At last, the Orlando Magic have 'clarity'

After years of rocky roads, the path is clear for the Orlando Magic.

Not long ago were the Magic viewed as a team who was seemingly stuck in rebuild mode for a decade plus. Outside of a few appearances in the first round under Steve Clifford, the team saw very little success or promise of a future.

Now Orlando, after living in the shadow of mediocrity, are on their way to enjoying the fruits of their rebuild. The city and fans have been hungry for success since the days of Dwight Howard. Even a first round win will be a success for a team who's been crawling in the trenches of the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

The youth movement is ready to take them to another level.

The Magic front office, led by Anthony Parker, made the move of trading multiple first-round picks for Desmond Bane. This indicated how much they believe in this core of young talent. Adding another star under the age of 28 to a team desperate for offensive firepower.

In The Ringer's NBA Clarity Index, "a team-by-team look at who actually knows what they’re doing—and who’s still pretending to," The Ringer's Howard Beck has the Magic at the very top. "The Ever-Clear Tier" as he coined it, where "these teams know exactly what they're trying to do." This is up two tiers for the Magic last season, showing how far they've come.

Beck on why he decided to move Orlando up to the top:

The Magic earn a place here based on their bold trade for Desmond Bane and, to a lesser extent, their signing of Tyus Jones. The Bane deal cost them a lot—four first-round picks, one pick swap, and two rotation players—but it showed just how committed the Magic are to contending in the East. The index loves an all-in move.Howard Beck, The Ringer

The Magic brain-trust led by Parker remains unproven around the league - but this is a meaningful step towards solidifying themselves amongst the top of the conference. Shedding that reputation as Florida's other team along the way.

Orlando is on their way; the first step is having a plan and sticking to it. Now it's up to the players to take the wheel on the road paved for them by the front office and staff.

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