The starters
One thing should be clear when looking at how Jeff Weltman has built the Orlando Magic, he values the draft and believes that is the backbone of any successful team. That is going to be a theme throughout the team's roster building to this point—perhaps a vestige of the team being at the bottom of the standings just two years ago.
The Magic's three foundational players—the player who has already gotten a max contract, the one who will sign one next summer and the other player who is likely to command nearly if not more than $30 million in his extension—were all taken in consecutive drafts in 2021 and 2022.
That is what has made this Magic team feel so special. The growth for this team has been organic—the way everyone idealizes building a team.
It has given the team a strong foundation.
Paolo Banchero: No. 1 Pick, 2022 NBA Draft
Winning the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft is always a launching pad for any rebuild. It launched the Orlando Magic's first two Finals teams in 1995 (Shaquille O'Neal was the No. 1 pick in 1992) and 2009 (Dwight Howard was top overall in 2004).
Still, the decision to take Paolo Banchero was not straightforward. There were a lot of debates at the top of that draft. And while there are still some detractors to Banchero's game (somehow), the Magic clearly made the correct choice.
In just two years, Paolo Banchero has put up numbers that put him in the class of MVP players—such as LeBron James and Luka Doncic. He averaged at least 20.0 points per game in both seasons and instantly made the Magic competitive for the Playoffs.
They made the playoffs last year and he stepped his game up with three 30-point games in the seven-game series with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Orlando got lucky winning the Lottery the way the team did. But Banchero was the right pick and the right star to lead this young team.
Franz Wagner: No. 8 Pick, 2021 NBA Draft
The selection of Franz Wagner in the 2021 Draft felt like a bit of an afterthought after the jubilation of taking Jalen Suggs with the fifth pick. The second pick for the Orlando Magic in that Draft, acquired in the Nikola Vucevic trade a few months before, felt like a bonus.
The Magic quickly discovered they had someone who was more than a Jack of all trades, master of none. He turned out not to be the seemingly limited player he was in college. The NBA game fit his eye exceedingly well.
Wagner has become an efficient scorer and driver to the basket. He shined in his first two years and was even better in his third year as the Magic reached the playoffs (with only his shooting lagging behind).
Orlando enshrined Wagner as a key player for their future by inking him to a max contract this summer.
Jalen Suggs: No. 5 Pick, 2021 NBA Draft
The Orlando Magic were disappointed to fall out of the Lottery picks and get the fifth pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. It felt like they were going to be one player out of the four-player race at the top of the draft. When the Toronto Raptors took Scottie Barnes, Magic fans celebrated the selection of Jalen Suggs.
It took Suggs two years to find himself after he struggled with injuries and adjusting to the pressure and expectations that come with where he was selected and what the Magic needed at the time.
The 2024 season though was a true breakthrough for him. He embraced being the team's heart and soul and "head of the snake" defender. He found his three-point shot to space the floor.
The question is now how much the Magic are willing to spend on his extension—and whether it gets done before the season starts. Suggs is entrenched as part of the Magic's culture.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: Signed as Free Agent (July 6, 2024)
The Orlando Magic entered the offseason with nearly $50 million in cap room. That had everyone excited for the potential to spend and boost the roster this offseason (even in an environment with few free agents to pursue). Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was not the headline-grabbing player, but he quickly emerged as an option.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope may not quite be a "Horace Grant" for this team. But he brings with him the same championship experience and seriousness while fitting in seamlessly to complement the group the team already has.
In that way, the Caldwell-Pope signing looks to be exactly what the Magic need. He adds to the team's strengths as an excellent defender and complements the core with his 3-point shooting and low usage. This will be the Magic's big free agent signing before they start moving pieces in the trade market. And it seems to be a good one.
Wendell Carter: Trade with Chicago Bulls (March 25, 2021)
Wendell Carter's future may be the most uncertain among the Orlando Magic's starters, but he was part of the most consequential trade of the team's rebuild. For any rebuild to be successful, it usually starts with a solid trade to kick off the rebuild. The Magic's trade of Dwight Howard did not set the team up for success (netting extra-value draft picks or quality players).
The trade to acquire Wendell Carter from the Chicago Bulls, along with two first-round picks (Franz Wagner and Jett Howard), for Nikola Vucevic officially signaled the team was restarting from scratch.
Carter though has proven to be a solid center option. He is not a traditional rim protector or shot blocker. But he can spread the floor as a shooter and defend his position solidly. His only detriment at this point is his availability as he has never played more than 70 games in a season in his career.