Magic preseason primer: Revamped roster combines youth, experience
At the end of a season where the Orlando Magic lost more than 50 games for the second year in a row, general manager Rob Hennigan emphasized the need to revamp the team with a roster which was neither too young nor too old.
As it turns out, the edition of the Magic which begins training camp next week could be described as both.
Of the seven players remaining from Jacque Vaughn's second season as head coach, just one is as old as 25. Add in three rookies, including two of the top 10 picks in the draft, and there's no denying an ongoing emphasis on youth.
But all four free-agent acquisitions are either 31 or 33 and can provide a boost from 3-point range that their less experienced teammates more inclined to rely on their ability to finish around the rim ordinarily don't.
The Magic ranked in the bottom third of the NBA in 3-pointers made, as well as almost every team statistical category, on their way to finishing with a 23-59 record. Perhaps the two most jarring numbers were their 0-39 record in games where they were outrebounded and a franchise-worst 4-37 mark away from home, including losses in all but one of their last 27 road games.
The decision less than a month after the season ended to pick up the fourth-year options on Hennigan and Vaughn sent a message that the organization remains committed to both of them.
Doc Rivers -- like Vaughn, a point guard in the league for more than 10 years with no prior head coaching experience until being hired by the Magic -- failed to survive a 1-10 start in the fall of 2003. It's crucial for a team pinning its hopes largely on the continued maturation of 22-year-old Victor Oladipo to avoid stumbling out of the gate in a similar fashion.
KEY LOSSES
G Jameer Nelson (signed with Dallas), G Arron Afflalo (traded to Denver), G E'Twaun Moore (signed with Chicago), G Doron Lamb (signed with Dallas), G Ronnie Price (signed with Los Angeles Lakers), F Jason Maxiell (waived).
NEWCOMERS
F Channing Frye -- The 6-foot-11 veteran ranked sixth among all forwards last season in 3-point field goals made with 160. He might not be an All-Star like Kevin Durant, Kevin Love or Carmelo Anthony, but if he keeps stretching the floor as well as those guys can, the Magic will be delighted with their four-year, $32 million investment. Frye averaged 11.1 points and 5.1 rebounds while playing in all 82 games for the Phoenix Suns, who were not supposed to be a threat to make the playoffs but would up finishing well above .500. He comes highly recommended as a player and a person by Tobias Harris, who is also his first cousin, and former Magic forward Grant Hill.
G Ben Gordon -- A 20-point scorer in two of his five seasons with the Chicago Bulls earlier in his career, Gordon saw his productivity drop off with both Detroit and especially Charlotte. But he's a 40.2-percent 3-point shooter over 10 years, and with Nelson and Afflalo gone, the Magic desperately need a guard who can come through in the clutch. At $9 million over two years, he's a low financial risk who the Magic hope will become a high reward.
G Evan Fournier -- Quite a few heads were scratched when Afflalo, who averaged 20 points for the Magic over their first 50 games, was sent to the Nuggets for a 21-year-old who averaged around 20 minutes and eight points a game last season. But the 6-6 native of France is an intriguing prospect who can back up Oladipo and might even start alongside him. If Fournier can develop like many of their young players have done, the second-guessing of the trade will fade away.
G Luke Ridnour -- At 33, Ridnour will be counted on as a stabilizing presence more than anything. Like Price and Maxiell a year ago, his contract is for two years with the second being unguaranteed. Orlando is his fifth stop after previously playing in Seattle, Milwaukee, Minnesota and Charlotte. G Willie Green -- Another well-traveled veteran who the Magic are counting on to provide off-the-court intangibles. Green made 60 starts two years ago for the Los Angeles Clippers but averaged only 6.3 points a game that season.
ROOKIES
F Aaron Gordon -- Instead of guard Dante Exum from Australia or Marcus Smart from Oklahoma State, the Magic used the fourth pick in the draft to select someone who showed in one year at Arizona tremendous athleticism and an ability to play either forward position. Although Gordon doesn't come across as a primary scoring option, he won't be someone whose points will only come off putbacks and dunks off fast breaks. "I'm very comfortable with the basketball," he said during the Orlando Summer League in July. "I love coming off pick-and-rolls or off handoffs. But I need to master wherever they put me."
G Elfrid Payton -- After picking Gordon, the Magic swung a trade with Philadelphia to get a young point guard who they believe will pair nicely with Oladipo for years to come. Payton came off as every bit defensive-minded as Oladipo when the two took part in the summer league. "It's going to be fun playing with him," said Oladipo, whose 129 steals last season were the most by a Magic player since Darrell Armstrong more than a decade ago. "He plays at a high level, especially on the defensive end." Improving his outside shot would be nice, but not as much as having an acceptable assists-to-turnovers ratio.
G/F Devyn Marble --The chances of the 56th overall selection in the draft making an opening-night roster are slim. But Marble has the skills at both ends of the floor to overcome those odds. "Whatever coach Vaughn says he needs me to do when I come into the game, I'm going to focus on one or two aspects and excel at those," said Marble, who wound up his four-year career at Iowa as the fifth-leading scorer in school history.
BURNING QUESTIONS
Can center Nikola Vucevic become a more consistent shot-blocker?
With the rare exception of someone like Indiana's Roy Hibbert, it's not essential to have a dominating defensive presence in the middle to become a winner. Vucevic had only 47 blocks in 57 games during a season where he was slowed by a sprained left ankle, a concussion and a sore Achilles. Becoming more of a rim protector has taken on a greater priority for someone who is a month away from turning 24. Vucevic can continue being an effective pick-and-pop player on offense and still provide added muscle on defense. If not, it could open up more opportunities for the much-improved Kyle O'Quinn, who averaged two blocks a game in 19 starts.
How much will Gordon and Payton play?
Considering Oladipo came off the bench for the first 10 games of last season, it's tough to picture either rookie cracking the starting lineup right away. They should both be part of Vaughn's regular rotation, with Gordon's minutes bound to depend in part on how well he avoids foul trouble. Oladipo was one of only three rookies in the entire league to average more than 30 minutes a game, so barring injuries to other players at their respective positions, Gordon and Payton will likely start off in the range of 18-20 minutes and increase that to around 26-28 minutes. If at least one of them isn't starting by the final month of the season, it would be a disappointment.
Is this a make-or-break year for both Maurice Harkless and Andrew Nicholson?
The two rookies from the first season of the post-Dwight Howard era have had their growing pains. Harkless played better after the All-Star break, showing an improved touch from 3-point range and less of a reliance on his raw athleticism. As his minutes increased, so did his confidence. The same cannot be said for Nicholson, who averaged only 5.7 points and 3.4 rebounds in less than 16 minutes a game. With the arrival of Gordon and given the high regard in which the Magic hold Harris and O'Quinn, Nicholson's window of opportunity runs the risk of closing for good.
You can follow Ken Hornack on Twitter @HornackFSFla or email him at khornack32176@gmail.com.