The Orlando Magic opened their 2026-27 preseason with a 122-118 win over the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum, and the first look at Sean Sweeney’s team gave an early hint at how he may try to get Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner going together.
The clearest answer on that front was Wagner handling the offense early. On the Magic’s first two possessions, they ran Spain pick-and-rolls with Wagner as the main ballhandler and Banchero as the first screener, and both sequences ended with Wendell Carter Jr. baskets.
There were other stretches where Banchero worked off the ball while Wagner created, with both players looking to attack downhill. Wagner didn’t force much, but the offense was smoother.
In 14 minutes, he posted six points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Wednesday also gave Josh Richardson an expanded role with Anthony Black and Jalen Suggs both out. Richardson started over Jevon Carter, which raised some obvious questions about where he stands in the rotation, whether the move was matchup-driven against Orlando’s three stars, or whether Sweeney simply wanted to see how the second-year guard would respond.
The night itself was pretty quiet for Richardson. He played 23 minutes and finished with three points on two shot attempts, plus three rebounds and three assists.
Sweeney had him press full court after made baskets and on dead-ball situations, but Richardson got a little too aggressive at times and picked up three fouls. He also didn’t hunt his own offense on the ball, choosing instead to keep things moving with passes and paint touches.
In the middle of all the injury absences, Sweeney also leaned on two-way forward Alex Morales. He logged 9 first-half minutes and finished with 24:27 overall, spending time with the regular rotation pieces.
The shot wasn’t there - he missed both free throws and both 3-point tries - but he brought energy throughout the night. One of his two field goals came on an offensive rebound, and he finished with five rebounds, five assists, one block and one steal.
Morales turns 29 in November and has appeared in just four career games, but he showed enough activity to suggest there may be something there for Sweeney to keep working with.
Jamal Cain made the strongest individual case of the night. With this coaching staff, the preseason is a major opportunity for him to carve out a real role, and he took a good step in that direction. Cain scored 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting in 22 minutes, added two rebounds and hit three 3-pointers.
He ran hard, competed on the glass, defended with purpose and gave Orlando a lift whenever he was on the floor. It was only one preseason game, and plenty can change from here, but Cain clearly made an impression in the opener.
In Other News...
Grizzlies Preseason Loss Raised Two Real Rotation Questions
Memphis preseason loss to Orlando offered a useful look at a couple of young pieces who are trying to carve out roles. GG Jackson continued to make his case with 15 points and six rebounds, while Cameron Boozer added 16 points, six rebounds and two assists in a game that had the usual early-season feel, but still provided the Grizzlies with some real rotation clues.
The bigger takeaway for Memphis may have been Zach Edeys brief stint on the floor, where his size and presence were noticeable even as the Magic tested him away from the rim. He logged 10 minutes, and the fact that he got into the game at all mattered after the preseason had left his availability uncertain, making his next steps one of the more interesting things for the Grizzlies to monitor. [Read more 🡒]
Zach Edey Reaches A Big Grizzlies Checkpoint After Long Absence
Zach Edey is set to take another step back into the Grizzlies rotation, with the center available for Memphis upcoming preseason matchup against the Orlando Magic. Its been a long road for Edey since his arrival as the No. 9 pick in 2024, and his return to game action gives Memphis a chance to see where he stands after a lengthy layoff and two left ankle procedures.
The preseason setting also gives the Grizzlies a controlled look at a roster still sorting itself out, especially with Orlando dealing with several absences of its own. Ty Jerome said preseason is about team performance and building habits, which makes Edeys status worth watching even in a game that wont count in the standings. For Memphis, the bigger question is how the center looks once the ball goes up and the pace picks up again. [Read more 🡒]