Despite the Orlando Magic becoming a better and deeper squad this offseason, a playoff push in 
the 2014-15 campaign still seems a step too far, even in the weaker Eastern Conference.
GM Rob Hennigan has done a good job of moving on from Dwight Howard, creating a manageable payroll and rebuilding the Magic with young, exciting and athletic players. Orlando has 10 players on their rookie contracts, several of whom have already established themselves as legitimate NBA players.
For now, those players have to develop chemistry with each other. They will pick up unexpected wins while also suffering their fair share of losses. Here are five things to watch for from the Magic this season.
1. The Emergence Of Victor Oladipo. Despite only coming into the league last season, Oladipo had a memorable campaign. If not for the better all-around play of Michael Carter-Williams, the former Indiana shooting guard would have 
taken home Rookie of the Year honors.
The Magic have said from day one that they believe Oladipo can lead them back to the playoffs, and the former No. 2 overall pick will return for year two with more confidence to go with his explosiveness. Already a defensive terrier, he will make even more of a difference on that end of the court this season. Playing his preferred shooting guard role, an uptick in points isn’t just a possibility, it’s a given as he becomes the leader of this franchise.
2. Will coach Jacque Vaughn last the season? It’s no secret that Vaughn’s tenure as coach has generated a divided opinion amongst Magic fans. Although expectations have been low around this team since he took the reins, this will be the first season that fans expect the team to be competitive. The schedule isn’t particularly friendly to start the season but there are some winnable games at home early on. This team only won four games away from the Amway Center all of last season, and that will surely have to change.
A particularly damaging start, though, and Vaughn will surely be given his marching orders. Unfair though it may be, given that Vaughn has been a part of the San Antonio Spurs organization prior to coming to Florida, fans almost expect that fact alone to translate to some sort of stability within the franchise. While that is surely asking too much, being a better team on the court is not.
GM Rob Hennigan appears the smart type who sees the long term project over the short term fix. While that works in Vaughn’s favor right now, a poor season could quickly change that.
3. Nikola Vucevic will have a huge season. Center Nikola Vucevic enters the final year of his rookie contract looking to 
get paid. The nimble 6-10 nimble Montenegrin was one of the best things to come out of Dwight Howard’s departure. Although he has his limitations defensively, Vucevic is capable of a double-double every time he steps on the court. His array of moves in the paint and nifty jump shot mean that you shouldn’t be surprised if he averages close to 20 points and 11 rebounds this season.
Injuries have been a little bit of a worry up to now, but if Vucevic can stay healthy, he can put himself in the conversation of top five centers in the NBA this season. Orlando simply must hold onto him if wants to become a playoff team again; he has the potential to be a franchise player.
Although the league is geared toward elite guards these days, most of the top teams have a quality big man anchoring the middle. Vucevic can easily be that guy. Giving him a huge contract extension and pairing him with an improved Oladipo would give the Magic a solid foundation to build around.
RELATED: Magic salaries and analysis
4. Can the Magic develop an identity on the court? Since the Dwight Howard trade, the Magic have been a team that has put whatever players it could on the court, with the end goal of getting back to the draft lottery the following summer. While a final trip to the lottery this season once again seems likely, it is critical that the team creates an identity for itself going forward.
Veteran additions such as Channing Frye and Luke Ridnour, coupled with exciting rookies Elfrid Payton and Aaron Gordon, means the players are now there to adopt a certain scheme.
It is important to note that Orlando was 24th in the league in scoring last season, and none of the new recruits scream bucket filler. Given the athletic nature of this team, coupled with the defensive chops of Oladipo, look for the Magic to set a tone defensively and become a top-15 defensive team. It will start with the hustle of Oladipo, extend to the livewire rookie Payton and spread throughout the team accordingly.
With this new identity forged, watch the Magic win more games than many believe they can. They won’t get near 40 wins, but 35 should be their goal. This group is a little deeper than last season, so the second unit should keep it in games longer than in the last two seasons.
5. Channing Frye emerges as a Sixth Man Award candidate. If the outcry from Phoenix Suns fans is anything to go by, the Magic have snagged themselves a quality veteran in Frye. In fact, it was the ability of Frye to stretch the floor that allowed the Suns to be the exciting team they were last season.
Frye’s length and ability to shoot the 3-pointer consistently (career 38 percent) are major pluses for the Magic. Defenders have to respect his shooting touch and will guard him out to the perimeter, leaving space in the lane for the likes of Oladipo and Tobias Harris to get into the paint and finish. A sprained MCL suffered in practice is a concern, and while there has been no timetable given for a return, early indications are that there was no structural damage.
Frye is also the cousin of Harris, and given that he was already known as a great locker room guy in the league, expect him to mentor Harris and see him begin to unlock his tantalizing potential. Even if Frye’s knee injury keeps him out of action, he will do so much off the court for the team as well that just having him around will create a tighter-knit squad.
There is plenty for Magic fans to look forward to this season. They are no longer a cellar dweller, and there are clear signs they are once more moving in the right direction. They are being slept on by most, but this is a team that can and will create some havoc as they begin to mold themselves into a playoff outfit.
CAN THE MAGIC BREAK 30 WINS? SEE WHAT SHERIDAN THINKS
READ EVERY TEAM’S SEASON PREVIEW WITH OUR INDEX
Luke Duffy is a staff writer for HoopsHabit.com. Follow him on Twitter @LucaLockheart.