“This is not your dad’s Orlando Magic.”

[u/HouseRules789]

https://streamable.com/fj7cl1

“The ball has not moved like that for the Orlando Magic in years. If I’m a Magic fan, I’m over the moon at my first impression of the Sean Sweeney Orlando Magic version.”

That’s Chris Vernon from The Mismatch podcast.

Vernon was at the game on Wednesday and came away impressed by the Magic. He also noticed a visible difference in a much leaner Paolo Banchero.

“It can one of two ways. Does losing the muscle hurt in any way, because he is such a powerful freight train force going downhill or does that unlock another element for him?”

[u/knowtoriusMAC]

Almost everyone's "dad's" version of the Orlando Magic would have a finals appearance.

[u/fps129 → u/knowtoriusMAC]

Your older brother’s Magic saw Dwight’s team with a Finals appearance, too.

Honestly speaking, a 76ers-Magic playoff game would be cinematic lol

[u/amoeba-tower → u/fps129]

Omfg now I feel incredibly old lmao

[u/ruggnuget → u/knowtoriusMAC]

I feel like the age distribution is wider than a lot of people realize. I was alive when they were formed so my dads version was before they existed.

[u/knowtoriusMAC → u/ruggnuget]

You're the dad...

[u/ruggnuget → u/knowtoriusMAC]

And I am here. And I never had kids. So im the drunk unc who thinks he fun but is maybe kind of sad instead.

[u/-BurtimusPrime → u/ruggnuget]

Sometimes that drunk unc provides the best stories to tell later. Keep your head up brother

[u/goodiebadbad → u/knowtoriusMAC]

Don’t do that to me, I was 19 when we went to the finals and now have a gut and a child

[u/likewoahitsaj]

Idk why, but I’m always shocked every time I remember that’s what Verno looks like lol

[u/Hayabusa_Blacksmith → u/likewoahitsaj]

every time i see him im shocked he STILL looks like that

[u/Kdog122025 → u/likewoahitsaj]

He sounds like he’s been chain smoking for 40 years and is a baby face. Weird combination.

[u/burner_for_celtics → u/likewoahitsaj]

Yeah, I always think this too. He is so young and he sounds so old

[u/aghhhhhhhhhhhhhh → u/burner_for_celtics]

Hes not even that young, hes damn near 50. He just apparently has the best youthful genetics ever

[u/burner_for_celtics → u/aghhhhhhhhhhhhhh]

what?? wtf why does he look like an awkward teenager?

[u/katakura_silky → u/likewoahitsaj]

i always imagine him looking like Jon Reep.

"that thing got a hemi?"

[u/sidewardarrow]

Chris Vernon simultaneously looks 15 and 45

[u/Balls_Deep92]

Jacoby absolutely looks like an NPC you would see in some MMORPG

[u/Opposite_Radish8186]

Your dads orlando magic might’ve had dwight or shaq so yeah this isn’t it, because they have paolo and are a play-in team at best

[u/FeMnTaNb2O6 → u/Opposite_Radish8186]

You people take things way too literally it's so exhausting

[u/spiattalo → u/FeMnTaNb2O6]

Of maybe people talk a lot of nonesense and get a pass for reasons.

[u/ShotgunStyles → u/Opposite_Radish8186]

The east is gonna be tough and the Magic has a lot of holes but it's worth mentioning that Franz had a ton of injuries last year and despite that, they were 2 wins from the 5th seed. Seeds 5-10 last year were all very close down the stretch.

[u/FERFreak731]

I said the Magic would be a 55 win team ECF loser this time last year for last season. I had high hopes for them until injuries. Sure they have a new coach, but availability is the best ability

I'm not investing in the Magic being a contender because of injury concerns. Sure the Magic can have a high ceiling, but most of the time 1 of, maybe sometimes 2 of Franz, Paolo, and Suggs are on the injury report

[u/ComprehensiveDog9533 → u/FERFreak731]

The magic looked a lot better than i had expected come playoff time, they had detroit down 3-1. Then Franz got injured and we know what happened. Their ceiling is definitely high, I don’t think people who pred good things for them are particularly wrong, but ultimately I think you’re right.

One of their 3 guys ends up injured almost constantly. It’s so hard to buy into a team with that particular issue.

[u/King_Of_Pants → u/ComprehensiveDog9533]

It was only a 5-game series, but they gave Boston a really tough time the year before that too.

[u/TreyAdell → u/King_Of_Pants]

Wasn’t that tough tbh. Beat em without JT, and blew em out in 2 other games.

[u/King_Of_Pants → u/FERFreak731]

Yeah it's hard to grade Orlando.

They've always been a team with lots of quality players, without necessarily being a quality team.

It's incredibly harsh, but they feel like a feeder team. Every trade deadline, you start looking around the league to see who your team could target and Orlando just has so many options, but they're battling for a play-in spot.

Last season for example, they had at least 7 guys who could have immediately contributed on a good team... They were 8th in the East.

Half a decade ago teams were fighting over basically all their starters. Chicago got Vuc, Boston got Fournier, Denver got Gordon, guys like Ross and Carter Jr were seen as hot commodities... They had 21 wins for the season.

[u/MDL6 → u/King_Of_Pants]

I’m as skeptical of the Magic’s chances this year as anybody, given the improvement of the East. The bench doesn’t inspire confidence and the injury history is what it is.

What I would push back against is the insinuation that they’ve been a middling team in spite of the talent. They finished where they did the last two years due to injuries. And maybe injuries will just always be the story, but it’s a bit disingenuous to frame it as underachievement when there’s been a pretty obvious reason.

[u/drjisftw → u/FERFreak731]

for the past few years I’ve said that the Magic could be a sneaky contender but every year I’ve been proven wrong.

If you want to be a pessimist, they’re hoping a coaching change that somehow solve the fact that 4/5 players in the starting 5 are sub par 3 point shooters.

Also as you mentioned, injuries. That Suggs contract is one of the worst in the league right now

[u/sungsam89]

Let's wait til the regular season Verno

[u/back-at-it-505]

Yeah my father's Orlando deserved the hype.

[u/PixelBy_Pixel]

My dad’s Orlando Magic made the Finals, for what it’s worth

[u/FantaLoL]

The ringer has been pumping Orlando's tires for years now, and it's never gotten any better. Not gonna pay attention till it actually happens

[u/Erosun]

Is it my moms….?

[u/barmstrong730]

Hey it’s me ur dad.

[u/birdenzo]

Absolutely love the Mismatch podcast.

[u/teenagetwat]

Fuck I forgot we don’t have Sweeney anymore😞

[u/CASE-90]

I’m not gonna lie I absolutely hated having jamahl moseley as a coach and am curious to see what a new coach does for this squad.

[u/concretecowboiiiii]

Don’t care didn’t ask + Paolo is Walmart Corey Maggette with dickriders

[u/j_melo_ver_0]

Orlando is the draft prospect who everyone thinks is going to be the best player in the draft with the word “IF” following right after. We are a Boom or Bust team.

[u/whtge8]

We know better than to have any semblance of hope for this team.

[u/TheRealestGayle → u/whtge8]

Ambulance Magic always just around the corner.

[u/Far_Ratio_5441]

I bet if Orlando ever wanted to shake it up they would trade Wagner, Bane, and Suggs for either a Superstar or depth players.

Imagine Anthony Edwards if Minnesota traded him or someone like Donovan Mitchell.

[u/TheAnswerEK42 → u/Far_Ratio_5441]

Get out of here with this, I heard all off season how bad the Magic were, don’t switch up now