It seems like it’s been forever since the Orlando Magic were a contending team. Ever since Dwight Howard left, they haven’t been a legit threat in the Eastern Conference, even though they’ve been a playoff team more often than not lately.
The Magic have been looking for a star for quite some time now but have run out of luck. Then again, they’ve nice put together a nice, promising, up-and-coming team that might as well surprise most people if things finally go their way this year.
It’ll be easier said than done, but the Magic can go back to the playoffs this year and hopefully, pave the way for a winning project going forward. For now, we’re going to let you know about their projected starting lineup for the 2020-21 season.
Bench: Michael Carter-Williams, Cole Anthony, Jordan Bone, Terrence Ross, James Ennis, Melvin Frazier, Al-Farouq Aminu, Gary Clark, Chuma Okeke, Jonathan Isaac, Mo Bamba, Khem Birch
Point Guard: Markelle Fultz
It seems like a yearly tradition now but it seems like Markelle Fultz is finally back. He’s reportedly getting his shooting stroke back, and we’ve seen him vastly improve since the Orlando Magic acquired him in a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers.
If the Orlando Magic can get half the player Fultz was during his days in college, they’ll be dangerous. He was the first-overall pick for a reason, and he’s still pretty young, so we shouldn’t sleep on him so early in his career. Hopefully, he’ll turn the narrative around once and for all.
Shooting Guard: Evan Fournier
It’s always seemed as if Evan Fournier would be better off playing for a contending team. Truth be told, he’s already outgrown the Orlando Magic, and even if he’s not exactly a superstar, he’s talented enough to help a contender coming off the bench.
Fournier can run the point or play off the ball. He can play and defend point guard, shooting guard, and even some small forward. He’s also a streaky shooter that can efficiently score from all three levels, so keeping him on board is huge for Orlando.
Small Forward: Dwayne Bacon
We know for a fact that Dwayne Bacon is going to start the year as the Orlando Magic’s starting small forward but whether he’ll end the year on that spot is yet to be seen, as he’ll draw plenty of competition from his teammate on the bench.
Bacon isn’t the top-notch defender Jonathan Isaac is but he’s still expected to be this team’s best defender right out of the gate. He’s strong, fast, athletic, and can guard multiple positions, but his offense is still a work in progress, to say the least.
Power Forward: Aaron Gordon
It’s pretty safe to state that Aaron Gordon never turned out to be the superstar we all thought he’d be but that doesn’t mean he’s not a very good player. He’s one of the most athletic guys in the league and you know he can jump through the roof.
Gordon is strong, savvy, and his footwork, ball-handling, and playmaking have improved a lot over the years. He’s now a more efficient three-point shooter as well, but a guy his size and in his position should be able to be more of a dominant rebounder.
Center: Nikola Vucevic
Most Orlando Magic fans were looking forward to the moment when they got rid of Nikola Vucevic to unleash Mo Bamba. Fast-forward to today, and Vucevic is one of the best scoring bigs in the NBA and Bamba is yet to prove that he’s worthy of a spot in the rotation.
Vucevic is a walking double-double and one of the most unstoppable scorers in the post. He can score in bunches and even added the three-point shot to his repertoire, which is why they just couldn’t afford to let him go in favor of an unproven young player.
Next
The 2020-21 Projected Starting Lineup For The Boston Celtics
The 2020-21 Projected Starting Lineup For The Brooklyn Nets
The 2020-21 Projected Starting Lineup For The Golden State Warriors
The 2020-21 Projected Starting Lineup For The Los Angeles Clippers
The 2020-21 Projected Starting Lineup For The Los Angeles Lakers
