The Orlando Magic are not hiding their ambitions anymore.
Jeff Weltman was on various radio shows and broadcasts during the team's Summer League and would be asked about the wide-open Eastern Conference. He would clarify that the Magic are not merely just interested in winning the East but winning the NBA.
Whether the Magic are ready or not, the team has pushed in its chips and committed the payroll to play for championships and nothing less for the foreseeable future. Success or failure for this team will be judged on how close they are to a championship.
All eyes are on that end goal. But the Magic still have to work their way there.
If there are any doubts about what the Magic are building, it is how quickly the team is getting there. The Magic have yet to win a road playoff game, let alone a playoff series with this group. There are still many questions about how ready the Magic are for these moments.
It is why it will remain important for Orlando to find confidence and make their mark that they are ready to compete at a higher level early this season. It is why the NBA Cup is still a useful tool for the team.
Orlando should care about the Larry O'Brien Trophy and trying to win the NBA championship. That is the ultimate goal for this team. And it is within reach.
But the NBA Cup is still an important stepping stone in that process. It is still a place, even for a more experienced team, to prove it is ready for that stage.
With the Magic as favorites to win their group and among the favorites to win the entire cup, it is not merely just a chance to win the team's first league-wide trophy, but also a chance to prove they can win these big games.
Even winning in the group -- that would include facing the Boston Celtics (Nov. 7), an NBC game at the Philadelphia 76ers (Nov. 25) and a finale against the potential rivals in the Detroit Pistons (Nov. 28) -- would say a lot about where this team is at early in the season.
The NBA Cup as a stepping stone
Everyone's mileage on the NBA Cup may vary.
The NBA Cup is a gimmick the league has used to drum up interest in the league earlier in the season and try to create some early-season intensity.
Some teams have truly embraced the idea of this tournament. Others do not pay it much mind.
The champions of the first two editions -- the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks -- failed to do much the rest of the season. It is not some indication of future success -- although the runners-up, the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder, both went deep into the Playoffs in breakthrough seasons.
Even for people (like me) who support the idea of the NBA Cup and enjoy the early-season tournament (and all its complications), this trophy is not the be-all, end-all. Its importance really comes down to how teams use them.
The Orlando Magic have used the NBA Cup exactly how teams should. They have used it as a stepping stone to build confidence for the rest of the season.
In the 2023 edition of the tournament, the Orlando Magic lost their opening game to the Brooklyn Nets by 20 points. They spent the rest of their tournament trying to make up that deficit. They did and finished their four-game set with a sizable lead after upsetting the Boston Celtics.
The Celtics made up that difference and eliminated the Magic from the tournament. Orlando vowed it would use that as a lesson that every game meant something.
Last year, the Magic wanted some redemption. The players recognized the games were different and a bit more important. They played like it, even with Paolo Banchero out, and raced to a sizable advantage heading into the final game.
They advanced despite tripping up in a major way in that loss to the New York Knicks -- proof the team needed something more and health to compete with the top teams -- but they advanced to the quarterfinals and put up a valiant effort against the Milwaukee Bucks on the road.
The Magic need that bit of confidence early in the season. With some new key players on the roster, the Magic would send a strong statement to the rest of the league that they can compete at a higher level.
There is still a step for Orlando to climb. The NBA Cup can help them climb it.
The Magic have a lot to prove
The Orlando Magic are widely believed to be one of the young contenders in the Eastern Conference. They are constantly predicted to finish third in the conference. There is a sense they have the upside to do even more.
Even with how high expectations are, everyone recognizes the Magic have the talent to do more.
But this group still has a lot to prove. There are still doubts about how this team comes together.
Adding a major player like Desmond Bane should be a seamless fit because of his shooting and his playmaking. But nobody knows how this will actually work.
This is still a young team too. They have never won a playoff series, let alone gone deep into the Playoffs. While the Magic needed to act this summer with their current payroll set up, there is a question of whether they are ready to play at this higher level.
The Magic also went just 1-6 on their seven national TV appearances last year. Orlando had one of the worst records against winning teams among postseason teams the last two years. The Magic still need to win these marquee games.
As optimstic and hopeful as everyone is about this Magic team, there is still a lot to prove.
That is why the NBA Cup is still important to this team. They need to win marquee games -- even a more favorable game on NBC against the questionable Philadephia 76ers. And they need to win pressure games on the road.
There is still a lot to gain from this tournament. A trophy would be nice too.