Christmas is right around the corner, and with it, the new year. The Orlando Magic had a tumultuous year, playing their first playoff series with the core of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs, emerging as one of the rumored big players in the offseason, and watching Franz Wagner elevate his game to an All-Star-level.
On top of that, the Magic have been winning, starting the new season with a 17-10 record that only trails the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference.
At the same time, the Magic still had to deal with some complications, and the rest of the year will be tough. While the Magic have plenty to be thankful for this year, they also should have several items on their Christmas wish list.
3. Health
Health is something every professional sports team wishes for. Injuries can make or break a team’s season and force players to step into roles they may not be entirely comfortable with. The Magic experienced that first-hand this season.
Paolo Banchero, who had been incredibly healthy during his first two seasons in the league, went down with an injury in late October and has not played since. The Magic managed to deal with the loss of their star player, though. Franz Wagner took over, elevated his game, and led the team to several wins.
Then, tragedy struck the Magic again, and Wagner suffered the same long-term injury as Banchero. On top of that, Wendell Carter Jr. and Jonathan Isaac are seemingly always at an injury risk.
If there is one thing the Magic are wishing for this Christmas above anything else, it is probably health. That entails the players, who are still available, staying healthy, and Paolo Banchero returning soon. Banchero was initially eying Christmas as a potential date for his return to the court. With Wagner out, the Magic will need him soon.
2. Breakouts and continued improvement
With Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner out, other Magic players are being pushed into the spotlight—Jalen Suggs more so than anyone else. During his time with the Magic, Suggs rarely had to be the team’s best player on both ends of the floor. Magic fans know he fuels the team defensively, but now he also has to spearhead the offense.
In the first two games since Wagner’s injury, Suggs scored 26 and 32 points, leading the Magic to a win over the Phoenix Suns and doing his best to keep the team in the game against the Milwaukee Bucks. It seems, Suggs is primed for a breakout, which would not only help the Magic survive this stretch of games without their star forwards but would also bode well for the team’s future.
Suggs is not the only Magic player who can prove his worth now, though. Anthony Black, the youngest player on the Magic’s roster, already looks much improved compared to his rookie season, but his defense and playmaking will be much more important now.
Jett Howard and Tristan da Silva will get a chance to play meaningful NBA minutes and hopefully use it as a chance to learn and improve. While seeing the young and inexperienced Magic players on the court more may not lead to wins consistently, it will lead to the internal improvement the organization decided to rely on this offseason.
1. Consistent contributions from veterans
It is no secret to Magic fans that several veterans on the team have struggled to have a consistent impact this season. Gary Harris has only been available for 17 games, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has not shot the three well on the season, and Cole Anthony fell out of the rotation early in the season.
Especially the latter two struggling is a problem for the Magic. Last season, Anthony was a big part of the Magic’s success by leading the bench, and they will need his scoring without Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Cole Anthony finding his way back to his old self is certainly on the Magic’s Christmas wish list, and he already put together some encouraging performances, like his 14-point effort in the win against the Suns.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has already made his mark with the Magic defensively—he and Jalen Suggs are a menace in the backcourt together—but his 3-point shooting has not been the same. He is shooting 29.8 percent from three on the season and 30.3 percent in December so far. Caldwell-Pope shot it well a few times this month, in games against the Nets, Knicks, and Suns, but it has not been quite enough.
Hopefully, once Banchero returns, Caldwell-Pope will get some easier shots and open looks to help him find his shooting touch again.