For four years under Jamahl Mosley, the Orlando Magic were far from a perfect team.
Their offense was always stagnant in some fashion, relying on decision-making from non-natural ball-handlers with limited shooting ability and options around them. They always had good defenders, but not always elite defenders.
The team was always more than the sum of its parts. They played with such ferocity and intensity that it took teams aback. They built one of the best defenses in the league on that intensity and energy.
As the Magic climbed the standings, this became their defining trait. It made up for whatever poor offense or roster shortcomings they had. They could survive loads of key injuries because they just played harder and took so much pride on defense that it kept everything afloat.
With the team professing championship aspirations, everything rested on the assumption this would be one of the best defensive teams in the league. Doing enough to keep scores close and give their stars the chance to win key games. They added more shooting in Desmond Bane to make that process easier.
What they did not expect in an increasingly frustrating 2026 season is that they would fall short because these defining traits would falter. They did not expect to be sitting midway through their season, wondering who they are and searching for that defense and energy.
This team, increasingly, is not that physical, hounding, energetic team. They are constantly beat to loose balls and searching for answers, letting their perpetually poor shooting deflate their defense.
This team feels unrecognizable and their 124-97 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday was only the latest example in a frustrating season.
This team has no identity.
"We need one," Desmond Bane said in the locker room after Thursday's game. "I think that that's the thing that has been the most discouraging throughout, really, since Dec. 1. We won some games, but I think we're just finding ways. There is no true identity to our team right now. It's hard to win on a consistent basis when you don't have a calling card."
Without that calling card, the Magic are merely surviving, if not teetering. This was the part of the season last year that tipped them into the Play-In, losing nine of 11 games as players returned from injury.
The Magic still have opportunity ahead of them. But they need to fix a lot of problems internally, and Thursday's loss only highlighted many of them.
Faltering Defense
Every thing the Orlando Magic have built rested on the assumption they would be among the elite defenses in the league. That simply has not happened.
For the season, the Magic's vaunted defense is ranked 13th in the league, giving up 114.0 points per 100 possessions. That more than counteracts any slight improvements from the offense.
Since Dec. 1, as Bane noted, things have collapsed further -- helped by the prolonged absence of two strong defenders in Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs.
Orlando is 11-12 since then, virtually alternating wins and losses every game (one two-game win streak and two two-game losing streaks). But the team is 18th in defensive rating at 115.3 points allowed per 100 possessions.
"It is a little shocking," coach Jamahl Mosley said after Thursday's game. "You sit down and guard the [dang] basketball. You take it personally when guys blow by you. You take it personally when your teammate gets scored on, and you get scored on, and guys are getting easy baskets. When they do miss you go box out, hit somebody, and get the [dang] rebound."
It was rare to see that kind of a pointed outburst from Mosley. A public challenge to his team.
The Magic have scratched out some wins on talent alone. But the whole identity for the team has seemingly collapsed.
The Magic's 130.5 defensive rating in Thursday's loss was the fourth game with a defensive rating worse than 130.0 and 14th game with a defensive rating of worse than 120.0.
Last year, the Magic had only three games worse than 130.0 points allowed per 100 possessions and eight games worse than 120.0. In 2024, the Magic had a defensive rating of worse than 130.0 just four times and 120.0 just 14 times.
Orlando has already blown past those numbers just past the midpoint of its season. It leads to one conclusion: This team does not know what it is supposed to be.
Missing Swagger and Pride
It is less about the raw numbers and more about the swagger and pride.
There is indeed a loss of something that felt so innate the last few years that has torpedoed the team.
"I'm never a fan of saying there's two sides of the ball and we have to figure it out on this side," Moe Wagner said in the locker room after Thursday's game. "They're connected. I think generally speaking, you look at the swag, the energy and the spirit it just feels not up to part to our standard. We've got to figure that out."
To that point, the Magic's offense has not been much better. While improved overall for the season, the Magic are back near the bottom of the league with a 111.3 offensive rating (26th) since Dec. 1. The missed shots have finally frustrated the Magic into a seeming submission.
That did not happen the last few years. And the team is trying to find a way to move forward.
Like so many other questions, this gets back to something the Magic know they are supposed to be and can verbalize clearly, but they are unable to turn that into action.
This is just a different team. And it may not get anywhere close to the team they were last year.
"We're deep in the mud," Wagner said in the locker room after Thursday's game. "I think we've struggled this much in the time as much as we do right now in my stint here. We're all looking for answers. But it is also part of this profession. It's not always going to go our way, and we have to look left and right and figure it out together."
This is the biggest crisis the team must resolve. And it is going to take everyone together to get them through it.
The Magic need to find the thing they can rely on and fast.