Orlando, FL - As opening night draws closer, the hype around what the Magic can be this season is the biggest it’s been in a very long time. From strong outings in the FIBA World Cup for Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner respectively to an impressive preseason overall for the squad, the future for this team seems brighter than ever.  

Record Prediction: 42-40

The 2023-2024 NBA Season brings some unique opportunities not only for the Magic but for the rest of the league. The implementation of the inaugural In-Season tournament incentivizes every player to take every game just a bit more seriously due to the potential monetary gain and overall parody it would create amongst playoff contenders. It seems this can be the year the Magic begin to reclaim their spot as a perennial playoff contender, beginning with at the very least a spot in the play-in tournament.  Health is the biggest hurdle to that coming to fruition but that is ultimately true around the league.

Now with that said, based on last season's standings the 10th-seeded Chicago Bulls would finish with a record of 40-42. Considering neither the Bulls nor any of the teams in front of them improved much during the offseason it is reasonable to expect the Magic can claim one of those spots, giving them a real opportunity for the playoffs. Given the expected breakout campaigns of Paolo and/or Franz and the offseason addition of Joe Ingles, the prediction is the Magic finish with a 42-40 record, locking into that play-in tournament and quite possibly rising to the 6th seed and securing the first playoff berth since 2019.

Player Expectations

Besides the additions of Joe Ingles in Free Agency plus Anthony Black and Jett Howard in the draft, the Magic bring back the same core to build on the positives shown last season. That shows that management has a lot of faith in this current group, particularly Paolo and Franz. It will be up to them to reward that faith and take the next step forward to becoming contenders. 

The Magic will go as far as Paolo and Franz can take them. Considered one of the top young duos in the league there is going to be pressure on both young stars to take the next leap and fast.

For Paolo, however, the expectations are the highest. Being the number one overall pick will bring that. Banchero had one of the best rookie seasons of all time from a statistical standpoint in addition to the eye test. He was such a force he was seeing frequent double-teams only a few games into the season and yet was still able to put up averages of 20.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists on 42% from the field. His biggest hurdle in leading the Magic to the playoffs will be his perimeter and free-throw shooting. He shot only 30% from 3-point range and 72% from the free-throw line. If he can show an improvement in both areas, it would bode well for him. Defenders tend to sag off which sometimes crowd the driving lanes so a better 3 ball would keep the defense more honest.

After winning the 2023 FIBA World Cup with Germany, Franz Wagnerhas put the entire league on notice and is expected to have a huge breakout year in his 3rd season. He needs to improve his ball handling and shooting as well, however, most important is his aggressiveness. There were times last season when it seemed he was being too passive and not taking advantage of certain mismatches all the time when he could. His World Cup performance proved that team success comes with him doing so. It is expected he is going to be a candidate for the most improved player this season which would no doubt correlate to more team success. 

After recently signing a 3-year 39-million-dollar extension to remain in Orlando, Cole Anthony is locked in as one of the team's top PGs behind Markelle Fultz. As for now, it seems he is locked into the sixth-man role, which if last year was any indication, he will thrive in. He will be a strong candidate for the Sixth Man of the Year award due to his ability to score from anywhere on the floor and his leadership with the second unit. 

Speaking of Markelle Fultz, I believe he is the secret weapon. After finally playing a nearly full season for the first time since joining Orlando, Fultz looks healthy and ready to prove to the league why he was deserving of being a former number-one overall pick. He is a true point guard who elevates the team with his passing and his ability to get into the paint. If his 3-point shooting can finally become a reliable threat his potential is sky high. 

Wendell Carter Jr. showed last season that he was an above-average starting center in this league. With an emphasis on improving his three-point shooting and crashing the boards more, he can give most centers around the league a tough time with trying to defend him. If preseason was any indication, it appears the improvement is already there.

Jalen Suggs earned the starting Shooting Guard spot in training camp and is poised for a big 3rd season. Considered the best defender on this team outside of Jonathan Isaac, he has a chance to make his stamp as one of the best defenders in the entire league. 

Jonathan Isaac is the wildcard of this roster. His potential is clear however there is obvious concern regarding his durability. He can be a Defensive Player of the Year candidate if healthy and that kind of firepower coming off the bench would be a luxury the Magic have desperately needed. 

Joe Ingles, this off-season’s new free agent addition should bring two very important things to this roster, shooting and a veteran presence. Only time will tell of his true impact on this locker room, which should be huge.

Rookies Anthony Black and Jett Howard are going to both need to fight to earn playing time however based on the summer league and preseason it’s likely Howard will see the floor more early on. There is no doubt Howard has looked like the more confident one of the two however it is way too early to panic on Black just yet, he just may need more time to get there than expected for a no. 6 overall pick. 

With another year of camaraderie under their belt this bench unit can build on what was a decent showing last season. Mo Wagner, Goga Bitdaze, Chuma Okeke, Caleb Houstan, Gary Harris, Admiral Schofield, Kevon Harris, and Trevelin Queen all have shown more chemistry and confidence playing together in the preseason. The expectation is that they will improve after another year under head coach Jamahl Mosley.

Coach Mosley has proven himself to be a player's coach so far in his tenure in Orlando. With how close this roster seems to be it is time to start expecting more wins despite the youth of the group. There were many close games last year that slipped away, those losses need to become wins this time around. 

Overall, this group has the potential to be a surprise team in the east and sneak into the playoffs. Their ceiling seems as high as even possibly the sixth seed in comparison to the standings of last season. Injuries are always the biggest hurdle with this team, but it seems that bad luck may be turning on its head soon. 

The expectations are as high as they have been for this squad, and it’s time they put the league on notice! #WhyNotUs