Lineup defects are urgently needed to be adjusted! Chasing Garland is the best choice for the Magic?

Sports Weekly All-Media Reporter Li Hui

The Orlando Magic have made it into the playoffs in the past two seasons. The last time they made it into the playoffs for two consecutive seasons, it can be traced back to 2018-2020. However, like the last time we entered the playoffs in a row, the Magic have stopped in the first round in the past two seasons. The last time the team won the series in the playoffs was already in the 2009-2010 season, and their core was Dwight Howard.

Therefore, although the Magic team has improved its competitiveness, they still do not have the ability to compete for the championship in the East, and the team's lineup undoubtedly needs further upgrades. The Magic have a very excellent forward configuration. Their core Ban Keiro is basically worthy of the No. 1 pick after entering the league. In the five games against the Celtics this season, Ban Keiro can average 29.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Another forward core of the team, Wagner, also performed well. He can average 25.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game this year's playoffs, but apart from them, the Magic have no players who can make a difference this year, and the team's lineup is very serious.

To some extent, Jaylen Sages' competitiveness declined due to injury season reimbursement, but the Magic's lack of position in the backcourt and center is still an indisputable fact. The team now hopes to adjust the lineup this offseason.

According to famous journalist Kevin O'Connor, the Magic are willing to package Isaac and Cole Anthony and two future first-round picks in their hands in order to seek trading opportunities to improve the rotation.

Isaac was once a talented newbie, but due to injury, he never fulfilled his expectations. Anthony was once regarded as the number one offensive player in the Magic backcourt, but on the playoff stage, he could not help the team, so both of them have a high possibility of being traded. However, if the Magic want to improve their lineup qualitatively, it is undoubtedly not enough to just send these two people away. The problem of light at both ends of this team's lineup is very serious. The biggest problem is that they lack particularly outstanding backcourt offensive players and the entire team lacks stable three-point shooting.

Cavaliers player Daruth Garland, who was caught in trading rumors during the offseason, undoubtedly meets the needs of this Magic team. Interestingly, the Cavaliers also intend to send Garland away to strengthen the forward line this offseason. From this perspective, the possibility of the two teams making a deal is not low, but according to NBA reporter Jack Fisher, the Cavaliers and the Magic have not had substantial conversations about Garland's deal, and the Cavaliers are not interested in helping the Magic improve their lineup, because from the perspective of trading, the players the Cavaliers can get from the Magic are far less than the Garland they sent out. Once the Magic solves the problems of backcourt offense and organizational shortcomings, the Cavaliers may be suppressed by the Magic in the future.

In any case, for the Magic, finding a real offensive organizer, liberating the organizational pressure of the two major fronts, Ban Keiro and Wagner Jr., is their top priority this offseason.