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The Orlando Magic entered the 2020-21 NBA season with hopes of making a playoff push in the Eastern Conference. Things didn't go as planned for the team and they ultimately dealt their one All-Star, big man Nikola Vucevic, to the Chicago Bulls at the trade deadline.
The move made a ton of sense from day one but many were still surprised to see the Magic finally pull the trigger on rebuilding. Now that the season has ended and the Magic hold the fifth and eighth overall picks in the 2021 NBA Draft, we can look back at exactly what went wrong for Orlando during the 2020-21 NBA season.
#5 The Orlando Magic couldn't stay healthy during the 2020-21 NBA season
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The Orlando Magic entered the season knowing they would be without wing Jonathan Isaac for the entire year. It was a poor starting point, without a doubt. Still, things were about to get even worse for the franchise.
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Markelle Fultz played in just eight games before losing his season to injury. He was the starting point guard, but the team still had 2020 first-round pick Cole Anthony to slot into the starting five.
Anthony ultimately fell victim to injury, too. He played in 47 games during his rookie year by season's end. That number was the third-most games on the team, proving how crippled they were by injuries over the entire season.
Only Dwayne Bacon played in all 72 games for the Magic during the 2020-21 NBA season. The next most games played was 48, played by big man Khem Birch.
The Magic weren't doomed from the start, but it wasn't long before they faced an uphill battle thanks to injuries.
#4 The Orlando Magic didn't get a third-year jump from Mo Bamba
Although he entered the season playing behind an All-Star center, Mo Bamba failed to make the kind of leap the Orlando Magic were hoping for in his third NBA season. That continued to be true after Vucevic was dealt, so saying the proven big man was in Bamba's way would be incorrect.
Bamba was selected sixth overall in the 2018 NBA Draft for his upside and physical tools. After three seasons, he has failed to put those tools together to make the kind of impact the Orlando Magic have been hoping for from him.
He recorded a career-high in double-doubles, though that number is just four. He now has seven in his NBA career.
Bamba is still only 23-years-old but there is reason for concern regarding his development. If the Magic could have gotten more from him they would have found much more success in the 2020-21 NBA season.
#3 Point Guard woes continued for the Orlando Magic
As mentioned in the injury discussion, the Orlando Magic caught the injury bug in a number of areas on their depth chart. Most brutally, though, was their bad luck at point guard.
The PG group entered the season as Orlando's biggest question mark and it didn't take long for them to become the team's greatest weakness. It was another year of unresolved point guard play and that prevented the Magic from ever getting on track during the 2020-21 NBA season.
Fultz averaged the most assists per game, but again, he only played in eight games. 5.4 assists per game should not lead the group, though. In order to become a better team, the Magic will need to get much better production from their point guard position.
#2 The Orlando Magic failed to find an offensive identity
You'll notice a trend with some of the things that went wrong for the Magic. One thing often plays into another and vice versa.
That was the case for the Magic and their lack of point guard production, which played a part in them never finding an offensive identity over the course of the season. They ranked second to last in the entire league in terms of points scored per game.
They averaged 107.3 points per game during the 2019-20 season but that dropped to 104 points per game this past year.
The team ranked among the worst teams in the league in all offensive categories and it's no wonder they struggled so mightily when looking over their offensive production.
#1 The Orlando Magic entered the 2020-21 NBA season with unrealistic expectations
The final thing that went wrong for the Orlando Magic wasn't necessarily their own fault. They had expectations that were never going to be met this season based off their prior season and where they finished.
After cracking the Eastern Conference playoffs during the 2019-20 campaign, the Magic were expected by most to compete for that seed once again. It was far too high of expectations when considering the changes they made against the changes some of their rivals made.
The Atlanta Hawks not only have a rising star in Trae Young, they also added a number of players in free agency. The New York Knicks made some solid moves to add to their roster while also bringing in a proven winner as their head coach.
The Washington Wizards joined those two teams in getting better by adding Russell Westbrook to their already lethal backcourt that features Bradley Beal.
The Magic never had a chance with the lack of improvements they made entering the 2020-21 NBA season. Now they will look to rejuvenate the franchise with a big offseason.
Orlando Magic Nation! You can check out the latest Orlando Magic Schedule and dive into the Magic Depth Chart for NBA Season 2024-25.
