In a season that's been defined by inefficiency, Tristan da Silva has offered a welcome change of pace to the Orlando Magic. He's shooting the lights out at a time when Orlando has struggled to do so and is showing early signs of being able to become a potential cornerstone.
In the process, da Silva has revealed a crucial fact about the Magic's youth movement: There's far more reason for optimism than the 2024-25 season may have implied.
Orlando selected da Silva with the No. 18 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. The immediate response was optimistic, as he brought four years of college experience and a well-rounded skill set to a Magic team in need of depth along the wings.
Da Silva showed signs of promise as a rookie, albeit while struggling with inefficiency, as he ultimately averaged 7.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in just 22.0 minutes per game.
Despite enduring a slight decrease in playing time at 21.4 minutes per game, da Silva is already turning in a memorable 2025-26 campaign. He's scoring with poise and efficiency, providing the Magic with the spacing they've otherwise lacked.
In turn, da Silva has proven that a team that's generally struggled to create offense when it's not generated by their stars has a rational reason for optimism.
Tristan da Silva shooting with elite efficiency despite Magic's struggles
Through eight games, da Silva is averaging 11.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.9 three-point field goals made in 21.4 minutes per game. His production translates to marks of 20.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 2.1 steals, and 3.2 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes.
In addition to producing at an eye-opening level on both ends of the floor, da Silva is shooting with top-tier efficiency, accumulating a slash line of .493/.417/.875.
Furthermore, da Silva has scored at least 15 points in five of his eight games played in 2025-26. That's a particularly impressive fact considering he eclipsed 15 points in just 10 of his 74 appearances as a rookie—a rate he's on pace to obliterate as a second-year player.
Beyond his scoring numbers, da Silva is moving without the ball and picking his spots in a manner that ideally balances assertiveness and a complementary role.
Da Silva is currently shooting 43.8 percent on 4.0 catch-and-shoot three-point field goal attempts per game. That alone offers reason to continue providing him with minutes, as the Magic are shooting just 34.5 percent on catch-and-shoot threes as a team.
On a team that's shooting just 33.3 percent from beyond the arc overall, da Silva has been a breath of fresh air as an efficient and determined shooter who's breaking from the pack at an ideal time.
The hope moving forward is that da Silva can sustain this level of efficient and productive play as Orlando's bigger names find their footing. Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane, for instance, have thus far struggled to convert with their typical levels of efficiency.
If da Silva proves up to the task, then the Magic will receive the vital source of wing depth they need to make their highly-anticipated leap to contender status.