Preview 2022/23 | First year of the Banchero era in Orlando

As soon as the EuroBasket is over, Basket USA begins the traditional presentation, franchise by franchise, of the next NBA season. Like every year, this also takes the form of a countdown, from the worst record in the championship to our favorite for the title of champion.

After the Thunder to open the ball, place it now in Magic. The Orlando franchise got lucky in June and was able to speak first in the Draft. The arrival of Paolo Banchero is logically good news but, for the moment, Jamahl Mosley’s team will still struggle to get out of the slums of the championship. However, Magic’s 2022/2023 season looks interesting and should logically be better than the previous year, which ended with 22 wins and 60 losses.

Internal reinforcements

Because in addition to the presence of the first choice of the Draft, one of the only two reinforcements (with the other newcomer Caleb Houston) compared to last season, Orlando should record the return to competition of Jonathan Isaac, who has not played since his injury in the ” bubble, “during the summer of 2020. Also, Markelle Fultz, who we saw quickly in March and April, will also be in better shape for this season. It is therefore internal reinforcements, plus Paolo Banchero, who will help Jamahl Mosley.

The manager should also be more comfortable for his second season on the bench. But his mission is not simple: his team is very, very young, with few players who have the bottle. Gary Harris (who will miss the start of the season due to injury) and Terrence Ross are the only two players to make it through five seasons in the NBA. Isaac and Fultz certainly made it to the league in 2017, but they only have 136 and 131 games on the clock …

The group is therefore to be built, especially in attack because last season the Magic had all the hard work in the world to score points, showing the worst efficiency of the championship on this side of the field.

Hoping that injuries will spare his team, Jamahl Mosley will then have the mission to create a coherent and balanced collective. Despite the enthusiasm of the youth teams, there will be breakups, mistakes and missed matches, this is obvious. But exceeding the total of victories of last season, with a clearly visible game identity and some hits against the big names on the way, would already be a first success for the Floridians.

SUMMER MOVEMENTS

– Arrivals : Paolo Banchero (Draft), Caleb Houston (Draft)
– Departures : Robin Lopez (Knights)

PLAYER TO WATCH: Paolo Banchero

How to choose another name? The first choice of the Draft is always or almost always the most scrutinized player on his team. Already announced as the favorite for the rookie of the year title, Paolo Banchero also showed an advantage in the Summer League, with 20 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds on average, even though he only played two small games in Las Vegas.

High forward (2’08), the former Duke is strong and clearly has the talent to take control of the game in Orlando. Plus, with a decent long shot as a youngster and an interesting view of the game (he made some good passes in the summer league), he’s not condemned just to penetrate and play close to the circle.

If he is obviously targeted by defenses and pushed by players physically more mature than him, he has the physical profile to respond and fight. This first year will be one of discovery and learning for Paolo Banchero, who will no doubt soon have the keys to the Orlando truck.

Average age: 23.6 years

Payroll: $ 141.9 million (23)

THE IDEAL SCENARIO

Like Evan Mobley or Scottie Barnes last season, Paolo Banchero is already ready to face the best players in the world and stand up to the toughness of the NBA calendar. With his talent, and because the team is at his service, he brings with him a homogeneous group. Jalen Suggs, also absent for most of his first year, Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac bring a lot and change the face of the team seen in 2021/22. Without forgetting a Franz Wagner who has acquired depth and confidence with the EuroBasket, or a Wendell Carter Jr. who confirms his progress.

Sometimes it creates a little confusion on offense and the defense isn’t always perfect, but this group is having fun and Jamahl Mosley finds a suitable formula, aided by the fact that his players avoid the infirmary. The young people learn from Gary Harris and Terrence Ross, who let them tell their experience, and in a short time they reach the milestone of twenty and thirty victories. With sometimes prestigious successes against large cars.

There are certainly no playoffs for the Magic, but the attractive and energetic face of the team was a pleasure to see, just like the Cavaliers in 2021/2022. We therefore look forward to the 2023/2024 season, especially if the low season is well negotiated with some weight reinforcements.

WORST SCENARIO

The uncertainties were great before the start of the season and, on the pitch, they turn into observations. After more than two years without playing, Jonathan Isaac can’t find his feelings. Markelle Fultz and Jalen Suggs are very erratic when they don’t get injured again for several weeks.

It is not ideal to surround a still tender Paolo Banchero, who does what he can, in front of the physical monsters that annoy him. Inevitably, the first pick of the Draft sometimes tries to do too much to compensate and ultimately, very clumsy and unfair, disappoints with his first steps in the league. Rebuilding is still overdue, while Gary Harris and Terrence Ross are running out of patience and want to leave the ship by February.

Between the limits of the group, a chronic 3-point embarrassment and injuries that deprive him of all his workforce, Jamahl Mosley has no solutions in stock and the Magic find themselves in a series of defeats, some of them very heavy. The coach is even threatened as the team continues to walk on water, two years after his arrival on the bench. From the heart of winter we understand that the management is already thinking about the 2023 Draft and the following season, because that of 2022/23 is soon forgotten.

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