The Orlando Magic are right where they want to be at the midpoint of the season, by all accounts.
Despite injuries to their two biggest players—and now a back strain to their defensive leader—they sit in fourth place in the Eastern Conference on track to hold homecourt advantage in the first round, something that perhaps cost them a chance to win their first playoff series since 2010 last season.
They are second in the league in defensive rating, carving a defensive identity that seems able to withstand all the injuries the team has faced so far. The Magic are fighting.
That is all well and good. The story of the season has still been what they have been missing.
True, the Magic still need to see what they look like at full strength—Paolo Banchero returned from his torn oblique on Friday, Franz Wagner is starting to do some on-court work after his torn oblique and Jalen Suggs was on the bench Sunday for the first time since straining his back.
Health might be the greatest thing the Magic acquire at the trade deadline.
But Orlando still needs help offensively. At the trade deadline—or within the next transaction period—the Magic will have to address their lagging offense, especially their shooting.
The Magic rank 27th in the league in offensive rating, scoring 108.5 points per 100 possessions. They have not ranked outside the bottom 10 in the league in offensive rating since Dwight Howard's last year in 2012. It has been nearly a decade and a half of offensive futility.
Banchero and Wagner's absence this year played a big role in that. Orlando's offense cratered with both out.
But that does not change the other truth: Orlando is last in the league in 3-point shooting at 30.8 percent. Without improvement, that would be the worst 3-point percentage in more than a decade.
The Magic made getting homecourt advantage their rallying cry this season. But that is not where they want to stop. They want to one day compete for a championship.
And they will need to improve their offense and their attack to get there.
If the Magic want to make a playoff run this year, they need to find some offense and add it to the fold immediately.
The question is whether they choose to do that at this year's trade deadline or in the offseason. The Magic cannot count on continuity forever, they will have to make a move at some point.
Looking for offense
The Orlando Magic knew they needed help on offense last year too. They ranked 22nd in the league in offensive rating scoring 112.9 points per 100 possessions last year and entered the summer with loads of cap room.
The Magic opted to double down on their identity and shore up their internal growth.
Their biggest move this offseason was to acquire 3-and-D ace Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
He promised to add to the Magic's already stellar defense. And he has indeed been a major boost to the team's defense.
But his shot has not delivered. After shooting 40 percent in three of the last four seasons—and 39.0 percent in the other—Caldwell-Pope is shooting 31.9 percent from three this year, matching his career-low from his rookie year.
Caldwell-Pope has promised to be more aggressive in the new year. He started to turn a corner since.
In 2025, he is shooting 48.3 percent from three on 4.8 attempts per game. In his last 15 games, he is up to 35.2 percent. Caldwell-Pope could quiet some of those shooting concerns if he performs in the Playoffs.
Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner's return is a major impact on the offense too.
The Magic have a 115.8 offensive rating when Banchero is on the floor this season. That would rank sixth in the league. The Magic have a 113.2 offensive rating when Wagner is on the floor. That would rank 12th in the league.
When Banchero and Wagner share the floor—a mere 109 minutes—the Magic have a 114.2 offensive rating. That would rank ninth in the league.
Even after the four-game losing streak in the immediate wake of Banchero's injury, the Magic posted a 112.9 offensive rating until Franz Wagner's injury. That was 15th in the league during that stretch.
There is a good offense somewhere in there for the Magic. It is buried underneath all the injuries the Magic have faced. And their defense is so good it might not require an elite offense.
The Magic still need space and diversity
Those numbers might be a reason for the Orlando Magic not to panic at this year's trade deadline. It might be a sign the Magic need to be patient and let this team develop and play out. The Magic may not have the urgency to make something happen.
They need to see this team healthy before they set their long-term plans.
At the same time, Orlando knows its offense can fall apart with one injury or with foul trouble to the wrong player. Let alone when teams tighten their defense in the playoffs.
The team has floundered on offense and it cannot forget that, even with the hope of players returning and setting them into more comfortable roles.
The Magic need players who are adaptable and versatile as much as they need shooters to space the floor. They need both to find a way to lessen the load on Banchero and Wagner to carry the offense.
With Jalen Suggs showing some promise but struggling with his efficiency without Banchero and Wagner, finding another attacker, defender and scorer would go a long way.
It is one thing to chase after a spot-up shooter like Memphis Grizzlies guard Luke Kennard (a career 44.0 percent 3-point shooter and sitting at 46.1 percent this year) or Utah Jazz sixth man Jordan Clarkson, a 33.9 percent 3-point shooter and a favored target by ESPN. The Magic probably are looking for a bigger boost—especially considering they lost a ton of offense with Moe Wagner's torn ACL that will keep him out this season. A boost to the bench should be a priority at the deadline too.
A player more like Collin Sexton is perhaps a better target.
Sexton is averaging 18.2 points per game and shooting 42.0 percent from three. He is a career 38.8 percent 3-point shooter. He came off the bench in his first year in Utah in 2023 and averaged 14.3 points per game.
Sexton is versatile offensively. He can handle the ball if the Magic are still avoiding going with a true point guard but work plenty well off the ball. He is a surprisingly good spot-up shooter, making 49.0 percent of his spot-up opportunities and scoring 1.21 points per possession according to NBA.com's tracking stats, that would rank second on the Magic in points per possession and lead them in percentage.
He is also a solid driver, shooting 50.2 percent on 11.3 drives per game. The Magic could use another downhill attacker and creator to ease the burden on Banchero and Wagner. That is the kind of offensive diversity they would need.
Sexton has the tools to be a solid defender and should be able to check that box for Orlando. The Magic are not likely to acquire a player who cannot defend.
There is a framework to make a deal happen too. David Locke of Locked On Jazz pitched a deal that would send Cole Anthony, Gary Harris and a draft pick to the Jazz for Collin Sexton. That would certainly be a major upgrade for the Magic—and have the effect of clearing the path for Jett Howard to play more.
The Magic could also chase another major offensive player like Altamonte Springs native Anfernee Simons, especially after he went on his scoring binge recently for the Portland Trail Blazers.
There are clearly options offensively.
What the Magic are looking for in their next deal—whether it comes at the deadline or in the offseason—is more offensive versatility. They need a player who can shoot and attack off the dribble to elevate the offense.
The Magic are still focused more on their long-term goals and planning than any short-term planning to win this season beyond their internal development.
But everyone sense the Magic will make a move soon. They will have to if they want to reach the championship tier.