The Orlando Magic are about to find out a lot about themselves fast.
Their 2026-27 regular season opens Oct. 21 against the Atlanta Hawks, and the early schedule doesn’t exactly ease them in. After Atlanta, Orlando draws the Minnesota Timberwolves, the New York Knicks and the Toronto Raptors twice in its first run of games.
That means the Magic can’t afford a sluggish offensive start, and Paolo Banchero is at the center of that. He had some rough shooting nights early in preseason, but the finish was much stronger. In Orlando’s final two preseason games, Banchero put up 24 points in each one.
Against Cleveland in the penultimate preseason game, he went 10-for-13 from the field, good for 76.9%, and 2-for-3 from 3-point range. Then against Miami, he finished 5-for-11 overall and 1-for-2 from deep. The message is simple: Orlando needs that version of Banchero to carry over when the games count.
The need gets even sharper if Franz Wagner is sidelined to start the season. Wagner left Orlando’s final preseason game with right shoulder soreness, and if he can’t go, the scoring burden shifts even more heavily onto Banchero. The Magic are staring at a difficult opening stretch, so they’ll need production right away.
Tristan da Silva looks like a player who can help ease that load. In preseason, he averaged 16.5 points while shooting 45.3% from the field and 37.8% from 3. That kind of efficiency matters for a team that may need more spacing and more reliable perimeter shooting from its forward group.
That issue is part of the concern with Orlando’s frontcourt shooting outlook. Wagner hit just 20% of his 3-pointers in preseason, while Banchero shot 40% from beyond the arc.
Neither player took a heavy volume of threes, which only increases the value of someone like da Silva if he can keep knocking down shots. He gives the Magic a different look in that forward rotation.
His role becomes even more significant with Noah Penda out because of a hamstring injury. That loss adds another layer to the pressure on da Silva to contribute offensively.
Anthony Black is another name Orlando will need to get going early. He didn’t play in any preseason games, but the Magic are going to need him to find his rhythm quickly to strengthen the guard rotation. Based on what he did during the 2025-26 regular season, he should still be a major piece for this team.
The other side of the opening stretch is just as important. With Atlanta, Minnesota, New York and Toronto all on the early slate, Orlando will be tested by talented offenses right away. That makes the defense a key part of the equation.
If the Magic can get stops, they buy themselves room to breathe. That matters if Wagner is unavailable or if the offense hits a dry spell. In a stretch this demanding, defensive steadiness could be the thing that keeps Orlando afloat.
In Other News...
Magic Face A Costly Anthony Black Decision As Pressure Builds
The rookie-scale extension window is starting to come into focus for Orlando, and Anthony Black sits right in the middle of it. The Magic have been in ongoing talks with the former lottery pick, a negotiation that matters more now as clubs around the league watch how Orlando handles its payroll and its young core. Around the same time, Oklahoma City locked in Cason Wallace on a five-year rookie-scale extension, another example of a team choosing to secure a rising guard before the deadline drama can spill into the season.
For the Magic, this is about more than one contract. Black remains a key part of their long-term plan, but the closer the deadline gets, the more the conversation shifts from development to leverage and timing. Orlando has some decisions to make, and the rest of the league knows it, which is why this situation feels heavier than a routine extension discussion. [Read more 🡒]
Anthony Black Just Became A Real Magic Cap Dilemma
The rookie-scale extension window has already turned into a small boardroom test around the league, and Anthony Black has suddenly become one of the cleaner examples of how the new financial reality is changing decisions. Orlando has watched plenty of other young players around the NBA land new deals or enter negotiations, but the Magic are taking a more cautious path with their own guard as they sort through a roster that already carries real long-term money.
Blacks value to the Magic is obvious enough, which is why his situation stands out more than most. Orlando would rather keep that growth curve intact than rush into a deal just because the calendar says it is possible, and the broader league activity only sharpens the contrast. With the front office trying to manage flexibility and avoid piling on another significant commitment too soon, this is less about doubt in Black and more about how tightly the cap can squeeze even a team that likes where its young core is headed. [Read more 🡒]
Noah Pendas Latest Setback Raises A Tough Early Question For Orlando
Noah Pendas preseason has taken another frustrating turn, and for Orlando it comes with an early reminder of how quickly a promising camp can get complicated. The forward said the latest issue involves a partial tear in his right hamstring, after a previous injury in a different part of the same muscle had already fully healed. He spoke candidly about the recovery process, leaning on the teams medical staff and stressing the need to stay patient rather than try to force his way back too soon.
For the Magic, it leaves a tough early question hanging over a player they had been trying to integrate while preseason momentum was still building. Penda said he has been encouraged by the way the group has looked and by the support from teammates, even as he works through the setback. The broader concern now is less about his immediate absence than how Orlando manages a young players health without letting one injury turn into a lingering issue. [Read more 🡒]