Best and worst case scenario for the Orlando Magic’s 2024-25 season 

The wait is finally over. The NBA’s regular season is as good as back. Orlando will kick off the regular season and the pursuit of another playoff spot on Wednesday in Miami. 

Excitement for the season is high among players and fans alike. So are the expectations for the team’s success. Last season was a great first step in the right direction, but it was just that. It was only the beginning. The Magic are convinced that they can do much more than just make the playoffs and push their opponents to seven games. 

Despite last season’s success this team still has plenty of issues to work out and fix. Defense should not be a big problem. The Magic have the talent and personnel to be as good as last season on that end of the floor, if not better. Offensively, there is still more work to do. Spacing, shot creation, and playmaking are some of the issues the team is still trying to work out. 

Rotation-wise, there are also some things left to sort out, like where sophomores Anthony Black and Jett Howard fit into the system. 

Best case scenario 

The Magic’s best-case scenario for the 2024-25 season is pretty simple. Several players have already stated the team’s goals following last season’s playoff exit. They want to put together a regular season good enough to secure homecourt advantage. 

In the series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the home team won every game. Ideally, the Magic want that advantage on their side this season. So, finishing the regular season with a top-four seed and the chance to win a playoff series is the best-case scenario for the Magic. 

Getting there will take a lot of work. Even though several teams have already been hit with injuries, a top seed will not just fall into the Magic’s lap. They are not the only team with their eyes on homecourt advantage. 

And yet, it is not totally unrealistic that the Magic can get there. If they are much healthier than other teams, Paolo Banchero takes his game from All-Star to All-NBA-level, or Franz Wagner and/or Jalen Suggs take a big leap, the Magic might very well be one of the best regular season teams in the Eastern Conference. 

Worst case scenario 

The worst-case scenario for the Magic is somehow falling out of the playoff picture. After last season’s success, there are expectations this team must meet. Making the playoffs is one of them. 

A playoff spot is not ever guaranteed, though. It only takes one bad injury to one of the Magic’s key players for them to potentially fall out of the playoff chase and into the Play-In Tournament. 

Development in the NBA is not linear, but the Magic still do not want to take such a big step backward. Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs just signed big extensions, and Paolo Banchero will sign an even bigger one next season. The Magic’s rebuild is over. Yes, they are still developing players and trying to figure out everyone’s ceiling, but there is no reason Orlando should not return to the playoffs.