ORLANDO, Fla. - The Orlando Magic haven’t exactly ripped out of the gate in the 2026-27 NBA season, but a few individual bright spots are already giving the team something to build on.
With Paolo Banchero sidelined by injury, Franz Wagner has taken on the main point-forward load and handled it well. If that continues, he’s positioned for his first All-Star selection and All-NBA attention, with his play putting him in the conversation as a Top-5 forward so far this season.
Wendell Carter Jr. has also kept delivering in the ways Orlando needs most. His ability to switch, challenge shots at the rim and finish strong around the basket has stood out, especially as new coach Sean Sweeney works to clean up the team’s shot selection.
Tristan da Silva has added another layer too, emerging as a reliable 3-point shooter while developing into a more complete scorer. There’s a sense that Orlando is still unlocking more of what he can do, whether that’s creating off the dribble, attacking closeouts or threatening defenses away from the ball.
But the name drawing the most attention remains Anthony Black.
The 6-foot-6 guard keeps flashing the kind of game that makes people around the league take notice. Every time the Magic have needed him to step in for an injured starter, he’s been ready. His game has grown in stages, but this season feels like the closest he’s come to putting it all together.
Black has the kind of physical edge that separates him from most guards: height, length, instincts, body control, ball control, speed and explosiveness. Through the early part of the year, he’s averaging 18 points, six rebounds, six assists and two steals while shooting 44% from 3-point range on five attempts per game. At 22, he still looks like he’s only scratching the surface of what he can become.
“All these other teams are fascinated by Anthony Black, and you could see why. 6'7", good feel for the game...There would be tremendous demand for him on the trade market.” - @JoshuaBRobbinsNEW 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 @SwishTheory Podcast on Magic & Wizards pic.twitter.com/hQ4M6admFP
Sweeney was asked about Black’s versatility and how he plans to handle his role as injuries continue to shuffle the lineup. The coach’s message was simple: attack the right way.
I asked Sean Sweeney about Anthony Black’s versatility & role “Do the best job he can of attacking…The better job he does of being aggressive with balance and making the right decision, the better everyone is around him.Be himself.Be aggressive.Look to attack the play.” pic.twitter.com/U6N1ufvkqe
Black said he views his start as a continuation of the player he already was before injury interrupted last season. He also said this coaching staff wants him to lean even harder into his instincts.
I asked #Magic G Anthony Black about his productive start as a Starter “This is pretty much the player I’ve been since this time last year…This coaching staff is telling me - be more aggressive, look to get my feet in the paint, trust myself when I get there…” pic.twitter.com/l9tPpeXIre
He also talked about the mental side of bouncing between roles, saying he’s comfortable adapting to whatever the team needs from him.
I asked Anthony Black how he mentally shape-shifts his role by the game:“Being comfortable playing different roles.Obviously, I’m a bigger guard… Just doing what the team needs.Being sharp on all ends. Knowing what to do, knowing all the positions, just trusting myself…” pic.twitter.com/AHD03QsIEP
That flexibility is part of what makes Black so intriguing. He understands how each position is supposed to function and can use that feel to read the moment, strike at the right time and create something unexpected on both ends.
The comparison points are lofty, but the idea is clear: players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Steph Curry are constantly solving problems in real time, and Black is beginning to do that on a nightly basis. As his opportunity grows, so should his production, efficiency and overall impact.
A big guard who can defend with energy, pick off passes and hold his own on the perimeter already has value. If Black keeps adding scoring off the dribble, knocking down threes and creating for teammates, the ceiling starts to look a lot higher.
For now, the only real question is whether Orlando keeps giving Anthony Black the freedom to keep cooking.
In Other News...
Bucks Face One Rotation Problem They Cant Keep Hiding
Milwaukees early-season issues have gone well beyond the box score, and the most glaring one has been in the middle. Since Giannis Antetokounmpos departure, the Bucks have tried to patch together their frontcourt with Myles Turner and Kelel Ware, but neither has given them the kind of steady center play they need, leaving the rotation thinner than it should be for a team trying to stay afloat in a crowded East.
The result has been a lot of competitive stretches that still end in frustration, with the Bucks hanging around for long enough to look functional before the game slips away in key moments. Tyler Herro has been one of the more reliable pieces in those matchups, but Milwaukees inconsistency elsewhere keeps putting extra pressure on a rotation that already feels like it is being stretched to its limit. [Read more 🡒]
Jalen Suggs Could Give The Magic A Needed Boost Tonight
The Magic may be getting a little healthier at a time when they could use it. Jalen Suggs has been upgraded to questionable for the NBA Cup matchup with the Bucks after sitting out the last eight games with a right knee contusion and bone bruise, a development that at least opens the door for him to rejoin a backcourt that has had to absorb plenty of strain.
Orlando has been juggling injuries for weeks, and the absence of Paolo Banchero has only sharpened the need for more reliable guard play and lineup flexibility. Suggs status will be worth watching right up to tipoff, because even a limited return would give the Magic another option as they try to keep the rotation intact against a Milwaukee team that can punish any thin spots. [Read more 🡒]
Jalen Suggs Could Give The Magic A Needed Lift Tonight
Jalen Suggs is creeping back toward the floor at just the right time for Orlando. The Magic guard took part in shootaround before the teams NBA Cup game and said he feels ready to play, a promising sign after a stretch on the sideline that left the backcourt thinner than usual. He is still listed as questionable, but his presence at morning work suggests the team at least has a real possibility of getting one of its most important perimeter defenders back in the mix.
Sean Sweeney also said forwards Tristan da Silva and Jamal Cain were on the court for shootaround and are questionable as well, giving Orlando a few moving parts to monitor before tipoff. For a team trying to manage its rotation and keep pace in a tournament setting, the injury report could shape how the night unfolds almost as much as the matchup itself. [Read more 🡒]