When the Orlando Magic received their group assignment for the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament, they likely looked at the list and saw an opportunity.
This was a team with ambitions to make the postseason. The opportunity to play games with meaning was significant for them. To do so against teams they were trying to surpass in the standings felt like it could be an early statement for a young team trying to stake a place in the pecking order.
The In-Season Tournament for the Magic was a chance to announce themselves.
This is one of the purposes for this experiment. In a league where teams quickly figure out if they have something to play for in the full 82-game season, an early season tournament gives everyone a chance to be invested and play for something. It is a proving ground for young teams who get hot and play pressure-packed basketball.
As the Orlando Magic went 3-1 in their In-Season Tournament run in 2023, they learned the value of every game after a 20-point loss to the Brooklyn Nets in their opening game. They learned how to close out games with everything on the line against the Chicago Bulls.
Then they made their statement, defeating the Boston Celtics in a marquee Black Friday matinee and ending their run in first place in the group. The Celtics needed a 30-point win over the Bulls to advance.
The Magic made their statement and passed this proving ground. Orlando did not necessarily ride that momentum to the playoffs. But it proved the team was a postseason team firmly.
If the Magic are still looking to prove to the league what they are about and their place in the league, the second edition of the NBA Cup will again be their opportunity to do so.
The Magic were drawn into East Group A for this year's version of the tournament. They will square off against Eastern Conference contenders in the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers alongside potential upstarts in the Brooklyn Nets and Charlotte Hornets.
According to the NBA, the Magic will host the 76ers and Hornets at the Kia Center and head to New York to face the Knicks and Nets. Game dates will be announced with the rest of the NBA schedule in August. The NBA Cup games will take place on Tuesdays and Fridays (designated tournament days) from Nov. 12-Dec. 3.
Many would consider East Group A to be the most difficult group in the Eastern Conference. The presence of the 76ers, an unlikely 7-seed from last year, makes it that much tougher.
But, it should be noted, it is tougher too because everyone expects the Magic to be a competitive team. Everyone expects Orlando to be a team with the potential to win a playoff series and eventually compete for an Eastern Conference Finals.
That is what the Magic still have to prove.
The Magic can use the In-Season Tournament to their advantage
Much like last year when Orlando had to prove it was going to be a contender for a postseason spot in the In-Season Tournament, this year's NBA Cup group is the team's opportunity to prove the team belongs at a higher plane. It is a chance early in the season to make a declaration the Magic are competing for the conference's top crown.
That is the big thing that is unknown about this team. Can they not only match what they did during the 2024 season and return to the Playoffs but can they win a series and compete for a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals. That is the evolution the team has to go through.
Orlando will be doing so with virtually the same roster. Only Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Tristan da Silva are new to the roster. But there will still be changes. And the Magic will be figuring out how to play with a new starter in Caldwell-Pope when the NBA Cup's group play begins.
For however intense these games might be—the first In-Season Tournament grew in intensity as the teams began to understand the battle lines—this is an opportunity for the Magic to prove themselves.
It will be an early season test and a statement of intent for the rest of the season.
After all, the Magic have to prove they can beat anyone to one day win the championship. This is still something the Magic have to prove.
Orlando finished 19-28 against teams with records better than .500 last year. That was the worst mark among all teams that made the playoffs (a half-game behind the Miami Heat).
Orlando got wins against good teams—including that landmark In-Season Tournament win against Boston. But it was a constant struggle for the Magic to prove they could beat the best in the league consistently. Orlando built its record by feasting on the worst teams in the league (like Charlotte, who beat Orlando late in the season in a critical game).
The Magic have a lot to prove. While there is considerable hype about the team's potential, it still feels like potential until the Magic actually take that next step.
And if they are serious about competing in the playoffs, they will have to beat teams like the Knicks and Sixers. Orlando should relish this opportunity to prove itself early in the season.
The season is not a failure if the Magic do not perform well in their group. But it will be a sign the Magic still have work to do to grow into the team they want to be.
Performing well though would launch the Magic into contention. It will reset the team's expectations, just as last year's 3-1 run through group play was a statement the Magic were competing for the Playoffs more seriously than everyone anticipated.
Orlando made a statement last year during the In-Season Tournament. The Magic have the opportunity to do so again during this year's NBA Cup group play. And perhaps do more beyond it.