Best Magic Team in Years

This season, the Magic look different than they have in a very long time. On paper, they have a real big three, a great young core, coupled with some key veterans in the rotation. This offseason, it seemed like the Magic were primed to make some noise throughout the year, especially with some juggernauts out East, like the Pacers and Celtics, being down key players. There was buzz from fans all around the league that predicted the Magic could end up as high as the second seed in the Eastern Conference.

How Will The Team Mesh?

With so many adjustments being made throughout the summer, Coach Mosley had to make some key changes to the style of play he wanted to push onto his squad. As a team that has primarily made its presence felt for its defensive efforts over the past few years, in the limited games the team has played in the preseason and the first few regular-season games, it seems like Coach Mosley is willing to sacrifice some of that defensive effort for more of an offensive focus.

With the core of Banchero, Wagner, and Bane, who are all players that can create their own shots, make plays for others, and play at all three levels, the question becomes who will emerge as the true leader of the team, and how will they mesh with the rest of the team?

Banchero: Orlando’s All-Star

Of the new big three, Paolo Banchero is the Magic’s sole All-Star on the team. In his first two years in the league, he earned some high honors, being the ROY in the 2022-2023 season and making the All-Star game as a sophomore in 2023-2024. The previous season wasn’t so kind to him, as he dealt with the right oblique injury, which sidelined him for about half of last season.

This season, a problem that he’s been struggling with throughout his young career continues to plague him: his inefficiency and turnovers. Despite his heroic performances over the years, Paolo has yet to have a season where he shoots above 45% from the field, in a league where the average is approximately 47%. He also averages nearly three turnovers per game throughout his career. If Paolo wants to lead the team this year and take the jump into being that true superstar that all Magic fans have been anticipating since his rookie year, he needs to clean up the simple things in his game, which would really help Orlando improve from top to bottom, as he has more gravity and frees up his teammates for better looks.

Wagner: The Magic’s Pulse

Over the years that Franz Wagner has been with Orlando, he has gained the respect of people around the league. He has had some great performances with the team, and as he enters his fifth season with the team, the expectations are high for Franz. His stat line and his game seem to improve every season, which excites Magic fans for this season, where he has shown he can really excel in this new system.

As he has shown playing for Team Germany, Franz has all the tools to lead a team and elevate all of those around him while pushing the pace and capitalizing on easy scoring opportunities for his squad. He’s always been a reliable scorer for Orlando as well, with about 54% shooting from inside the arc. One area all fans have been eagerly waiting to see develop is his outside scoring, where he sits right with Banchero as they both shoot approximately 32% from deep. Although the efficiency isn’t particularly eye-popping, he is still attempting a higher volume of outside shots and having a steadily slow improvement. An area he has really shone in for Coach Mosley’s offense over the years is his playmaking. He is consistently one of Orlando’s top assisters and has been a key playmaker alongside Paolo.

Bane: The Magic’s Newest Addition

After spending years in Memphis playing second fiddle to Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. when they were healthy, Desmond Bane winds up in a situation where he can showcase his ability to take over games. Over the years, the Grizzlies have been incredibly unfortunate with their injuries, with their main stars, including Bane, missing extended periods of time. There were, however, many key stretches where Bane found himself thrust into that first option role, and he excelled when the Grizzlies called his name. Outside of his rookie year, he has been a near 20-point-per-game scorer for Memphis, including multiple 30-point bombs and a couple of 40-point games as well.

One of the best attributes of Bane’s game, which is the main reason the Magic was willing to pay such a high price for him, was his above-average 40% three-point shooting. Bane was touted as the best shooter in his draft class when he fell down to 30th overall. He showed his shooting ability during his years in Memphis and developed as a ballhandler and shot creator, which can be very helpful for the Magic once he finds his footing. The 27-year-old has struggled with some consistency over the years, with Grizzlies fans citing that he had some rough stretches, but with the strong roster that Orlando has, it can alleviate some stress off of Bane.

Somebody Needs to Step Up, Quick

Through the first 10 games of the season, the Magic find themselves below .500, sitting well below the expert-expected second seed. In order to turn this season around, the team needs to find solutions. There is still time for the season to swing Orlando’s way, but the first few games have been less than pleasing.

With everyone struggling defensively, turnovers, and shooting from range, somebody needs to step up, and with Wagner, Banchero, and Bane making up the team’s Big 3, Orlando needs a little more from one of their biggest investments.