ESPN Insider Lists Orlando Magic As 'Team To Watch' This Offseason

Linked to nearly every potentially available guard, the Orlando Magic clearly know where improvement is needed this offseason. While a passive approach in recent summers helped complete the rebuild, ESPN’s Bobby Marks lists them as a potential team to watch this offseason. He notes shifting strategies may be necessary to become a consistent contender.

"We don't want to call Weltman conservative," Marks wrote. "But Orlando's head of basketball operations has attempted to thread the needle in drafting, developing, retaining and competing for a top-six seed in the Eastern Conference recently. Since 2021, Orlando has built through the draft. The Magic have a league-high nine players selected in the draft and only two -- Wendell Carter Jr. and Gary Harris -- acquired via trade. The strategy has temporarily worked, with Orlando reaching the first round of the playoffs in consecutive seasons. But it has also failed to advance both times, and with the first years of Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs' extensions set to begin, the Magic project to be over the luxury tax and first apron."

Despite limited cap space, the Magic have plenty of assets to stay aggressive in free agency and the trade market. Continuing to build through the draft may be an option, but trading their first-rounders for a proven veteran better aligns with their win-now mindset.

"How the Magic take the next step depends on Weltman's adjustment when healthy," Marks said. Whether Orlando can compete for a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference. The Magic went through the regular season with their top four scorers -- Paolo Banchero, Suggs, Franz Wagner and Moritz Wagner -- each missing at least 20 games. The team's core of Banchero, Suggs and Wagner played just six games together and 3% of Orlando's possessions."

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