Magic offseason recap: Busy summer leads to hodgepodge of talent
With the bulk of NBA free agency in the books, Paste BN Sports explores how all the offseason moves will alter each team as we look ahead to the 2016-17 season.
What do you think the starting five of your favorite team should be? Head over to @usatodaynba on Twitter and tell us.
Projected starting five: Orlando Magic
(Statistics from 2015-16 season)
- Elfrid Payton - Points: 10.7, assists: 6.4, rebounds: 3.6, steals: 1.2, field goal percentage: 43.6%
- Evan Fournier - Points: 15.4, rebounds: 2.8, assists: 2.7, steals: 1.2, field goal percentage: 46.2%
- Aaron Gordon - Points: 9.2, rebounds: 6.5, assists: 1.6, steals: 0.8, field goal percentage: 47.3%
- Serge Ibaka (with Oklahoma City) - Points: 12.6, rebounds: 6.8, assists: 0.8, blocks: 1.9, field goal percentage: 47.9%
- Nikola Vucevic - Points: 18.2, rebounds: 8.9, assists: 2.8, blocks: 1.1, field goal percentage: 51.0%
Added - Fournier (re-signed), Ibaka, Bismack Biyombo, Jeff Green, D.J. Augustin, Jodie Meeks, C.J. Wilcox, Stephen Zimmerman, Frank Vogel (head coach)
Lost - Victor Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova, Shabazz Napier, Andrew Nicholson, Brandon Jennings, Dewayne Dedmon, Jason Smith, Devyn Marble, Scott Skiles (head coach)
Biggest acquisition - Vogel
An experienced, defensive-minded coach with an excellent track record of player development, Vogel heads to Orlando looking to put an end to the team's four-year playoff drought. But with such a hodgepodge of talent — most notably a frountcourt of Ibaka, Biyombo, Gordon, Vucevic, and Green — he'll have his work cut out for him.
Biggest departure - Oladipo
The 24-year-old combo guard didn't fully live up to expectations during his three seasons in Orlando as the No. 2 overall draft pick. But he showed glimpses of what he's capable of. And while sending him away (along with Ilyasova and the rights to Domantas Sabonis) for an experienced big like Ibaka should help immediately from a defensive standpoint and clear up a bit of a logjam on the perimeter, Orlando's decision to give up on a player as young and talented as Oladipo for a guy set to enter his contract year could come back to haunt them.
X factor - Fournier
After four seasons of steady improvement, the 23-year-old Frenchman is in line for more minutes at the starting shooting guard spot with Oladipo out of the picture. He was handsomely rewarded for a breakout 2015-16 season with a five-year, $85 million contract, so now's his time to shine.
Offseason grade - C
Check out our other offseason recaps: Atlanta • Boston • Brooklyn • Charlotte • Chicago • Cleveland • Dallas • Denver • Detroit • Golden State • Houston• Indiana • L.A. Clippers • L.A. Lakers • Memphis • Miami • Milwaukee • Minnesota • New Orleans • New York • Oklahoma City
Follow AJ Neuharth-Keusch on Twitter @tweetAJNK