The Magic opened preseason with a 122-118 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, and now the attention shifts to how the roster looks as the schedule rolls on with a matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers today.
There was plenty for Magic fans to watch in that first tune-up, with starters Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Wendell Carter Jr. and Desmond Bane all getting run alongside key reserves. But three names were notably absent against Memphis: Jalen Suggs, Anthony Black and Noah Penda.
That makes this next stretch worth monitoring closely.
The biggest subplot sits right at point guard, where Black and Suggs could be fighting for the top spot. That doesn’t rule out the possibility of them sharing the floor, but preseason is where each player gets a chance to show what he can do as the Magic’s primary ballhandler.
This is also a chance to see what each guard did with his offseason work. Preseason games can start to reveal the ceiling for both players, while also giving a more realistic picture of what the opening of the season might look like.
If both are available in a preseason game, head coach Sean Sweeney’s rotation will be a key thing to watch. The question is whether Sweeney will play them together or keep them in separate point guard looks.
If they’re paired up, their fit in Sweeney’s system becomes the story. If they’re separated, then the Magic can at least get a look at how each guard handles the offense on his own.
That should help clarify how the team wants to use Black and Suggs, and how well that setup works with Sweeney running the show.
There’s also the question of who stands out more, either overall or in certain lineups, and whether the offense looks different depending on which guard is on the court.
Black and Tristan da Silva have already given Magic fans reason to believe young players can take real steps from one season to the next.
Penda is another player worth watching for that same reason. The 21-year-old forward should get a chance to work into the rotation picture, especially with the starters, da Silva and Jamal Cain in the mix.
Preseason gives Penda a valuable runway to get game reps before the season starts. If he logs a healthy amount of minutes, it should give a clearer sense of how large a role he can have in the forward rotation.
It’s also a stage for Penda to show how much he’s improved since last season and make his case for a bigger role.
In Other News...
Franz Wagner Is Giving The Magic A New Offensive Dilemma
Franz Wagner has already started creating a new kind of problem for Orlandos offense in the preseason, and it is the kind a coaching staff usually welcomes. In the game against Memphis, he kept finding ways to put pressure on the defense as a ball-handler, and the look carried over from training camp into Sean Sweeneys broader confidence in how Wagner can help initiate things for the Magic.
Sweeney pointed to Wagners preseason work as part of the reason the staff feels good about giving him more responsibility with the ball, which adds another layer to Orlandos half-court options. The wrinkle is less about whether Wagner can handle it and more about how often the Magic want that job shared, especially with Sweeney also mentioning the teams broader communication process during games and Jon Harris role in reviewing challenge decisions. [Read more 🡒]
Magic Center Battle Could Force A Tough Rotation Decision
Training camp has given the Magic plenty to sort through in the frontcourt, where Wendell Carter Jr., Goga Bitadze and Nikola Vucevic are all pushing for clearer roles. The competition is exactly the kind of problem Orlando wants, with each big man bringing a different look and coach Sean Sweeney weighing how that mix could shape the rotation once the games count.
For Carter, the daily work against Bitadze and Vucevic has become part of the value of camp, with the matchup variety helping sharpen his game. Bitadze, meanwhile, has viewed Carter as a tough interior presence to deal with, and that kind of back-and-forth only adds to the sense that Orlandos coaching staff may have some real decisions ahead as it tries to balance versatility, fit and minutes in the paint. [Read more 🡒]
Orlandos New-Look Core Faces Early Pressure Against The Cavs
The second preseason meeting between Cleveland and Orlando arrives with both teams already carrying a little extra weight. The Magic have spent the offseason reshaping their identity, bringing in Desmond Bane and changing coaches in hopes of turning a promising roster into something sturdier, while the Cavaliers are using these early exhibition games to tighten up the edges after an opening loss exposed some sloppiness on the defensive glass.
For Orlando, the pressure is more than cosmetic. A group built to win now has heard enough about playoff misfires to know the expectations have changed, and this matchup offers another early snapshot of how quickly the new look can take hold. Cleveland, meanwhile, should lean more heavily on its starters this time, with Kenny Atkinson expecting a longer run for key pieces and a possible return for James Harden, making the game feel a little less like preseason and a little more like a test. [Read more 🡒]