3 reasonable expectations for the Orlando Magic next season

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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – FEBRUARY 01: Franz Wagner #22 of the Orlando Magic during the game against the Chicago Bulls at United Center on February 01, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /

At the end of last season, the Orlando Magic were in an all too familiar spot. They won only 22 games and were looking to strike gold in the draft lottery.

For many franchises, that is a disappointing finish. For the Magic, it certainly was.

But Orlando fans knew exactly how last year was going to pan out.

After trading away Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier in 2021, Orlando moved into another rebuilding phase and fans were not expecting much from the 2022 season other than development for their young players.

A first-year head coach and multiple players injured made even the most optimistic fans realize the season was solely for developing the future.

A 22-60 record confirmed that. But next season should be different and expectations will be higher.

The Orlando Magic have added some talent to their roster and expect growth from their young players. External expectations still seem low although internal expectations seem to be high. Here are some reasonable expectations for an exciting 2023 season.

The turning point for the franchise this offseason was winning the lottery and selecting Paolo Banchero with the number one overall pick.

It gave the Magic and their fans a different outlook on the rebuild and even got the national media talking a bit.

It has been easy to think about all the team’s potential along with Banchero after his stellar run at Summer League and think the team is destined for greatness quickly. They certainly should be on a positive trajectory.

Indeed, there are national media at least entertaining the idea of the Magic fighting for a Play-In Tournament spot immediately. Meanwhile, some early win totals from Vegas have the Magic improving marginally to 27.5 wins (WynnBet has the Magic listed at +50,000 to win the title, the worst odds available).

Fans should keep their expectations tempered but an improvement definitely looks to be in the cards for the Magic.

The things they can expect: Banchero to be inserted in the starting lineup, more wins, and a new attitude regarding health.