The Orlando Magic closed their preseason with a game that showed both sides of the same coin: real promise on offense, real issues that could still trip them up.
Desmond Bane was at the center of the encouraging part. After being brought in last summer to give Orlando the kind of three-point punch and spacing it wanted, he finally looked like the version the Magic had in mind on Friday night.
Bane scored 23 points and drilled 7 of 12 from deep in a 136-115 win over the Heat, doing most of his damage in the second and third quarters as Orlando pulled away. He knocked down four triples in the second quarter alone, then added two more in the third as the lead grew into double digits.
Paolo Banchero added 24 points, and Franz Wagner finished with 11 points, six rebounds and six assists before leaving with an injury. For a team trying to build an offensive identity under a new coach, it was the kind of closing performance that makes the preseason feel worthwhile.
"I like where we're at," Bane said after Friday's game. "I think we have an identity both on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. We have a chance to be a really good team."
There was enough evidence to back that up. Orlando’s offense looked far more comfortable than it did a year ago, when spacing and shot volume were constant questions.
Against Miami, the Magic posted a 125.9 offensive rating, hit 50.6 percent of their shots and went 17 of 43 from three. Through three quarters, with the starters and rotation players in the game, that offensive rating sat at 130.1.
That wasn’t just a one-night blip either. Over the full preseason, Orlando finished with a 118.1 offensive rating, third-best in the league.
Its first-half mark was 118.0, good for eighth. The Magic also launched 42.5 threes per game and shot 38.8 percent from deep, the third-best three-point percentage in preseason play.
The only loss on the schedule came in the one game where they didn’t get up at least 40 threes.
The shift has been noticeable enough that even the players are talking about it in straightforward terms. Wendell Carter said the group feels comfortable with what it needs to do on both ends.
"I think we're in a pretty good spot," Wendell Carter said in the locker room after Friday's game. "I think guys understand what needs to be done on both ends of the court.
If they don't get it by now, it's a little too late. It's time to go now.
I'm pretty confident guys are ready. We've had some really good stints throughout preseason on both ends of the court.
There is a sense of accountability, which you always want as a winning team."
Coach Sean Sweeney, too, sounded satisfied with how the team used the preseason. Orlando spent camp learning a new offense and a new defense under a new coach, and the focus was on building habits rather than chasing results.
"I think we've done a good job all throughout camp," coach Sean Sweeney said after Friday's game. "Nothing has changed now. I htink we have to keep building good habits, keep laying our foundation and keep adding to it."
Still, the finale also laid bare the part of the story that could hang over Orlando all season: health.
The Magic lost three key players in quick succession. Noah Penda went for a steal in the second quarter and came up holding his hamstring.
Jase Richardson exited with a sore back. Then Franz Wagner left in the third quarter with a sore right shoulder.
None of those injuries appears serious right now, and all three will be re-evaluated. But Orlando has already had to navigate the preseason without Anthony Black, who has a sprained ankle, and Jonathan Isaac, who is still dealing with the sprained knee from last year and missed time because of personal reasons. Both are ramping up for returns and participating in practice.
That’s the tightrope this team is walking. The Magic clearly feel better about where they are than they did when camp opened, and their offense looked far more dangerous than it has in recent preseasons. But the margin for error remains thin if injuries start stacking up.
The game against Miami opened in rough fashion, too. The Heat raced to 36 points in the first quarter and built an 11-point lead against Orlando’s starters, even while missing Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.
The Magic steadied themselves later, which offered a reminder that they can recover when a game turns sideways. That matters, because Paolo Banchero said the season will require exactly that kind of response.
"There's going to be adversity throughout the season," Paolo Banchero said in the locker room after Friday's game. "You are not going to win every single game.
You are going to have to regroup and withstand runs and withstand hot streaks from teams and stick to what we know and stay consistent and not waver on the style of play and the way we're trying to play on both sides of the ball. You have to continue to harp on it and work through some of the rough patches that may come."
Nikola Vucevic also pointed to the positives, especially on the defensive side, where he liked the communication. He said there are no major concerns, but that the work is far from finished.
For now, the Magic leave preseason believing they’re in a good place. They’ve made progress since camp began.
They’ve got signs of an offense that can finally breathe. And they also have a clear reminder that the season can turn quickly if the wrong injuries hit.
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 🡒]
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 🡒]
Magic Just Sent A Clear Message About Its Opening Night Roster
The roster math around the Magics final preseason stretch got a little clearer after Orlando waived Malaki Branham, JD Davison and Kevin Knox, all three of whom had been on Exhibit 10 contracts. They had all suited up in preseason games, but their minutes were limited, and the moves now leave them eligible for a bonus if they spend at least 60 days with the Osceola Magic in the G League.
For Orlando, the timing is as important as the names. Trimming those camp bodies gives the front office more room to finalize opening night business without complicating the financial picture, and it signals how tight the margins are as the season approaches. The last step is what happens next for the players who were brought in, evaluated and now sent down the road in a way that fits the organizations bigger roster plan. [Read more 🡒]