Orlando Magic Blog

The Orlando Magic franchise began in 1989. The team name came from a contest that was held by the Orlando Sentinel for people to submit their choices. Magic ended up being the winner.

The Magic were one of four clubs awarded a team during this expansion period. The others were the Miami Heat, Charlotte Hornets, and the Minnesota Timberwovles.

The Magic's first head coach (and current Sun Sports commentator for Magic Games) Matt Guokas.

The Magic selected Nick Anderson from Illinois as their first ever draft pick as a franchise. The team through the 1989 expansion draft had fielded players such as: Reggie Theus, Scott Skiles, Terry Catledge, Sam Vincent, Otis Smith (current General Manager of Magic), and Jerry Reynolds.

In 1992 the Orlando Magic drafted Shaquille O'Neal out of Louisiana State University with the first overall pick. The Magic compiled a 41-41 record that season but the Magic just missed the playoffs due to a tie-breaker with the Indiana Pacers who owned the same record.

Despite having only one ball available for the draft lottery the next season the Magic struck gold when they were awarded the number one pick for the second consecutive season. With the selection the Magic drafted Chris Webber, only to trade him to the Golden State Warriors for the 3rd pick in the draft, and three future first-round picks. With the 3rd pick the Magic selected Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway from Memphis State (at the time, now it's Memphis).

Unfortunately, the Pacers did the Magic in again the following season. Despite winning a franchise record 50 games that season, and a 4th seed in the Eastern Conference, they lost 3 games to 0 in the first round of the playoffs.

In the 1994-95 season, the Magic added a much needed power forward presence in Horace Grant from the Chicago Bulls. The Magic had a 57-25 record, best in the Eastern Conference. The Magic went the distance and went to the NBA Finals, losing to the Houston Rockets 4 games to 0.

The 1995-96 season the Magic exploded the competition, finishing with a 60-22 record. Despite their great record, they were seeded #2, behind arguably the best team ever in the Chicago Bulls, who had a 72-10 record and still stands as the best record of all-time in the NBA.

The Magic lost to the Bulls 4-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals, as the Bulls went ahead and won the NBA title that season.

After the 1995-96 season, in what is one of the greatest losses in franchise history, it came off the basketball court. Shaquille O'Neal left as a free agent and went to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Magic were now Penny Hardaway's team.

The 1996-97 team saw some changes. During the course of the season, and under player displeasure in the team, the Magic fired coach Brian Hill and named Richie Adubato as interim coach for the rest of the season. The Magic compiled a 45-37 record but ended up losing to the Miami Heat in 5 games in the playoffs, taking the Heat the distance despite them being the top seed in the East.

The Magic hired hall of fame coach (and coach of the original Dream Team) Chuck Daly in 1997-98. However, slowed down by injuries during the season the Magic had a 41-41 record and was left out of the playoffs.

In 1998-99 the Magic drafted Michael Doleac from Utah and Matt Harpring from Georgia Tech to build a young, strong core of players to complement Penny Hardaway and Nick Anderson. They tied the Miami Heat during a shortened season due to a lock-out. The Magic were upset in the playoffs by the lowered seeded Philadelphia 76ers 3-1.

The year 2000 marked a new era for the Magic. They were grossly under the salary cap and had millions to throw away to possibly land the likes of Tim Ducan, Grant Hill, and Tracy McGrady. Despite their efforts in landing a franchise center and future hall of famer in Tim Ducan, the Magic got both Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady in free agency.

This marked what seemed to be a very positive future for the Magic who had seen their last hope of a championship caliber team disappear when they lost Shaq back in 1996.

With the addition of Mike Miller from the University of Florida, this team seemed to be going in the right direction.

Unforunately, Grant Hill was injury plagued the whole season, which allowed McGrady to become a star. They finished with a 43-39 record but their season ended in the playoffs with a first-round loss to the Milwaukee Bucks 3 games to 1.

In 2001-02 season, it was pretty much the same story as Grant Hill was limited to injuries once again and it was up to McGrady to lead the Magic. The Magic finished with a 44-38 but lost in the first round again, this time to the Baron Davis led Charlotte Hornets (who are now the New Orlean Hornets).

The 2002-03 season showcased some new faces such as Gordan Giricek, Drew Gooden, while losing Mike Miller in a trade in some much needed front court help. McGrady once again led the Magic to a 42-40 record, and led the NBA in scoring at 32.1 ppg. In the first round of the playoffs, the Magic were up 3 games to 1 against the Detroit Pistons, and it finally seemed the Magic and McGrady were finally going to get passed the first round. But as fate would have it, that wouldn't happen. The Detroit Pistons made a comeback and won the series 4-3. In what would be one of the most disappointing collaspes in franchise history.

The hangover from the collapse the previous season carried to 2003-04 over as the Orlando Magic finished 21-61, and having the worst record in the NBA.

A new beginning, in 2004-05 saw the Orlando Magic go another direction, in trading Tracy McGrady to the Houston Rockets for Steve Francis, Kelvin Cato, and Cuttino Mobley. The Magic then signed free agent Hedo Turkoglu. And what is the biggest prize of them all, the Magic drafted with the first pick in the draft, Dwight Howard out of high school from Atlanta. The Magic also traded to get point guard Jameer Nelson from Saint Joseph's.

The 2004-05 season was a bit up and down. The biggest surprise was the return of Grant Hill. After being almost non-existent, HIll actually played during the course of the season. Grant Hill was named an all-star starter for his performance. But despite these positives, the inconsisent play at point guard by Steve Francis and overall young team, the Magic went 36-46 and did not make the playoffs.

The 2005-06 team had high aspirations despite getting shunned by first round selection Fran Vazquez who decided to stay in Spain despite the Magic selecting him with the 11th pick in the 2005 NBA Draft. But then, injuries persued. Grant Hill had a sports hernia, was never consistent the rest of the season. The Magic then went ahead and traded troubled point guard Steve Francis. The Magic did aquire Darko Milicic who was the 2nd overall pick selection by the Pistons in the 2004 NBA draft but never reached his potential. Unfortunately, the Magic wouldn't make the playoffs this year despite some positives moves in which they also received Trevor Ariza.

During the 2006-07 season, the Magic selected Duke shooting guard J.J. Redick with the 11th pick. Injuires once again plagued the season, but the lone bright spot was the play of Dwight Howard in his 3rd NBA season. He was selected to his first all-star game. The Magic had made the playoffs for the first time since the 03 season by becoming the 8th seed. But once again, as in previous years when they made the playoffs, they were swept by the Detroit Pistons.

The start of the 2007 season saw some strange things occur. The first was the head coach position. Billy Donovan, head basketball coach of the University of Florida, was named the new Magic head coach, agreeing to a 5 year $27.5 million deal. Donovan was fresh off a back-to-back NCAA championship run with the Florida Gators. Donovan later had second thoughs and recinded the offer and was released by the Orlando Magic in-turn signed a no-compete clause to not return to the NBA for 5 season.

The Magic then hired former Miami Heat head coach Stan Van Gundy to a 4 year, $16 million deal.

Also in 2007, the Magic signed in a sign and trade deal for Rashard Lewis from the Seattle Supersonics (now the Oklahoma Thunder) for a reported 6 year deal worth $110 million.

With these changes and direction, the Magic went ahead and finished the season 52-20. They won the first round series with the Chris Bosh led Toronto Raptors, 4 games to 1. But once again the nemisis that is the Detroit Pistons defeated the Magic once again 4 games to 1 and the Magic were out of the playoffs once again.

A great year in 2008-09 season. The Orlando Magic started the season on fire, going 33-8 during their first 41 games. Despite starting point guard Jameer Nelson going down to a shoulder injury, the Magic were able to work a deal to receive Houston Rockets point guard Rafer 'skip to my lou' Alston. The Magic finished the season with a 59-23 record, and it was the most victories by the club since the 1995-96 season that the Magic wen to the NBA Finals.

The Magic coasted through the first round of the playoffs defeating the 76ers in 6 games, despite Howard not playing the series deciding game. They were in a hard fought battle with the defending champs, the Boston Celtics, without their star power foward/center Kevin Garnett, and ended up winning the series in 7 games. But perhaps the biggest upsets of them all, they defeated the Lebron James led Cleveland Cavaliers, who had the best record in the NBA during the course of the regular season, in 6 games. The height and sharp shooting of the Orlando Magic posed to be too much for King James and the Cavs, as they were expected to go on to the NBA finals and play the L.A. Lakers in what was supposed to be a Lebron vs. Kobe matchup.

During the 2008-09 NBA Finals, the Lakers proved to be a tough match-up for the Magic. They matched the Magic's strength in Howard, with centers of their own in Bynam and Pau Gasol. And the backcourt was a lot bigger in size with Kobe and Ariza playing tough defense on the Magic's shooting guards/fowards in Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu. The Magic lost in 5 games to the Lakers.