Orlando Magic 2009-2010 Preview

By General
for NBA-Basketball.org

Published: October 6, 2009

Background of 2009-2010 Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic came close to creating magic last year – after years of first and second round exits in the NBA playoffs, they finally made it all the way back to the NBA finals as they had done during the golden years of Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway. What’s most surprising is that they defeated two powerhouses on the way, the previous champs Boston Celtics and the until then seemingly invincible Cleveland Cavaliers. One or two shots in the NBA finals going the other way could have changed the whole makeup of the Finals, and taken the Orlando Magic to the top.

But it wasn’t be, and with a young Superstar on the rise and a team that still had room to improve, you would have thought that General Manager Otis Smith would have been conservative. Well, he ended up trading away 3 of the 5 starting players. In exchange he got a player by the name of Vince Carter that is known by some of his fans as half-man half-amazing. The Magic will hope he plays at least up to half of his potential and they will be half satisfied. Besides Carter, the Magic have added Brandon Bass, Matt Barnes, Jason Williams, and Ryan Anderson all impressive players who should contribute to the Magic in the upcoming season.

Magic additions in 2010

Vince Carter

Brandon Bass

Matt Barnes

Jason Williams

Ryan Anderson

Magic departures in 2010

Hedo Turkoglu

Courtney Lee

Rafer Alston

Probably Starting Lineup for the 2009 2010 Magic

PG – Jameer Nelson
SG – Vince Carter
SF – Matt Barnes
PF – Rashard Lewis
C – Dwight Howard

Orlando Magic Guards

Last year the point guard position was a major headache and it will continue to be so as Jameer Nelson doesn’t really have a reliable backup. Anthony Johnson keeps on managing to stay in the NBA, and last year he showed exactly why he’s been a NBA backup point guard for a dozen years. Jason Williams has been missing from action ever since he appeared to be aging in a Miami Heat uniform, but the Orlando Magic playstyle could fit into his game quite well. Nailing open 3 pointers, alleyoops to Dwight Howard, and leading the fast breaks will make him feel right at home in his new home in Florida. The shooting guard position will be stacked for the Magic in 2010. Vince Carter will have a chance to redeem his career and perhaps get his first championship ring. Mickael Pietrus looked really impressive last year, especially in the playoffs where he stepped up and was the main spark off the bench both on offense and defense. JJ Redick will look to build on a solid season last year in which he gained some trust from his coach and converted on a good percentage of his 3 pointers. Courtney Lee was a great player and will definitely be missed in this young Magic side.

Orlando Magic Forwards

Hedo Turkoglu was the engine behind this team and it will be interesting to see how the Magic cope without him. Rashard Lewis will have another solid All-Star year and should get some breather in guarding large power forwards with the addition of Brandon Bass. Bass is a great player and the Magic will get all the banging,energy,hustle, and rebounds you can fit into a 6-9 frame. Matt Barnes was one of those quiet signings that could have a big impact in the Eastern Conference. After playing for the Warriors and the Suns, the Magic will be a great place for the underappreciated Barnes to continue his career.Ryan Anderson is a young player that will fit in well with the Orlando offense with his ability to shoot the 3 and run the floor.

Orlando Magic Centers

Dwight Howard hopefully has spent some time refining his post moves because defenses will see his patented spin move coming from a mile away this year. He also needs to keep improving his free throw percentage so that he doesn’t become a liability at the end of games. Without Turkoglu, it will be important for Dwight Howard to have more possesion of the ball at the end of games to create double teams and create shots for his teammates. Marcin Gortat, the polish hammer, was thisclose to signing with the Dallas Mavericks but he will be forced to spend another couple years behind D12. He did seem abit disappointed but he will keep playing hard and proving to be a reliable backup – which can be hard to find at center position.

Best Case Scenario for the Orlando Magic

The Magic were awefully close to winning the championship last year and in 2010, if Vince Carter plays to his ability they can claim to be true contenders. If Dwight Howard becomes a true finisher and the new pieces blend well, they can finally create real magic and get that all elusive title.

Worst Case Scenario for the Orlando Magic

Otis Smith might have undervalued the importance of Hedo Turkoglu in this Orlando Team. If Vince Carter decides to average 25 points per night and not continue to build on what was working in Orlando, the Magic might self destruct. We already know that Dwight Howard is a couple bad losses away from throwing his coach under the bus. There’s alot of new players in this team and established powerhouses like the Cavaliers and the Celtics are better built for a championship run and at full strengh look more like contenders to knock off the defending champs.

Magic 2010 Outlook

Vince Carter is much like his cousin Tracy McGrady, and his tenure in Orlando shouldn’t be all that different. The Orlando Magic will have another solid season posting big win numbers, but the seasoned and tougher Cavalier and Boston teams will be better built for a playoff series and the Magic will lose to whichever of those teams it faces in the playoffs.

Orlando Magic 2010 Predictions

Record: 61-21

Surprise Player: Brandon Bass as candidate for 6th man of the year

Key Player: Vince Carter and his ability to lead a team to a championship

That wraps up the Orlando Magic 2009-2010 season preview and our detailed look at the Magic in the 2010 NBA season.

Author:General

General has written 32 articles for us.

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