The Orlando Magic open their preseason on Wednesday, Oct. 7, against the Memphis Grizzlies, and the biggest thing to watch is simple: whether they use these games to set the tone for what comes next.
That’s the real value of the preseason for Orlando. The regular season is where everything gets judged, but these first games offer a chance to show that this group is different, better and more advanced than it was a year ago. If the Magic want to make that statement, it has to show up in the way they play.
The clearest signs will be easy to spot. Player development has to be real, not just talked about.
The shooting from deep has to look sharper. And the system Sean Sweeney is putting in place has to look organized and confident.
A lot of that starts with the roster’s overall growth. If the whole team shows progress in preseason action, that can build momentum before the games start counting. It also sends a message inside the locker room and outside it: this is not last year’s team.
Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are central to that. Both need to show the kind of offseason jump that changes how the offense looks.
That includes taking 3-point chances and making them. If they’re getting clean looks from beyond the arc and knocking them down, it should give fans a better feeling about where the shooting stands.
That matters because the Magic need to look more dynamic. A strong start from long range would do more than just fill up the box score; it would help define how different this group can be.
There’s also the bigger-picture effect of getting off to a strong start. If the East really is as crowded as it appears, Orlando may not have much room to ease into the season if it wants to be a top-six team.
Improved spacing would ripple through the rest of the offense. Better shooting should open up the floor for Banchero and Wagner, and it could create more workable inside chances for Wendell Carter Jr. as well.
Jalen Suggs is another name worth tracking. A strong preseason from him would be a good sign for what Orlando expects from its starting point guard once the games count.
Banchero and Carter’s media day comments also pointed to a clear message from Sweeney: the standards are being set, and players will be held to them. Even if the starters don’t log heavy minutes, the way the team executes should still matter.
That’s what makes the preseason worth watching for Orlando. Not the final score, but whether the habits, the shooting and the structure all look like a team ready to move forward. If they do, the Magic will have done exactly what they need to do before the regular season arrives.
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