Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Orlando Magic made it clear: they weren’t just aiming for growth - they were gunning for contention in the East.
Their boldest move came over the summer, when they shipped out a significant haul of assets to land Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies. For a team that’s been starved for shooting in recent years, Bane was supposed to be the fix - a high-efficiency perimeter threat who could open up the floor and give their young core the spacing it desperately needed.
But as we sit past the trade deadline, the Magic are still hovering in that frustrating in-between space - not quite a bottom-feeder, but not yet a true threat. At 28-24, they’re clinging to Play-In territory, 1.5 games back of the sixth-seeded Sixers. That’s not exactly where you want to be after pushing so many chips into the middle of the table.
So now the question becomes: what’s next?
If Orlando doesn’t break through in the postseason - and especially if they fall in the first round again - the front office may be forced to look at another seismic shift. And there’s already chatter around the league that they could be in the mix for one of the NBA’s biggest names this summer.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has been the subject of trade speculation for a while now, and depending on how things shake out in Milwaukee, the Bucks could finally entertain the idea of moving their franchise cornerstone. While the Magic haven’t been directly linked to Giannis, they do have the kind of assets that could intrigue a team looking to retool rather than rebuild.
One name that’s come up in this hypothetical? Paolo Banchero.
Now, Banchero couldn’t have been moved at this year’s deadline due to the “poison pill” provision tied to his rookie extension - but that changes this summer. Once his extension kicks in, the Magic would have a much easier time structuring a deal that sends Banchero (plus salary filler) in exchange for a superstar like Giannis.
Would Orlando actually consider moving Banchero? It’s a massive question, and not one the Magic would take lightly.
He’s the face of their rebuild and a foundational piece. But if the front office has any lingering doubts about the long-term fit between Banchero and Franz Wagner - especially with the team’s ongoing spacing and shooting issues - this could be a way to recalibrate.
Giannis doesn’t exactly fix the shooting either, but his presence changes the equation. He’s a two-time MVP, a defensive monster, and one of the most dominant downhill forces the game has ever seen. Put him next to shooters like Bane and complementary pieces like Jalen Suggs, Anthony Black, Wagner, and Wendell Carter Jr., and suddenly Orlando’s ceiling looks a whole lot higher.
This kind of move would signal a full commitment to winning now. It’s the kind of swing that says the Magic aren’t content with slow progress - they’re ready to leap.
Of course, there’s a long way to go before anything like this becomes real. But the fact that Orlando is even in the conversation speaks to how far this franchise has come.
The rebuild is over. The next chapter?
That depends on how bold they’re willing to be.