The Orlando Magic made it through the 2025-26 regular season at 45-37 and landed eighth in the Eastern Conference, but that finish came with a clear warning sign attached. If they want to hold their ground in what could be an even nastier East next season, the margin for error is shrinking fast.
The issue is impossible to miss: 3-point shooting.
Orlando ranked 27th in 3-point percentage last season, finishing ahead of only the Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings and Brooklyn Nets. The Magic hit just 34.3% from deep, and the volume wasn’t much better. They made 961 of 2,799 attempts, good for 24th in makes and 22nd in attempts.
That weakness stood out even more when stacked against the teams above them in the East. Every club that finished ahead of Orlando shot better from 3-point range, and all but two of them - the Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons - also made more 3s than the Magic.
For Orlando, the ripple effect goes beyond a number on a stat sheet. Paolo Banchero shot 30.5% from beyond the arc in the regular season, and his career regular season mark sits at 31.7%. If the Magic can improve their perimeter efficiency, it should help open the floor for him and make life easier overall.
The same logic applies to Franz Wagner. He shot 34.5% from three in the regular season, though that came in only 34 games. In the two seasons before that, Wagner was at 28.1% and 29.5% from deep.
Orlando did manage to finish 15th in points per game, but a stronger 3-point attack would give that offense a better chance to keep up in the East. More makes from outside would also complement the team’s ability to attack the rim, force help defenses to collapse and create cleaner catch-and-shoot chances.
And the competition isn’t getting any easier. The teams ahead of the Magic already include the defending champion New York Knicks, the Detroit Pistons and the new-look Philadelphia 76ers, among others.
The Miami Heat are also in the mix with Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Washington Wizards are another team to watch with Trae Young, AJ Dybantsa and Anthony Davis, while the Indiana Pacers will be on the radar with Tyrese Haliburton.
With that kind of field in front of them, Orlando can’t afford to leave its biggest roster flaw untouched. If the Magic want to keep pace, improving from 3-point range is the cleanest place to start.
In Other News...
Magic Fans Now Face A Big New Question About Watching Games
The biggest change for Magic fans next season may not happen on the court at all. Orlando announced that DAZN will become its exclusive direct-to-consumer streaming partner in Central, West and North Florida for the 2026-27 NBA season, a move that puts most regular-season games behind a new local viewing platform while still leaving out-of-market fans with NBA League Pass as their route to follow along.
The team also laid out subscription pricing, along with discounts for season-ticket holders and extra features tied to premium plans, which makes this as much a fan-access story as a media-rights one. For a market that has been waiting to see how its games will be distributed going forward, the new setup gives clarity, but it also leaves a bigger question hanging over how much more convenient and affordable watching the Magic will actually be for the people who live closest to them. [Read more 🡒]
Franz Wagner Holds The Key To Orlandos Next Step
Franz Wagners summer has been about something more important than extra games or national-team pride: getting his body right for what the Orlando Magic hope is a real step forward. Wagner was limited last season by a high ankle sprain and a calf strain, and the injuries cut into his playoff run. Instead of suiting up for Germany, he opted to spend the summer recovering and preparing for the new NBA season, a choice that says plenty about where he and the team think their next leap starts.
Orlandos push into this next phase comes with Sean Sweeney now running the sideline and a core that includes Wagner, Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane and Jalen Suggs. The Magic have talent, but the difference between being interesting and becoming dangerous may come down to how healthy and effective Wagner can be after a summer built around getting back to full strength. If he looks like himself, the rest of the roster starts to fit together a lot more cleanly. [Read more 🡒]
Magic Enter A Season That Could Change Everything Fast
The Magic enter the season in a familiar spot for a young team with playoff expectations, leaning more on internal growth than on sweeping roster changes. Orlando has largely kept the group together, betting that a healthier version of its core can take a meaningful step forward while the front office keeps one eye on the standings and another on the books.
Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero sit at the center of that equation, not just because of what they mean on the floor, but because the teams financial pressure is tightening. Orlando is operating close to the leagues second apron, which means the margin for error is thin, and if this season stalls short of real progress beyond the Play-In Tournament, the conversation around the roster could turn quickly and become far more uncomfortable. [Read more 🡒]