The Magic made a number of small, but smart decisions this summer.
In:
Scott Skiles (head coach – free agency), Tobias Harris (re-signed), Jason Smith (power forward/center – free agency), C.J. Watson (point guard – free agency), Shabazz Napier (point guard – obtained via trade with MIA), Mario Hezonja (guard/forward – selected fifth overall in 2015 NBA Draft), Keith Appling (signed non-guaranteed contract)
Out:
Maurice Harkless (sent to POR via trade), Luke Ridnour (sent to MEM via trade), Kyle O’Quinn (signed with NYK), Ben Gordon (team option declined)
Overview:
The Orlando Magic took a big step forward this offseason when the team decided to name former Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks head coach Scott Skiles to the same position. Skiles, who owns a 443-433 record as a head coach in the NBA, has been to the playoffs six times throughout his career. However’s he’s been fired by two different franchises (Phoenix and Chicago) and he’s never made it to the conference finals.
But comparing his credentials to those of former Magic head coach Jacque Vaughn, Skiles is the obvious favorite. He’s had modest success in the league, and his hard-working mentality will help him get the most out of a young core that includes point guard Elfrid Payton, shooting guard Victor Oladipo, forward Tobias Harris and center Nikola Vucevic.
In addition to a new head coach, Orlando made a series of roster transactions this offseason. 2012 first-round pick Maurice Harkless was sent to the Portland Trail Blazers, and veteran point guard Luke Ridnour was shipped to the Memphis Grizzlies. Reserve power forward Kyle O’Quinn signed a four-year, $16 million deal with the New York Knicks and backup shooting guard Ben Gordon is now a free agent after the Magic decided not to pick up his team option.
To fill out the roster, the Magic signed former Indiana Pacers point guard C.J. Watson to a three-year, $15 million contract and veteran big man Jason Smith to a one-year, $4.3 million deal. Orlando also acquired point guard Shabazz Napier from the Miami Heat and selected Croatian swingman Mario Hezonja with the fifth overall pick in this year’s draft. Former Michigan State guard Keith Appling was also signed to a non-guaranteed contract for two seasons.
Watson will play a significant role backing up Payton, and he’s arguably a much better reserve than Ridnour. He can space the floor and help Payton develop a consistent perimeter shooting stroke, something the former Louisiana-Lafayette guard must have in order to take the next step forward.
Smith, a 7-foot stretch four, will provide the Magic with frontcourt depth and perimeter shooting, an area Orlando struggled in last season. However, the team also had a hard time protecting the rim, and Smith won’t help much in that category.
Napier is an interesting acquisition considering the Magic now have Payton and Watson aboard. The team got him for cheap, so he could be there for depth purposes only. On the other hand, he could develop alongside Payton and give Orlando another young backcourt option if or when Skiles wants to play small.
Appling, who was signed as an undrafted free agent, will compete with former Iowa guard and Big Ten opponent Roy Devyn Marble for minutes off the bench. With Gordon no longer on the team, Orlando will look for either Marble or Appling to step up and provide solid depth behind Oladipo.
The Magic didn’t make any flashy moves this offseason, but they took a series of small steps in the right direction. The team missed out on Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap, and the hiring of Skiles over other coaches like former Bull Tom Thibodeau may be questionable to some. But signing Watson, drafting Hezonja and re-signing Harris were all very nice moves. Orlando still has a very young team, but with a seasoned head coach taking the reigns, it’s hard to believe the Magic will regress as its post-Dwightmare rebuild continues.
Grade: B
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