This Magic season has been full of ups and downs. On the bright side, the Magic have seen several players improve and step up when needed. Franz Wagner established himself as an All-Star-level player and quieted all the doubts surrounding the extension he signed over the summer. Anthony Black looks much improved compared to his rookie season. Tristan da Silva has been a steady presence for the Magic and helped the team survive some tough challenges.
On the other hand, the Magic are still struggling offensively and have fallen in the standings. While there are developments to be excited about, this season has also already brought much disappointment to Magic fans.
3. All the injuries
All of the injuries the Magic have to deal with this season may just be the biggest disappointment of all. After the 2023-24 season and the playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, it seemed that the Magic were ready for the next step. Then, that momentum was quickly interrupted by several injuries.
Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, and Jalen Suggs are the Magic’s three most important players at the moment. All three suffered injuries this season and barely had a chance to be on the court together. After last season, everyone was eager to see this core group continue to develop together. Missing out on that chance has been incredibly disappointing.
They are not the only ones who have been slowed down by injuries, though. Goga Bitadze, Wendell Carter Jr., Gary Harris, and Moritz Wagner have also missed some significant time already.
2. The Magic haven’t been able to build on last season’s success yet
This season was supposed to be all about building on last season’s success. The Magic were expected to take the next step and maybe even win a playoff series. Right now, that seems very far away.
Again, injuries have derailed the Magic’s success. Missing their core players for an extended time put the Magic in a difficult position, and now that at least Banchero and Wagner are back on the court, they are still struggling to get out of it.
Magic fans may have no other choice but to accept that growth is not linear in the NBA, and the team is taking a step back instead of forward this season.
1. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s shooting
The Magic’s biggest move in the 2024 offseason was signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. It seemed like a perfect fit. Caldwell-Pope came with two championships on his resume and the skill set the Magic were looking for. The veteran is known for his defense and shot over 38 percent from three in five consecutive seasons before joining the Magic.
He seemed like the perfect player to improve the Magic’s spacing while also fitting into their defensive culture. Caldwell-Pope has done the letter well but has not yet provided the shooting the Magic so desperately need from him. For the season, Caldwell-Pope is shooting 30.9 percent on 4.6 attempts. He is on track to record the worst shooting season of his career.
While no one expected Caldwell-Pope to single-handedly save the Magic’s offense, it is disappointing to see him struggle, especially because the expectations were so high when the Magic first signed him.