201718trainingcampweek

Josh Cohen

The Magic will train at the Amway Center from Tuesday, Sept. 26 until Sunday, Oct. 1 before playing their first exhibition game in Memphis. OrlandoMagic.com’s Josh Cohen takes a look at hot topics throughout training camp.

This breaks down the Magic’s league ranking and average pre-trade and post-trade:

Total Rebounding
Pre-Trade: 22nd (42.7)
Post-Trade: 10th (44.3)

Free Throw Attempts
Pre-Trade: 28th (20.9)
Post-Trade: 13th (22.6)

Fast Break Points
Pre-Trade: 15th (13.3)
Post-Trade: 7th (16.0)

Points in Paint
Pre-Trade: 23rd (41.2)
Post-Trade: 13th (44.6)

Opponent Second Chance Points
Pre-Trade: 25th (13.6)
Post-Trade: 14th (12.8)

which-team-categories-did-the-magic-make-the-most-improvement-in-last-season-after-acquiring-terrence-ross

Which team categories did the Magic make the most improvement in last season after acquiring Terrence Ross?

Late last season, Frank Vogel experimented with Mario Hezonja at the four. More specifically this year, don’t be surprised if Vogel tries Hezonja as a “point-four.” Perhaps Hezonja’s most underrated and underappreciated qualities are his court vision and playmaking instincts. He’s an extremely good passer and in a small-ball league, the 6’8 Croatian could help incite the team’s offense when matched up against more methodical, slower-footed power forwards.

Also, this will be an exploratory season for rookie Jonathan Isaac, who has the kind of versatility that coaches adore. He will be tested at the three, four and five. At small forward, we will likely see how effective he is as a ball handler in pick-and-roll and if he has the footwork and adroitness to score in isolation.

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Which player will the coaches experiment with the most and in what way?

The two obvious candidates are Aaron Gordon and Jonathon Simmons, who both had tremendous success last season when they had to guard some of the league’s elite players (like James Harden, Paul George, Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook). Gordon’s size, length and athleticism stands out while ferocity and fury favor Simmons.

The two sleepers in this discussion are the two rookies, Jonathan Isaac and Wes Iwundu. Isaac has incredible anticipation and he really knows how to obstruct passing lanes with his long arms and strides. Iwundu, like Isaac, has terrific length and has the lateral foot speed to inhibit drives to the rim.

The Magic also signed Shelvin Mack because of his reputation as a feisty defender. Playing on top five defensive teams in Atlanta and Utah the last few years is a bonus as well.

who-will-be-the-magics-most-dependable-defender-this-season

Who will be the Magic’s most dependable defender this season?

What’s this team’s identity? The Magic want to play fast and be a smothering defensive team. The roster as currently constructed gives them a chance to accomplish both. Without an established superstar, however, it’s crucial for this squad to have extremely good continuity.

Has anyone gotten dramatically better? In most cases, it takes time for players to get warmed up and find their rhythm. Occasionally it’s obvious right away when a player has drastically improved.

What will some of the rotations look like? Coaches tend to experiment with a lot during the preseason. But, who subs in for who and which pairings gel may tell us a lot about the team’s depth chart.

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What are three things we might learn about during the preseason?

3-point shooting, no doubt. The Magic ranked 29th in the league in 3-point percentage (32.8%) and 25th in made threes (8.5 per game) last season. The good news was they weren’t reluctant to take them. Orlando attempted a shade over 26 3-pointers per game, which was the league average.

The Magic addressed their 3-point shooting woes by signing a reliable stretch five, Marreese Speights, and a solid spot-up long distance shooter, Arron Afflalo. Jonathan Isaac also has range and will help spread the floor.

Having Terrence Ross to start the year will benefit the Magic in this area. It’s critical for Aaron Gordon, Elfrid Payton and Mario Hezonja to each make progress with their long distance shooting and it would be a major plus if Nikola Vucevic became an even greater threat from deep.

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What’s the one team statistical category the Magic must improve in from last year?

Barring injury or someone unexpectedly looking dazzling in the preseason, Nikola Vucevic (C), Aaron Gordon (PF), Evan Fournier (SF/SG), Terrence Ross (SG/SF) and Elfrid Payton (PG) are the projected starters.

These five gelled together nicely towards the end of last season. Payton notched five triple-doubles and averaged 8.4 assists after the All-Star break. Gordon was outstanding when he switched to the four. Vucevic and Fournier were more efficient after the Serge Ibaka trade and Ross provided some much-needed outside shooting.

It wouldn’t be shocking, though, if Jonathan Isaac and/or Jonathon Simmons started some games throughout the year. Isaac’s versatility (can play the three, four or five) and Simmons’ toughness and passion could influence Frank Vogel to start either or both of them on certain nights.

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What’s the likely starting lineup on opening night?

Perhaps most importantly, they all bring toughness and leadership qualities. Most of them prioritize defense over offense.

Here’s a brief breakdown of each player:

Jonathon Simmons is a tenacious defender who has a knack for scoring in isolation.

Marreese Speights is a reliable stretch five and excellent in pick-and-pop situations.

Shelvin Mack is feisty, poised and strong (fights over screens well and is hard to back down in post).

Arron Afflalo is a good spot-up 3-point shooter and has a sweet step-back and fadeaway jumper.

Khem Birch is a terrific rim-runner and defensive enforcer. He has great anticipation and timing when he leaps to block a shot.

what-do-each-of-the-five-main-free-agent-newcomers-bring-to-the-table

What do each of the five main free agent newcomers bring to the table?

It’s rare for rookies to have a major impact right away. Considering he is so unpolished and unrefined, it just seems far-fetched to believe Isaac will be an exception to the norm.

Isaac has remarkable potential, which is why some thought he should have been a top three draft pick. He’s super long, athletic and versatile. He also has a terrific attitude and he’s a true gym rat.

Isaac just needs to show flashes in his first year. He needs to play with utmost confidence, composure and intensity. Here and there in 2017-18, we may see a double-double or a sporadic 20-point-plus performance. Isaac’s rookie stat line shouldn’t define how we evaluate him moving forward, however.

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What should we expect from Jonathan Isaac this season?

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Due to Tropical Storm Nicole, the NBA has announced that the Dallas Mavericks at Orlando Magic game on Wednesday, November 9 will tip-off at 5:30 PM. Amway Center doors open at 4:30 PM.