For former Orlando Magic guard Jameer Nelson, the current team needs more depth in the backcourt to be able to contend in the postseason.
Nelson, who played his first 10 seasons with the Magic, looked at the team's current crop of players, especially the backcourt. He's confident that veteran point guard D.J. Augustin is well-capable of leading the team. However, if the Magic are serious about winning, the 35-year-old believes that they should add a decent backup point guard and more veterans for leadership. Per Josh Robbins of The Athletic:
“The point guard position. D.J. (Augustin) is a great point guard and he can carry the load, but you need more there. You need more, I think, at the two-guard spot as well. All of those guys are good enough players to be in the NBA, but are they good enough to carry your team? D.J. is a guy who’s overcome a lot throughout his career, so if I had to bet on him, I would. But the one thing is I think they need more, especially in the playoffs, out of guys like (Evan) Fournier and guys off the bench. They don’t have a lot of veteran leadership, but they have a lot of young talent. So they can maybe incorporate that and have somebody lead that way.”
Last season, the Magic made the playoffs for the first time since the 2011-12 season. They raised some eyebrows when they beat the Toronto Raptors in the first game. Though they succumbed to the eventual champions in five games, the 2018-19 season was a clear indication the Magic are treading the right path. And as they prepare for the 2019-20 season with a goal of making it deeper into the playoffs, they may need to heed Nelson's advice.
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