Jeff Weltman Vows To Keep Magic Core Intact Despite First-Round Collapse

I don't want to tear this thing down and dismantle it because of the way it ended and certainly one half. Wagner, limited to 34 games during the regular season, suffered a strained right calf in Game 4 against the Pistons. Orlando lost all three remaining games after his exit, including surrendering a 24-point third-quarter lead in Game 6. Had we stayed healthy, I'd like to imagine where we would have gone in this series and beyond, Weltman said. I don't see any reason why we couldn't have competed against anyone else in the East if we could compete against the No. 1 team like that. Weltman acknowledged the collapse will shape how the organization evaluates the offseason but stressed that injuries, not roster construction, drove the outcome. It's very frustrating, Weltman said. But it's also very encouraging because whenever they are together, they have been elite. Orlando traded four unprotected first-round picks, a swap, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony last offseason to acquire Desmond Bane. Weltman's comments suggest that investment remains the foundation of the team's path forward. The Magic are searching for a new head coach to replace Jamahl Mosley.