The Orlando Magic had a really constructive offseason when it got here to the additions they made. They traded for Desmond Bane to handle their capturing woes, and added Tyus Jones, and Jase Richardson for extra depth of their backcourt.
Together with their star duo of Paolo Banchero, and Franz Wagner in a weak East, the Magic are anticipated to be within the combine to make a deep playoff run this season. By way of 5 video games although, Orlando has been something however magical.
The Magic’s offense continues to be as anemic as final season
Orlando has not completed with an above-average offense in additional than a decade. If issues maintain trending this fashion, they’re set to be below-average as soon as once more. The Magic are 1-4 to begin the season, and whereas there have been defensive points, they’re additionally nonetheless not hitting photographs.
Orlando is twenty seventh in offensive score (109.4), twenty eighth in three-point share (31.2), final in threes made per sport (8.8), and final in makes an attempt (28.8). They’re center of the pack in field-goal share (46.7), however that’s the place the positives begin and finish for the Magic.
In three of their first 5 video games, Orlando has shot eight-for-25, three-for-24, and nine-for-31 from three. Bane, their prized summer time acquisition, is simply making 27 % of his threes, and Banchero is capturing a putrid 16 % from three in 5 video games.
Solely three gamers are capturing greater than three threes a sport and making at the very least 36 % of them: Jalen Suggs, Tristan da Silva, and Wagner.
It’s not like Orlando isn’t producing attractiveness. 26 of their 29 three-point makes an attempt per sport are categorised as open or wide-open. The Magic are hitting solely 33 % of these makes an attempt. They’re additionally solely hitting 32 % of their catch-and-shoot threes.
The Magic have to repair their offense and quick
Orlando signaled that they had been able to contend after they went after Bane, introduced in Jones, and drafted Richardson. They’ve prolonged Banchero, Wagner, and Suggs. They’re locked into this crew for the foreseeable future, so that they haven’t any selection however to determine it out.
It is just October and we now have seen groups get off to gradual begins, only for them to show it round and attain their potential.
The Magic do have time with this core, as none of their essential items are nearer to the age of 30. Nonetheless, they need to at the very least present progress offensively to justify the value of this crew, and if they’ve the precise items to compete for titles.
