The Orlando Magic will tip off the 2025-26 regular season this evening against their in-state rival, the Miami Heat. They are expected to take a massive step forward after a tremendous offseason, and here are five bold predictions for Orlando this season.
Just a heads up that the takes going in ascending order will progressively get hotter and hotter.
5. Desmond Bane leads the NBA in 3-pointers made
Desmond Bane was the biggest offseason addition for the Magic. He is expected to make an immediate impact beginning on day one.
Orlando was by far the worst 3-point shooting team in the NBA last season, making an abysmal 31.5 percent from distance, but they landed one of the best knockdown shooters in the NBA. Bane is a career 41.0 percent shooter from behind the arc and will have plenty of space this season with Banchero and Franz Wagner driving the lane.
Now, the caveat is that Bane knocked down 164 triples last season, which would put him 156 made threes behind Anthony Edwards, who led the league. If Bane can play 75-plus games and average over eight 3-point attempts per game, he could have a real shot at leading the league in 3-pointers made.
4. Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero both make All-NBA
It’s no secret that Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner aren’t just one of the league’s top young duos, but one of the best pairings in basketball, period. Many fans and analysts are anticipating an All-NBA level leap from Banchero, who looked as if he was well on his way to making his first one last season before sustaining an injury that would sideline him for 34 games.
Franz, on the other hand, may not just make his first All-Star team, but may end up making All-NBA alongside Banchero.
Last season, as the number one option in the absence of Banchero, Wagner took advantage of his opportunity and looked like a bona fide superstar on the rise. In 20 games without Banchero, Wagner averaged 26.1 points, 6.3 assists, and 6.0 rebounds.
If the Magic can ascend to a top-three seed in the East, don't be shocked if Orlando has two members on the All-NBA team.
3. Jamahl Mosley wins Coach of the Year
Jamahl Mosley has continued to overachieve and exceed expectations since becoming the Magic's head coach in 2021. This will be a big season for his group. Mosley has established a culture and defensive identity in Orlando, and his group collectively has improved year in and year out.
In 2024, Mosley finished as the runner-up for the award just behind OKC's Mark Daigneault. If the Magic finish as a top-three seed in the East, Mosley may very well end up winning this year's Coach of the Year award.
2. Paolo Banchero wins MVP
For Banchero to win MVP, it would take an astronomical leap from him and the Magic this season, but it's not out of the realm of possibility.
Prior to him sustaining an oblique tear in just the sixth game of the season, Paolo started the 2025 season on a blistering note, including a career-high 50-point performance versus the Pacers.
After the All-Star break, Banchero turned up his game and was playing at an MVP level to end the season. Banchero averaged 29.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 24 games and looked like one of the best players in the game.
If the Magic can get that Paolo for 75-plus games this season, who's to say he's not at least a finalist for MVP honors?
Orlando Magic win the East
The Magic winning the East may seem like a tall task, which it is, but it's not impossible. A team that will surely boast another top-five defense with ascending talent at the wing, plenty of depth, and improved shooting from the perimeter has all the tools needed to make a deep postseason run.
The Pacers won't have Tyrese Haliburton this season, and Jayson Tatum availability for the Celtics is still unknown. Those injuries make the Eastern Conference wide open.
If the Magic can stay healthy, improve their 3-point shooting, and maintain their elite defense, they’ll have a legitimate chance to contend for the Eastern Conference title this season.