2018-19 Orlando Magic

2017-18: 25-57
Draft picks: (5-ish),35,41
Signed for next season ($84.5m): SG Evan Fournier, C Bismack Biyombo, C Nikola Vucevic, SF Terrence Ross, SG DJ Augustine, SF Jonathon Simmons, PG Shelvin Mack, SF Jonathon Isaac, SF Wesley Iwundu, C Khem Birch

This summer's free agents: Aaron Gordon, Mario Henzonja, Aaron Afflalo, Marreese Speights, Rodney Purvis, Jamel Artis
Well...I mean...they're gonna re-sign Aaron Gordon, right? He's been up and down but I'm willing to blame that on the horrendous team he found himself on, someone's gonna pay him and I betcha a dollar he looks better on...any other team in the league. Hezonja's had a rough time of it, too, but I'm a little more skeptical about him, his game comes and goes (how would he look in a Spurs uniform?). Afflalo and Speights can be probably be of more use on better teams. Artis is on a 2-way contract.

Their 5th worst record puts them just outside of the 4 can't miss prospects but should still net them Trae Young (Oklahoma) or Jaren Jackson (Michigan St) or Wendell Carter (Duke). Which is best for the Magic? I dunno, they need everything and will likely bungle anything as they have taken the 'league fuckup' title from the Kings. The 2nd round picks will likely be used on guards like maybe Tony Carr (Penn St) and Kerwin Roach (Texas) but they need depth all over the place.

Oh yeah, they need a coach. Might they bring back Doc Rivers with Austin Rivers to run the point for them? Uh....I dunno....that doesn't sound good but what else sounds better?

So now their lineup for next year looks something like: PG Augustine, SG Fournier, SF Simmons, PF Ross, C Vucevic with Mack, Isaac, Iwundu, Biyombo and their mystery lottery pick off the bench. I don't expect them to make any big moves in free agency. After re-signing Gordon, they'll have only enough money left for a veteran who can eat up minutes (Trevor Ariza, maybe) or an old face (does Vince Carter have interest in a second tour with the Magic?). No matter what happens I reckon the Magic will be bloody awful next year and they'll look just like this going into next summer.

Man, it wasn't that long ago they had a promising batch of talent, but they've managed to give up/give away Tobias Harris, Kyle O'Quinn, Elfrid Peyton, Victor Oladipo, Serge Ibaka, Brandon Jennings, Ersan Ilyasova, Dwayne Dedmon, Andrew Nicholson, E'Twaun Moore, Mo Harkless and Coach Vogel. I can live with moving on from all those guys but they didn't get much in return for any of them. Every time you think they have an eye for talent, they show no eye for value. Which brings us back to re-signing Aaron Gordon...I mean, they're not just let him go, right? Its not like Gordon is anybody's savior but he's clearly the best chance they have right now for a bust out star or a worthwhile trade chip.

For now: they need a coach (wouldn't be surprised to see Jeff Hornacek fall on this grenade), they need to hope the ping pong balls edge them upward in the draft order and then hope that Disney doesn't go out of business because if they have to live in Orlando they may as well have something to do. No matter what happens, I see no path to them being any good next year.