The regular season is finally here, and the Magic have a clear agenda. They want to return to the playoffs, preferably with homecourt advantage, and continue developing into a future contender.
The team seems confident that a combination of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and improvement from the likes of Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner, and Anthony Black will be enough. Last season was an incredible success for the Magic. They put all the pieces together, exceeded expectations, and went to the playoffs.
And yet, the team had some glaring issues they did not address. Offensive production and floor spacing are still concerns for the Magic, even with the addition of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. At the same time, though, the Magic project to be an excellent defensive team again. That alone should swing a bunch of games in their favor.
The question is just if it will be enough for the Magic to reach the top of the Eastern Conference. It seems that certain big things would need to happen for them to reach the next level this quickly.
Prediction #3: Paolo Banchero goes from All-Star to All-NBA level
Paolo Banchero is the new face of the Magic. He is their most recent number-one pick and the sole All-Star on the roster. In just two seasons, he has put up big numbers already, was named to one All-Star team, and led his team to the playoffs. In the playoffs, Banchero took his game to the next level, fighting for his team’s life in Game 7.
Nevertheless, he has his fair share of critics who believe that his inefficiency will hurt his career in the future. This season might be the perfect time for Banchero to prove his critics wrong. Plenty of players take a big leap in their third season, and there is no reason why Banchero shouldn’t be one of them.
Only starting his third season, Banchero still has plenty of room to grow. He has already reached the All-Star level, even if a trip to the 2025 All-Star Game is not yet guaranteed, and could take his game to the next level this season.
If he does, it might be enough to get the Magic to a top seed in the Eastern Conference and homecourt advantage. After all, this team will go as far as Banchero can take it.
Prediction #2: The Magic overtake the Bucks and/or 76ers in the standings
If the Magic want to make their way to the top of the Eastern Conference this season, other teams will have to move down. After most big offseason moves were complete, the top of the Eastern Conference standings seemed almost set. Talent-wise, the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, and Philadelphia 76ers should be the best four teams in the conference.
Especially the Bucks and 76ers are relying heavily on older players with serious injury histories to be healthy. If that does not happen, the Magic could easily sneak past either of those teams. The 76ers already were without Joel Embiid and Paul George in the team’s final preseason game that also saw Tyrese Maxey leave after just five minutes.
George will miss the start of the regular season with a bone bruise, and Embiid will likely miss several games in back-to-back situations. Injuries are already starting to slow down the 76ers before the season even started for them.
Likewise, the Bucks are still waiting for Khris Middleton to fully recover from his ankle injuries. It is quickly starting to look like those two teams might not be as dominant as expected.
Prediction #1: The Magic trade for an offensive-minded player
Once the Magic were eliminated from the playoffs, people started speculating which offensive-minded player the team would go after during the offseason. It seemed that adding someone to help with the offensive creation and scoring would be the easiest way to solve most of the team’s problems.
Tyus Jones, D’Angelo Russell, Malik Monk, and Anfernee Simons were some of the names thrown around. Instead, the Magic decided to go with someone who fit the team’s defensive identity.
So, if the Magic struggle to start the season and are in danger of taking a step backward rather than forward, they will have to make a trade to fix it. Anfernee Simons, Darius Garland, and LaMelo Ball are three names people have brought up as potential trade targets.
All three could take the Magic’s offense to the next level, even if there are other concerns ranging from health to defense.
Even if the Bucks and 76ers are not as good as previously expected this season, there is no guarantee that the Magic can take advantage of the opportunity. Other teams will be looking to do the same thing. The Indiana Pacers, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Miami Heat would also love to be at the top of the Eastern Conference standings.
The Magic might not get around having to make a big trade soon. Either the team will need an offensive boost or their young stars look so good that they need to capitalize and give them the missing piece to the puzzle.