Fournier, Harris, and Gordon in the Magic's crowded wing rotation.
-Evan Dunlap, Orlando Pinstriped Post. Read the full preview here.
PREDICTIONS
BEST CASE: The future is now in Orlando and the young roster plays up to their potential, leading the Magic to the playoffs for the first time since the Dwight Howard-era.
WORST CASE: Scott Skiles can’t turn the Magic around and they play like the young team that they are, once again falling into the high lottery in a weak Eastern Conference.
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