It does not take long searching through all the fake trades and rumors that fill the empty parts of the NBA offseason before you find some idea considering the Orlando Magic and their two main stars.
The latest fascination in the league has been finding Stephen Curry a home where he can compete in his twilight years. Golden State Warriors fans have been sniffing around, with some rumor-mongers pitching trade ideas. Fansided had its own idea too.
Most of this is bunk.
The Magic have made it clear they want to see their group together before making any drastic moves. They believe they still have two young All-Stars to build around and that time has not run out.
But everyone should be feeling the pressure. The Magic cannot afford to stick with such an expensive roster and not compete for a championship. There are just so few ways to improve when you are above the apron.
Orlando is hoping for a healthier season from their main duo first and foremost. But should the Magic falter, the pressure and noise will only ramp up on the team's star players. It is already ramping up.
Whether Orlando wants to or not, it is going to have to consider much more drastic changes.
"Just given the contracts and the playing styles, those guys are at a very big risk in a precipitous decline in trade value," Sam Quinn said on The Third Apron podcast. "I would have moved one of them now while I was pretty confident I can get what I want. If it doesn't work out again next year, I will less confident that will be available. But it was never realistic to think they were trading one of those guys this offseason."
The Magic's offseason was essentially a dance around the second apron.
Yossi Gozlan and Sam Quinn essentially see the Orlando Magic having to make the same decision and feeling the same pressure the Boston Celtics felt with Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum and committing so much money to two stars, eating up their cap space.
Every team above the first apron -- because the second apron is now a virtual hard cap -- is feeling these major decisions. It is no wonder the Magic are now facing these big questions.
Paolo and Franz together
Everything the Orlando Magic are doing is based on the assumption and belief that Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are a two-star core that the team can build around.
How anybody feels about the Magic likely depends on how that person feels about the two players individually and their ability to work together.
On one hand, their talent together has lifted the Magic out of the Lottery and into a clear postseason team. The question has always been whether they can lift the team to a championship level together.
The last two seasons have been frustrating because they have not been on the floor together because of various injuries.
It is still an open question whether this duo can work together.
2024-26 Seasons | Mins. | Off. Rtg. | Def. Rtg. | Net Rtg. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Franz and Paolo | 2,960 | 111.8 | 109.8 | +2.0 |
Franz, No Paolo | 1,994 | 119.3 | 109.7 | +9.6 |
Paolo, No Franz | 3,440 | 114.8 | 117.2 | -2.4 |
It is not that Banchero and Wagner do not work well together, they are just not an elite duo. And the questions about Banchero's winning impact continue to center on his plus-minus.
It is easy to see why the team felt adding Desmond Bane was so vital -- although the trio was -0.7 points per 100 possessions in 354 minutes together last season.
This is the central question for the Magic's season. And all eyes will be on them to make it work.
The hope is that the two are healthy. They were not healthy throughout the 2025 and 2026 seasons. But even in 2024, the Magic followed these same patterns -- positive but not overwhelming with both, slightly underwater with just Banchero, and solid with just Wagner.
The Magic's success depends on the team optimizing Banchero and Wagner. It is fair to ask whether the roster accomplishes that.
But this team's future depends on these two players' development.
The pressure is on
The nature of the NBA is that everyone is feeling pressure from all sides at all times. That is how it should be when you have championship aspirations.
It is indeed a privilege and speaks to the talent on this roster. The Orlando Magic should be welcoming these questions and endeavoring to answer them.
All of these questions are not anybody trying to push these players out the door. But they are vital questions that will determine this team's ceiling.
Both are still young enough to make their leap. The Magic are in no hurry to break them up.
They need the chance to prove themselves and grow.
"As a huge Orlando Magic doubter last year, I would push back on the idea that they are going to lose value by holding onto Franz and Paolo right now," Yossi Gozlan said on The Third Apron podcast. "They are both still very young. They play among the most valuable positions. I think these guys would probably still have a strong market a year from now. I think they are fine a year from now."
There is another universal truth in the NBA, though.
The best way to maximize trade value is to act early. It is what the Magic did when they shocked the league to move Nikola Vucevic, netting Wendell Carter, Otto Porter and the picks that became Franz Wagner and Jett Howard.
It is what the Magic did when they went all-in for Desmond Bane. While the Orlando Magic probably had to pay a premium to attach the Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony contracts, the Memphis Grizzlies could ask for more picks because Desmond Bane was not otherwise available.
Another season with the Magic in the Play-In Tournament likely will force them to consider splitting their star duo up and trying a different combination. Orlando is in a tricky spot too because the team does not control its own draft until 2030 -- this season is the only time the Magic have their pick without conditions until then.
Ultimately, the Magic's future depends on how the team plays. Orlando is convinced the team can make good on its massive potential.
Even with how competitive the Eastern Conference is, the Magic believe they can climb the rankings.
One way or another, this is a season where the Magic will be determining what their future is. And just how big their next move needs to be.
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