Closing season with eye toward future
Lottery position still not set heading into finale vs. 76ers
For the Orlando Magic, Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Philadelphia 76ers will act as a beginning as much as it will an ending.
While the Magic want to avoid finishing the season on a seven-game losing streak, they’re also keenly looking to the future — and doing so with optimism.
The short-term view includes an offseason where the team can regroup, refocus and rebuild amid its roster makeover and put behind it the injury-filled, COVID-challenged, forgettable season that was the 2020-21 campaign.
The long-term view includes loftier goals with a team built around young players with what the team hopes are promising and productive careers.
Veteran guard Gary Harris has played a key role in providing some guidance for the younger players since his arrival from Denver via the Aaron Gordon trade. Harris was part of a rebuild with the Nuggets before being part of a team that made deep playoff runs in 2019 and 2020, and he likes what he sees with the Magic.
“We have some talented guys on this team. They’re just figuring it out. Everybody’s figuring it out one game at a time,” Harris said. “I remember my time as a young guy in this league; you’ve got to figure it out and they will.
“I’m looking forward to the summer and getting everybody together, getting healthy first and foremost, and then coming together and working together as a team to try to be in the playoff picture.”
Orlando is 6-21 since its trade deadline moves reshaped the roster, with their past 11 losses by an average of 21.5 points. As of Saturday, the Magic ranked 29th in offensive rating, and 26th in defensive rating for the season.
Lop-sided losses have come more frequently the past month as the Magic veterans, along with rookie Chuma Okeke,
MATT SLOCUM/AP have been sidelined with injuries. Losing more than winning is to be expected with a young and inexperienced team that is learning how to play in the NBA. Orlando currently has nine players — six active — on its roster who are 24 or younger.
On Friday, the Magic were overmatched by a 76ers team that was set on earning the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time since 2001. And after clinching with their 122-97 win over the Magic, the 76ers could rest or limit the minutes for a number of players on Sunday. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Philadelphia rest its starting five for the game, which tips off at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on Bally Sports Florida.
In particular, center Joel Embiid has played through an illness the past two games.
But what’s at stake for the Magic? Well, draft lottery position.
As the season enters the final day, the Pistons (20-51) lead the Magic (21-50) and Thunder (21-50) by one game, with the Cavaliers (22-49) and Timberwolves (22-49) one back of the Magic and Thunder.
The Rockets (17-54) have locked up the No. 1 spot, but beyond that detail, the positioning of the next five teams can still fluctuate. Without going down the rabbit hole of possible scenarios regarding favorable odds in the draft lottery, remember that the Pistons won’t be lower than second (although it could be in a tie) and the Magic could finish as hopefully as second (in a tie) but will not be lower than fourth.
Of course, the worse Orlando finishes in the actual standings, the better its chances of getting one of the top four picks in the draft.
Could Cade Cunningham or Jalen Green or Jalen Suggs be wearing a Magic uniform next season? Or perhaps it will be Evan Mobley or Jonathan Kuminga?
Some clarity will be provided June 22 at the draft lottery.
In the meantime, the Magic will suit up one more time to close out a season that’s been memorable for all the wrong reasons.