The Orlando Magic have enjoyed a relatively productive offseason thus far, headlined by their first overall selection in the 2022 NBA Draft, Paolo Banchero. This team needed a star and the former Duke standout profiles to be just that as the Magic look to get back into contention in the very near future. They also managed to retain a couple of key pieces in free agency in Mo Bamba and Gary Harris.
Here are full grades for the Magic's offseason.
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Grades for Magic offseason
Draft
Orlando isn't exactly the most appealing destination for players therefore the Magic have typically tried to build through the draft in recent years. With the first pick in June, the organization actually shocked a lot of the NBA world by taking Banchero after lots of speculation that Jabari Smith Jr would be the top selection. It was absolutely the right decision, though.
Banchero is arguably the most NBA-ready player in this class after a terrific lone season at Duke where he led them to the Final Four in New Orleans. His physicality, smarts for the game, and versatile skill set should be an immediate hit at the professional level. We already got a glimpse into what Banchero brings to the table in the Summer League in Vegas too where he averaged 20 points, six assists, and five rebounds in two games. The Magic shut him down after that to give more opportunities to other young players. Clearly, they saw enough from Banchero.
This is a player who will be a game-changer for Orlando. Right now, Steve Clifford's squad doesn't have that go-to guy who can take the rock and get a bucket in crunch time. Banchero could be just that. He's a great interior scorer but can also shoot it well from deep. He also shouldn't have any problem banging with NBA bodies inside because of his solid frame.
With their other pick in the draft, the Magic nabbed Caleb Houstan in the second round out of Michigan. The Canadian shooting guard averaged 10.1 points per night with the Wolverines and while he's not the most athletic, Houstan does have a decent shooting stroke, draining 36% of his triples last season and almost 40% of his field goals. Certainly more of a bench piece than anything else for the Magic but definitely adds more depth to the backcourt.
Because of the Banchero pick, it's hard to not give the Magic a B+ here.
Grade: Magic B+
Free Agency
Again, Orlando isn't a place where free agents are dying to play. That's why it's not exactly surprising to see no new talent come to the Magic this summer through free agency. Instead, the franchise managed to bring back big man Mo Bamba on a two-year, $21 million deal. The former Texas standout was attracting interest from a number of teams but after a phenomenal 2021-22 season, the Magic had to pounce.
Bamba put up career-highs across the board of 10.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in 71 games played, starting 69. He stayed very healthy for once and was a consistent option for Orlando. After being taken sixth overall in 2018, remaining on the floor became a problem for Bamba due to injuries. But after seeing him take a significant step in production, the Magic made the smart decision to keep Bamba. If he remains injury-free, the Harlem native could be even better in 2022-23.
Harris was an important signing for Orlando, running it back with him on a two-year, $26 million extension. He's one of the few veterans left on this roster, posting averages of 11.1 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.0 steals while shooting 38% from deep and 43% from the field last season in his first full season with the Magic. Having players with experience around such a young roster is absolutely integral and that's what Harris brings to the table while offering a scoring punch in both the first and second unit.
Bol Bol is another player the Magic re-signed. The former second round pick didn't play for the team last season because of injuries but featured in 14 games with the Nuggets, averaging a measly 2.4 points and 1.4 rebounds. Bol has dealt with health problems since coming into the league in 2020 but he does give Orlando another big body in their frontcourt (7'2″) and could be a decent shot-blocker.
All in all, the Magic can be happy with their free agency moves.
Grade: B
Recap
The Magic have only made the playoffs twice in the last 10 seasons and finished with a 22-60 record in 2021-22. With Jalen Suggs, Cole Anthony, Franz Wagner, and now Paolo Banchero, they have a promising young core to lead them into the future. Banchero will undoubtedly make an impact and you can expect the other youngsters to take a step as well.
Orlando should be happy with their offseason.
Final Grade: B
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