Two scenarios could make Bleacher Report’s Magic season overreaction a reality 

For the first time in a while, the Magic are considered one of the more interesting and promising teams in the league. Their young core of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs is drawing attention to Orlando, especially after last season’s playoff run. While they are not yet on the same level as some of the best Eastern Conference teams, the Magic should be in the playoff mix. 

And yet, the team still has a lot of things to figure out and improve, which is not unusual for such a young team. Offensive production is the biggest thing the team needs to address. Last season, the Magic formed one of the best defensive teams in the league but struggled offensively, especially in the playoffs. 

Despite all that, the Magic did not go out and get an offensive-minded player this summer. Instead, they decided to give it some more time and bank on internal improvement. That is risky and could end up backfiring. 

Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale acknowledged that in his latest piece on overreactions for the 2024-25 season. His overreaction for the Magic is that they “will trade two firsts or the equivalent by the trade deadline”. Favale ranked this only a 3.4 on his confidence meter from 0 to 10 but it doesn’t seem too far-fetched. 

Two scenarios could force the Magic to make a move at the trade deadline 

The Magic have been incredibly patient throughout this rebuild and it has paid off but that phase of the rebuild is over. There are expectations for the Magic now and that entails continued improvement, hopefully a better playoff appearance, and taking the next steps towards becoming a true contender. Some of those steps will have to be taken this season because the rest of the league won’t be waiting for the Magic to figure things out. 

Two scenarios could prompt the Magic to make a significant move at the trade deadline. The first one is not pleasant. Orlando took a risk by not adding some offensive firepower or a traditional point guard to the mix and it has created some doubt around the team’s offensive ability. 

On the latest episode of The Hoop Collective, Tim MacMahon noted how important it is to give Paolo Banchero spacing and offensive help, both in the form of scoring and playmaking. 

“They are not there yet,” he noted, “I don’t know if Suggs is going to develop to that point…”

It is worth a try. If Jalen Suggs can take the next step offensively and become a better playmaker and some other players can step up as offensive contributors, it would save the Magic the trouble of figuring out which offensive-minded player they can add without giving up too much defense. 

But it could very well end with the Magic struggling so much offensively that they need to make a move at the trade deadline, especially if the rest of the Eastern Conference is healthy, or risk taking a step backward rather than forward. Development in the NBA is not linear but the Magic do not want to disappoint and fall in the standings. Paolo Banchero’s comments on what he believes this team can do make that clear. 

The other scenario is much more positive. What if Paolo Banchero goes from the All-Star level to an All-NBA level in a matter of a few months and Franz Wagner gets closer to reaching the All-Star level himself? Will the Magic continue to sit on their assets and wait and see or will they seize the moment and make a move to give their young stars a chance to get to the next level? 

Banchero is up for an extension next summer and the Magic need to show him that they are ready to give him a chance to win at the highest level. The team is still incredibly young but if they are ready to take the next step, there is no reason to hold them back. 

Either way, the Magic will need to get their offense playoff-ready soon and the best way to do that seems to use their assets and add an impactful, new contributor. Whether that will happen at the trade deadline or after the season depends on how the first few months of the 2024-25 season go.