The Orlando Magic wrapped up their preseason in style, rolling past the Miami Heat 136-115 inside the Kia Center and closing camp with some clear takeaways as they head into the first year of the Sean Sweeney era.
For Orlando, the night belonged to a few familiar names and one ugly concern. Desmond Bane gave the Magic exactly the kind of shooting burst they brought him in for, Paolo Banchero kept piling up points at the line, Tristan da Silva kept making a case as the preseason’s quiet standout, and the injury list grew a little longer by the end of the night.
Bane was the sharpest weapon on the floor. He hit 7 of his 12 shots from beyond the arc and finished with 23 points, a strong showcase of why Orlando traded for him using first-round picks in the summer of 2025.
The staff has been focused on getting him more volume during training camp, and this game suggested that approach is beginning to take hold. It’s still early, and the regular season will tell the real story, but the signs are heading the right way.
Banchero led the Magic with 24 points, even though he made just 5 of 11 field-goal attempts. His night was built at the stripe, where he got to the line 16 times and knocked down 13 free throws. That ability to attack the lane and force trips to the foul line remains central to what Orlando wants offensively, and this was a productive night for him in that regard.
da Silva kept his strong preseason rolling with another efficient outing off the bench. He scored 10 points and posted a team-best plus-16, while also showing a willingness to let it fly when open looks came his way. That fits neatly with the new offense Sean Sweeney is installing, and da Silva looks like one of the players most helped by the coaching change.
The only real downer came with the injuries. Penda, Richardson, and Wagner all exited early after getting hurt.
Penda left in the first quarter after tweaking his right hamstring, an issue that has bothered him through camp. Richardson came out after halftime with lower back soreness, and Wagner dealt with discomfort in his right shoulder.
The severity of those injuries is still unclear, but the hope is that all three will be ready when the Magic open the season Wednesday against the Atlanta Hawks.
In Other News...
Magic Face Two Big Questions After Preseason Finale
A preseason win over the Miami Heat gave Orlando one last chance to sort through its roster before opening night, and the evaluation period quickly turned into a decision-making stretch. With the regular season set to begin against the Atlanta Hawks on Oct. 21, the Magic have already moved to trim the group, waiving Malaki Branham, JD Davison and Kevin Knox II as part of the final roster cuts.
The bigger concern now is health, after Franz Wagner, Jase Richardson and Noah Penda all left the game with different injury issues. Orlando still has time to settle things before the games start to count, but the final tune-up also underscored how much of the early-season picture depends on getting the rotation intact in the next few days. [Read more 🡒]
Magic's New Offense Is Clicking Just In Time For Real Test
The Magics preseason ended on a much cleaner offensive note, the kind of sign that can matter when a team is trying to define itself under a new coach. Orlando moved the ball better, spaced the floor more naturally and got a big night from Desmond Bane, who looked comfortable as one of the main engines of the attack in the finale.
Sean Sweeneys group now heads into the regular season with cautious optimism and a clearer sense of identity than it had a week or two ago. The larger question is whether the improved shooting and spacing from October can carry over when the games count and opponents start taking away the easy looks that were available in preseason. [Read more 🡒]
Magics New-Look Core Already Faces Pressure In Sean Sweeneys First Year
Sean Sweeney is stepping into a situation that already comes with some heat on it. After back-to-back play-in appearances and first-round playoff exits, the Magic are expected to keep moving forward with the new head coach in place for the 2026-27 season, and the bar is no longer just about getting back to the postseason. Orlando has tried to build a sturdier foundation, but in a crowded Eastern Conference, the margin for error is still thin.
The good news for the Magic is that there are reasons for optimism if the group can finally settle in together. Franz Wagners return is one of the factors that could lift the ceiling, but the bigger question is whether a reshaped core can click quickly enough to avoid another season spent fighting uphill. Even the floor of the projection leaves Orlando stuck near the play-in picture, which tells you how much pressure Sweeney and the roster are already carrying before the year really gets going. [Read more 🡒]