Orlando Magic fans probably felt like they got their Christmas present in June this year when the team traded for Desmond Bane.
That major trade came with adding one of the best shooters in the league, but also the added expectations of a team that felt like it was ready to compete for a championship. The team did not hide from those expectations either. They made their intentions expressly clear.
The start to the season has not gone exactly to plan.
The Magic are 11-8 and have won 10 of their last 14 games. Things have stabilized, especially following a 41-point win over the Philadelphia 76ers heading into the Thanksgiving holiday -- and Friday's massive NBA Cup group finale against the Detroit Pistons.
The Magic are starting to pick up steam and find themselves. But there is still a whole lot of work to do for the rest of the season. We are just 19 games into the season -- the Magic will pass the quarter mark at halftime of Monday's game.
But Thanksgiving is the time for all of us to take a step back and reflect. It is the time to take stock of what gives us joy throughout the year.
Magic fans certainly have an appreciation for the feeling that this season has engendered. After more than a decade hunting for stability and a consistent playoff team, everyone feels like they are watching a contender now.
Pressure is a privilege, as Jamahl Mosley likes to say. And the team has faced its share of pressure through the early part of the season. There will be more pressure to come. But the Magic have plenty to be truly thankful for.
Here are our 10 for the holiday:
1. Two stars to cherish
A debate has begun to envelop the national media when it comes to the Orlando Magic. One that feels particularly divisive and meant to drum up conflict rather than simply enjoy good basketball.
Most Magic fans know better, of course. They know how special it is to have two All-Star-level players. It is both/and, not either/or, when it comes to Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
Both of the Magic's stars have had their ups and downs this season. But this is the most important figure: the Magic have a +2.8 net rating (113.5/110.6 offensive/defensive rating) in 267 minutes to start the season. Before Banchero's injury, the lineups with that duo on the floor were much better than the team's average -- 114.8/113.6 offensive/defensive rating split.
To win big in this league, you need good players. You need multiple All-Stars. The Magic have two of them.
2. Jalen Suggs' effort
The Orlando Magic did not feel the same last year.
Their three main players played only six games and 97 minutes together. They never saw their team at full strength last year. More than that, it just felt like something was missing without Jalen Suggs. There was an extra level the team could not get to without him.
Suggs' return from his knee injury suffered last January and February has been slow. But whatever amount of Suggs the team can get has been welcomed. He has been a breath of fresh air to this team.
It is something you can see visually -- like how Suggs went crashing to the floor to steal the ball against the LA Clippers to spark a fast break that ended with his lob to Goga Bitadze -- or you can see statistically -- the Magic have a team-best +17.6 net rating with Suggs on the floor (120.5 offensive rating/102.9 defensive rating).
Suggs makes a huge difference. And the Magic's path to competing for a championship or winning a playoff series depends on the energy he brings every night.
3. Desmond Bane's gravity
Desmond Bane's arrival was supposed to be an instant shot of offense to a team that has struggled to score for the last decade-plus. He would even admit he got off to a slow start. But even in that slow start, it was clear the impact Bane would make on this team.
Bane's shooting gravity, even when he is not making his shots yet, has been a tremendous boost as the team has slowly come together. Teams are still lunging and top blocking him to keep him from getting threes. He has been smart enough to attack it and keep the ball moving.
Bane is shooting only 33.3 percent on 4.9 3-point attempts per game. That is not what the team signed up for. But he has the gravity to warp the court and set others up for three. He has 4.6 assists per game and the Magic are shooting 35.6 percent from three, 19th in the league!
Bane has turned the corner.
Since the game-winner against the Portland Trail Blazers, he is shooting 39.1 percent from three on 5.8 3-point attempts per game. He is getting a lot more comfortable and finding his shot far more often.
Bane is working out pretty well.
4. Jamahl Mosley's vision and calm
Through the first few weeks of the season, everyone was calling for Jamahl Mosley's head. Everyone was asking the question about Mosley's future and whether he was the right coach for this team. The struggles to start the season had everyone asking the question.
But in four seasons with the Orlando Magic, Mosley has been really good at seeing the big picture. He has always seen the path toward success and worked the team to get there, even if that meant making some sacrifices in the short term.
The frustration of those first few weeks of the season and the doubts about implementing more pace into the offense have quickly subsided as the team has found its groove. He always stayed calm and composed about the direction he wanted to take his team. And they are starting to come together.
Mosley deserves a lot of credit for keeping the team focused and not panicking after the shaky start. He kept the team working and focused on the long term, even when there was a lot of external panic. That is a credit to him.
5. A functioning offense
A big saving grace is that the Orlando Magic have finally found their offense.
It is now the most famous stat for the Magic. They have not been outside the bottom 10 in offensive rating since Dwight Howard's last season in 2012. Orlando has been desperate to find any offensive consistency. Nothing they have tried has worked.
This year already feels different. The Magic have a functioning offensive now.
Orlando is sixth in offensive rating with 117.9 points per 100 possessions. In the last eight games, the Magic have a 123.1 offensive rating. They scored a franchise record 51 points in the second quarter and a franchise record 86 points in the first half of Tuesday's game. They have a franchise record five straight games with at least 120 points.
Orlando has scored 110 points in 11 games this season. The team had only 11 for all of last season.
The Magic's defense has not played up to their standard quite yet. But their offense has given them some runway to get comfortable.
6. Anthony Black's aggression
For a team to take the leap, they need players to step into roles and gain a lot of confidence. The Orlando Magic invested a lot to acquire Desmond Bane. That could have gutted the team's depth. They needed some of their young players to step up.
They put a lot of emphasis on Anthony Black to step into a bigger role. They needed him to be more aggressive.
Black is starting to find his groove with every monster jam he tries to throw down on anyone in front of him. Black has taken a major leap.
Black is averaging 12.8 points per game. He has become a reliable scorer off the team's bench. Black has always been a huge swing player for this team. And they are seeing the best version of him.
7. Tristan da Silva's confidence
The same is true for Tristan da Silva.
Da Silva had an up-and-down rookie year. It was uncertain if he was going to be able to step into a bigger role. But the Orlando Magic were ready to hand him a bigger role.
The way he played in EuroBasket gave him a lot of confidence. And it has carried over into the regular season.
Da Silva is averaging 11.5 point sper game and shooting 41.1 percent from three. He is a super reliable volume shooter now. and he fills in everywhere on the floor. The perfect fit they imagined when they drafted him last year.
An offseason of confidence has done him well.
8. Our Magic family
The most important thing to be thankful for though are all the people who make Orlando Magic basketball so great: You, our Orlando Magic Family.
Magic fans have been supportive and waiting for a team to get excited about. And they have one. They have brought the energy to the Kia Center and online. They are invested in this team with the right mix of humor and seriousness that makes being a fan great.
We hope our Magic family is having an incredible Thanksgiving!