1996–97 Orlando Magic season
The 1996–97 NBA season was the Magic's eighth season in the National Basketball Association. After losing Shaquille O'Neal via free agency to the Los Angeles Lakers in the offseason, the Magic acquired Rony Seikaly from the Golden State Warriors, and signed free agents Gerald Wilkins and Derek Strong. Early into the season, the Magic played two games against the New Jersey Nets in Tokyo, Japan. Head coach Brian Hill was fired 49 games into the season after a 24–25 start, and Anfernee Hardaway was generally blamed for leading a player revolt that resulted in his dismissal. Hill was replaced with Richie Adubato for the remainder of the season as the Magic finished third in the Atlantic Division with a 45–37 record. Hardaway was selected for the 1997 NBA All-Star Game, despite playing just 59 games due to a knee injury.
The Magic entered the playoffs without Horace Grant, who was out with a wrist injury. In the first round, the Magic lost in five games to their in-state rivals, the Miami Heat. As of 2018, this was the only playoff meeting between both teams from Florida. Following the season, three-point specialist Dennis Scott was traded to the Dallas Mavericks after a meltdown at a basketball camp during the summer, and Brian Shaw was dealt to the Golden State Warriors.Draft picks
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
| 1 | 27 | Brian Evans | SF | United States | Indiana |
| 2 | 49 | Amal McCaskill | C | United States | Marquette |
Roster
Regular season
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Game log
Playoffs
East First Round
Miami Heat vs. Orlando Magic
Last Playoff Meeting: Not availablePlayer statistics
Season
Playoffs
