The Orlando Magic were early actors this offseason.
They jumped the gun, acquiring Desmond Bane in June while the NBA Finals were still ongoing. It was a move that sent ripples throughout the NBA early on as a warning shot of the Magic's intentions to compete. And this was before the Tyrese Haliburton injury.
It has been an offseason for the Magic where they were preparing to compete for something bigger. They were confident they had two burgeoning stars in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. They were confident in the defensive identity that has guided them to the Playoffs in each of the last two seasons.
They needed a player like Bane to take them over the top. That is the direction they feel like they are headed.
Whether the Magic can get there or not will be the biggest question answered this season. And it is not something they will truly know until they reach the Playoffs in the spring.
But if fans are eager to see just what this team can do, they will not have to wait long. The Magic will get their chance to open the season and make a pretty big statement of their intent for the upcoming season.
The Magic's first 20 games are set up for them to make that statement with several big games that could garner them plenty of attention on the national landscape and many opportunities to bank wins and race out ahead in the race for the Eastern Conference.
It all starts with an always critical matchup with the Miami Heat at the Kia Center to open the season Oct. 22.
Yes, another opener against the Heat. But like last year's opener in Miami, it is a statement of intent for the season. Orlando looked unbeatable as the team blew out Miami on the road to serenades of "Play the Song" on the road.
The Magic could again make that statement and more as they begin their season.
The challenging opportunity to start the season
It is not just that opening game against the always feisty Miami Heat. The Orlando Magic begin their season with a three-game homestand, the first time the Magic have opened with three straight home games and first time they have started with consecutive home games since 2016.
The Magic will want to go 2-1 at worst on this stretch. Their second game is a critical game against the Atlanta Hawks, a division rival who also made a splashy move to improve. It will be the first time the Hawks play in Orlando since their loss in the Play-In Tournament last spring. They close the homestand against the Chicago Bulls, in a back-to-back on Oct. 25.
After the three-game homestand, the Magic embark on their longest road trip of the season, playing five games that includes trips to both of their NBA Cup road opponents -- at the Philadelphia 76ers and at Detroit Pistons -- and a closing game against the Atlanta Hawks that will air on NBC, the first of the Orlando Magic's 14 scheduled appearances on national TV this season.
The road trip is fairly manageable in terms of potential opponents. But long road trips are always difficult. It makes that opening homestand that much more important. Orlando will have to come together and play well early.
Playing well through these first eight games would put the Magic on a good footing for the start of the season.
Balance is key
A strong start is possible too because of the opponents the Orlando Magic will play.
In the first 20 games (all of October and November, for a good shorthand), the Magic will play 11 games against teams that made the Playoffs last year.
Three of those are against the Boston Celtics -- including Boston's only trip to Orlando for a two-game set on Nov. 7 and 9. That may be a good or bad thing depending on your optimism about the Celtics' season.
The Orlando Magic will also play the Philadelphia 76ers twice on the road -- including the NBA Cup game on NBC on Nov. 25. The 76ers, for all their troubles last year, still have a talented team. They will be healthier at the start of the season with Paul George and Tyrese Maxey and potentially Joel Embiid. That makes them tougher than their record might otherwise be.
The Magic have a challenge ahead of them in the first 20 games, even if their schedule might otherwise suggest they should be able to manage it. After all, Orlando was a playoff team last year too. These are the games the team must battle.
Among teams that were in the top four in their conference, the Magic play only six games against those opponents. But three are against the Celtics. They play the New York Knicks twice and the Houston Rockets (in Houston) for the rest of those games.
It means Orlando does not have an easy road through the first quarter of the season. But it is not so difficult that a team of the caliber the Magic think they will be should not be able to come out on top.
The Magic must prove themselves
That is ultimately what this season is about. The Orlando Magic must prove themselves throughout the season. They must prove they are ready to be contenders in the Eastern Conference and that they will be worth the heavy expense and cost for the team.
There is no reaosn to believe the Magic cannot do this.
Through the first 20 games, the Magic will see exactly how good they can be and what they can accomplish. They will have the chance to bank up wins against teams below them in the standings and test themselves against some of the best teams in the league.
They will have the chance to win something meaningful in the NBA Cup and a chance to win on national TV. They can separate themselves from other teams eager to make the same leap too.
The first 20 games will set the tone for the entire season. If Orlando can get out to a hot start, the team can put itself in a strong position to accomplish all of its goals.