Orlando Magic 2024-25 season preview: Can they maintain rising within the East with this younger core?
The 2024-25 NBA season is right here! We’re breaking down the largest questions, best- and worst-case eventualities, and fantasy outlooks for all 30 groups. Get pleasure from!
ORLANDO MAGIC
2023-24 end
Offseason strikes
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Additions: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cory Joseph, Tristan Da Silva
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Subtractions: Markelle Fultz, Joe Ingles, Chuma Okeke
The Huge Query: Are Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner the foundational constructing blocks of a championship contender?
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is considered one of one of the best complementary position gamers within the NBA. He’s the kind of participant a group indicators as soon as the powers-that-be have satisfied themselves they’ll really contend. Ask the Los Angeles Lakers, who gained with him in 2020, or the Denver Nuggets, who gained with him in 2023.
Caldwell-Pope joins All-Defensive guard Jalen Suggs in probably the greatest defensive backcourts within the league. Cole Anthony’s on the spot offense and Gary Harris’ veteran presence spherical out a gifted trove of guards — so gifted that the Magic opted to not carry again former No. 1 total choose Markelle Fultz.
The Magic are simply as deep at middle, the place Wendell Carter Jr., Moe Wagner, Jonathan Isaac and Goga Bitadze collectively present some mixture of capturing, protection and energy. Carter could be one of the best consultant of all three, although a wholesome Isaac might be the sport’s greatest defensive participant per minute.
Jamahl Mosley, final season’s runner-up for Coach of the 12 months, has his choices. None of them will matter — no less than as far as this season goes — if Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner aren’t prepared to steer them.
Banchero was an All-Star final season on the age of 21. He averaged a 23-7-5 on 46/34/73 capturing splits. He has all of the instruments to grow to be an elite playmaker from the ahead place. He has not harnessed them but, although few gamers have ever been so tough to cease from attending to the rim at such a younger age.
He might enhance his capturing effectivity throughout the board, particularly on pull-up jumpers, the place he shot sub-40% final season (and 32.8% from 3). Think about the chances when defenses have no idea whether or not to protect his drive or his shot. They’re downright LeBron-like. He might want to enhance his playmaking, too, if he ever desires to be thought of considered one of the sport’s elite No. 1 choices, however it’s all inside his attain.
Wagner additionally appeared sure for an All-Star bid at age 21 — till his jumper failed him final season. No high-volume shooter registered a decrease 3-point share than Wagner’s 28.1% on 4.6 makes an attempt a recreation. His confidence was fractured. Even then, Wagner averaged a 20-5-4 on 57.5% true capturing final season.
The event of Banchero and Wagner is tied collectively. The extra respect one instructions, the extra freedom the opposite has to function. And if each should be revered, they’ll ship defenses spinning into rotations, attempting to cease the ball andaccount for Caldwell-Pope, Suggs and different shooters round them.
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Defensively, the Magic are set. It’s uncommon for thus younger a group to carry out as effectively defensively because the Magic did final season. They’re large and versatile and performed arduous for his or her coach. They have been in a seven-game, first-round rock battle with the Cleveland Cavaliers and averaged 91.5 factors per recreation of their 4 losses. It’s the offense that’s holding them again, and Banchero and Wagner are the straws that stir that drink.
They mixed to common 45.9 factors, 15.5 rebounds and eight.4 assists per recreation of their first playoff sequence. Any group would take that from a pair of gamers nonetheless on their rookie contracts. However Wagner is due his max extension subsequent season, and Banchero begins his in 2026. Constructing round them turns into harder within the years to return, so Orlando struck now, including Caldwell-Pope to a principally re-signed supporting solid.
The Magic have ready to take a leap, however Banchero and Wagner should make their jumps first.
Finest-case situation
Even a middling offense — if the protection stays the identical — would push the Magic’s internet ranking to 4.7, which might have ranked third within the East final season. A top-10 offense? Then, the Magic could be in line for a high seed. They have been one win (or one terrible third quarter) from reaching the second spherical of final season’s playoffs. If Banchero and Wagner can gas wins, accelerated by Suggs and Carter and Caldwell-Pope and the crew, the convention finals is effectively inside attain, and Orlando arrives forward of schedule.
If every thing falls aside
Wagner can not shoot. All of a sudden, there are extra severe questions on whether or not Wagner can ever be a No. 2 on a championship-caliber group — and whether or not he’ll ever meet the worth of his $224 million deal. Banchero stagnates, making no significant strides as a shooter or playmaker. For all of the facilities they’ve, they can not discover one who can man the place as a bona fide Playoff Man. The protection suffers from an absence of effort, they flip winnable video games into losses, and so they revert to battling for a play-in berth.
Fantasy spin
The market is simply too excessive on Paolo Banchero in class codecs. He is definitely worthy of a second-round choose in factors leagues, however Banchero’s excessive turnover price, lack of 3s, blocks and middling free-throw share dock him considerably in class leagues.
Banchero was the lowest-ranked All-Star in class codecs, ending 159th final season. I am not saying to not draft him — I am saying a late-third rounder is a large hole from the place his precise worth lies. Nevertheless, if we get Playoff Paolo off the rip, it’d get very, very attention-grabbing.
Make sure that to get Jalen Suggs. He is beginning as some extent guard, which ought to increase his help price after already making strides as a 3-point menace and lockdown defender. Suggs will outperform his ninth-round ADP, which is at present sliding to choose 100. — Dan Titus
2024-25 schedule
They gained 47 video games final season and added Caldwell-Pope. Any collective enchancment from their younger core ought to catapult them even larger. I believe the Magic are prepared for the highlight. Take the over.
