After making the playoffs and battling the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games as one of the youngest teams in the postseason picture, the Orlando Magic can stamp the 2023-24 season as a success. Sure, not everything was perfect, and the team struggled at times in the playoffs, but they were still ahead of schedule. When the season first started, not many people would have expected the Magic to have so much success.
From now on, any kind of success the Magic have won't be a surprise to anyone anymore—unless they magically make a run for the NBA Finals. This new expectation to consistently be a winning team creates a whole different kind of pressure that this squad has not yet experienced.
It also makes room for disappointment, doubts, and concerns. So, let's look at some of the biggest fears for the Magic's 2024-25 season.
3. Franz Wagner cannot fix his outside shooting
Franz Wagner's three-point percentage has become a real concern. He was never an outstanding shooter at the NBA level, but the 35.4 and 36.1 percent he averaged in his first two seasons were solid for a young player. In his third season, his three-point percentage plummeted to 28.1 percent at almost the same volume as in the previous season, however.
In the playoffs, it dropped even more, and Wagner only hit nine of his thirty-four total three-point attempts.
Wagner's struggles from behind the arc were a problem for the Magic. During the regular season, he averaged the second-most three-point attempts per game but was by far the worst shooter out of all players who averaged at least two attempts per game.
It was far from just Wagner's fault that the Magic ranked at the bottom of the league in three-point shooting, but his struggles certainly contributed. Now, the Magic need to address that issue. Some of that includes bringing in some proven three-point threats either in free agency or via trades. Some of it will also have to come through internal improvement, however, and that includes Wagner.
Even if the Magic were to bring in a big name over the summer, Wagner would still be on the court a lot and have the ball in his hands. If he cannot find his outside shot, it will hurt the Magic's offense. No one expects him to suddenly turn into Stephen Curry, but it would be awesome if he could get his percentage back up to around 36 percent. It would really change the Magic's floor-spacing and offense.