The Orlando Magic Futures Odds (BetDSI Sportsbook)
Orlando Magic to win the Southeast Division: +3300
Orlando Magic to win the Eastern Conference: +25000
Orlando Magic to win the NBA Championship: +100000
Orlando Magic Total Win Prediction: Total 34.5 (Over +110, Under -140)
The Orlando Magic experienced a disappointing last year as they recorded 29 wins and ended in the 13th place in the Eastern Conference. They never came close to reaching the playoffs, and it looks that this campaign will be the same for them unless they drastically improve. Although the Magic have a rather talented starting lineup, their biggest problem is lack of depth and quality rotational players.
However, they added a few veterans this offseason and drafted perspective youngsters, so there is a possibility that Orlando might even battle for the playoffs this time around. Nikola Vucevic and Evan Fournier will carry the team forward yet again, while Elfrid Payton and Aaron Gordon are more experienced now and should play vital roles in the upcoming campaign. They are a relatively young group of players with considerable quality and this season could be a breakthrough for the Magic.
Read on to find out more about the Orlando Magic offseason moves and the 2017/2018 futures and props brought to you by BetDSI Sportsbook. Also, don’t forget to visit our Get More Sports website for more NBA teams season previews.
The 2017/2018 Orlando Magic Roster
Arrivals: Shelvin Mack, Jonathon Simmons, Marreese Speights, Arron Afflalo, Khem Birch, Jonathan Isaac, Wesley Iwundu.
Departures: Patricio Garino, Jeff Green, Marcus Georges-Hunt, Jodie Meeks, C.J. Watson.
The Orlando Magic selected Jonathan Isaac with the 6th pick overall in the 2017 NBA Draft after impressing in his lone year at the college, averaging 12.0 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 1.5 bpg, and 1.2 spg in 26.2 mpg for the Florida State Seminoles. The 19-year-old power forward made it to the ACC All-Freshman team, and it’s evident that he has a bright future ahead of him. He also has Aaron Gordon ahead of him on the depth chart, but Isaac is the No. 2 option at the PF position, while Marreese Speights is listed behind him in the pecking order, so I expect the youngster to receive significant playing time in 2017/18. The Magic picked Anzejs Pasecniks with the 25th pick overall, but they traded his rights to the Philadelphia 76ers for a future first-round and second-round picks. The young Latvian center will stay in Europe, though, and will spend this year with the Gran Canaria in Spain.
However, Orlando decided to keep their 33rd pick overall, Wesley Iwundu, who spent the previous four years with the Kansas State Wildcats. In 2016/17, Iwundu averaged 13.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg, and 3.5 apg and earned the Third-team All-Big 12 honor, and the 22-year-old small forward is listed behind Terrence Ross and Jonathon Simmons at the SF position. His playing time might be limited, but if the opportunity arises, Iwundu will have to take it and show that he can compete with Ross and Simmons for the place in the rotation. Finally, Orlando’s last pick in this year’s draft was Ivan Rabb, who was the 35th pick overall, but they sent the power forward to the Memphis Grizzlies after concluding that he is not needed with solid options at the PF spot already.
Khem Birch was undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft and played the last few years in Europe, most recently for Olympiacos in Greece. The 24-year-old center averaged 10.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg, and 1.0 bpg in 18.1 mpg for the Greeks in the EuroLeague, and the Magic added him to the roster to complement Nikola Vucevic and Bismack Biyombo, who are well ahead of him on the depth chart. Still, if someone of them suffers an injury, Birch will likely get extended minutes on the floor and a solid chance to establish himself beyond the rims. Jonathon Simmons became a free agent following his two-year stint with the San Antonio Spurs, and the Magic took him to provide competition to Terrence Ross at the small forward position. Ross is a quite one-dimensional player, so Simmons will have his chance to shine and eventually take the starting spot. Jonathon averaged 6.2 ppg and 2.1 rpg in 17.8 mpg in 2016/17, but with the Magic, he will have more space to spread his wings, so I am expecting him to averages double figures this time around.
Shelvin Mack joined Orlando as a free agent from the Utah Jazz, and the 27-year-old point guard is brought to backup Elfrid Payton and D.J. Augustin at the point. Mack averaged 7.8 ppg, 2.8 apg, and 2.3 rpg in 21.9 mpg, and I believe he will split minutes with Augustin, while Payton is a clear No.1 option at the PG spot. Marreese Speights is another veteran who could help the team with his experience, as he won the NBA title with the Warriors in 2015. Speights represented the Los Angeles Clippers in 2016/17, averaging 8.7 ppg and 4.5 rpg in 15.7 mpg, and the 30-year-old still has a few good years ahead of him, so I reckon he will be a good servant for the Magic this season. The young rookie Isaac is currently listed above him in the pecking order, but he will likely be cautiously used in his first year in the NBA, which means Speights could profit from it and make his mark. Last but not least, Arron Afflalo returned to the city where he displayed his best games in the NBA, and he came back after three years with the Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks, and most recently, the Sacramento Kings. The 31-year-old shooting guard averaged 8.4 ppg and 2.0 rpg in 25.9 mpg, his lowest numbers since the 2008/09 season. Afflalo is listed behind Evan Fournier in the pecking order but ahead of Mario Hezonja, and will lead the second unit for the Magic in 2017/18.
|
PG |
SG | SF | PF |
C |
| Elfrid Payton | Evan Fournier | Terrence Ross | Aaron Gordon | Nikola Vucevic |
| D.J. Augustin | Arron Afflalo | Jonathon Simmons | Jonathan Isaac | Bismack Biyombo |
| Shelvin Mack | Mario Hezonja | Wesley Iwundu | Marreese Speights | Khem Birch |
Marcus Georges-Hunt and Patricio Garino were waived by the Magic after appeared in ten games combined in 2016/17. Garino will continue his career in Europe with Baskonia in Spain, while Georges-Hunt signed a contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves this August, but I don’t believe he will get significant playing time there. Another player who was waived is C.J. Watson, following his two-year stay in Orlando. Watson averaged 4.5 ppg in 16.3 mpg, and with better players at both PG and SG positions, there wasn’t place for C.J. on this roster, so he had to go. Jodie Meeks left the Magic and joined the Washington Wizards, but his departure is quickly covered with the addition of Arron Afflalo. Meeks averaged 9.1 ppg and 2.1 rpg in 20.5 mpg, and he will not be missed in Orlando, as they found an adequate replacement. However, the Magic could miss Jeff Green who signed a deal with the champion contenders Cleveland Cavaliers, leaving Orlando after only one season with the team. The 31-year-old forward averaged 9.2 ppg and 3.1 rpg in 22.2 mpg for the Magic in 2016/17, and considering their current options at the SF position; Green is definitely not worse than Ross and Simmons. Still, he wanted to leave and join a team with championship aspirations so the former Boston Celtic will spend his tenth NBA season with the Cavs.
Orlando’s starting lineup with Payton, Fournier, Ross, Gordon, and Vucevic has a lot to offer, but I think they are vulnerable at the SF position because Terrence Ross is a predictable player who doesn’t have the talent to be a reliable small forward. Vucevic and Fournier had excellent last season and will continue to run the floor for the Magic, while Payton and Gordon apparently matured as players and I think they will have a great campaign in 2017/18. Biyombo, Speights, and Afflalo should be helpful off the bench, and their experience will come handy to this young Magic team.
The Bottom Line and Total Win Prediction
The Magic disappointed in 2016/17, but I think they will do a lot better this time around, and although I doubt they will reach the playoffs, Orlando should record 35-37 victories in 2017/18. The bookies also believe they win more games now than last year, and the BetDSI Sportsbook set the number of seasons wins at 34.5. This is a tricky one because it only takes one injury to destroy Orlando’s campaign, but they have the quality to record at least 35 wins, so I suggest you to go with over on this one.
Season total wins: 34.5 Over (+120)
