The Orlando Magic spent six years in the wilderness as they tried to rebuild following the trade of Dwight Howard.
Losing a superstar can be a devastating moment for any franchise. The team lost a player from its Mt. Rushmore in soul-crushing fashion. There was very little the team could get in return that would make up for this loss. They hoped the Lottery would deliver.
It did not. And mismanagement and poor coaching and development prevented the Magic from taking any significant step back into contention — even for the playoffs.
A general manager and six years later, the Magic were still trying to figure out who they wanted to be and the kind of team they would be.