The Orlando Magic head into 2026-27 with much of the same core intact, and the spotlight is squarely on how that group is used under a new head coach. The roster still looks loaded with talent, but last season showed that talent alone was not enough to get them over the top. Even after adding Desmond Bane, Orlando fell short in Game 7 against the top-seeded Detroit Pistons.
The most likely starting group begins with Jalen Suggs in the backcourt, and last season was a tough one for him from the jump. He opened the year working back from injury and never really found a rhythm. The former top-5 pick still hasn’t fully tapped into his ceiling, but the flashes are there, and the Magic are hoping those moments show up far more often this season.
Bane looks like the engine of the group. He was Orlando’s MVP last year, and he backed it up by playing and starting all 82 games while leading the team in three-point percentage.
His value goes beyond the box score, too. The way he stretches the floor and plugs holes across the lineup may be the key to getting the most out of the rest of the roster.
He also looks like the Magic’s best bet to make the All-Star team.
Franz Wagner’s 2025-26 season was derailed by injuries, limiting him to a career-low 34 games. That stands out as the exception rather than the rule, since he had previously been a 60-plus-game regular. Wagner brings a different kind of skill set to the floor, and with a new coaching staff in place, there’s real curiosity about what fresh layers they can add to his game.
The same goes for Paolo Banchero, whose impact seemed muted at times last season. The fit with Bane took some time to settle in, and the injuries to Wagner and Suggs only made it harder for him to get into a steady groove. Still, with a full season in the same system and a new head coach guiding things, Banchero has breakout potential and the chance to push himself back into All-Star territory.
At center, Wendell Carter Jr. gives Orlando a steady anchor. He may face plenty of challenges in a revamped Eastern Conference, but his offensive versatility could be a major tool for the new staff if they decide to lean into it more creatively.
And that’s the real selling point of this group: balance. The Magic can score in different ways, share the load, and put pressure on defenses from multiple angles.
Sean Sweeney may be eager to work with a lineup like this. The pieces are there.
For Orlando, the question now is execution.
In Other News...
Magic May Have A Cheap Answer To Their Shooting Problem
The Magic have spent plenty of time searching for more reliable shooting on the perimeter, and Buddy Hield has emerged as a name worth watching. The veteran guard was traded to the Hornets and is expected to be waived, which could open the door for Orlando to explore a low-cost addition from a player long known for his three-point range.
For a team trying to improve its spacing without making a major investment, Hield fits the kind of flyer that can make sense. The 33-year-old would bring immediate floor-stretching potential if he becomes available, but any move would still depend on the waiver process playing out in Charlotte first. [Read more 🡒]
Magic Give Former Lottery Pick One More Chance To Impress
The Magic are bringing in another familiar name for training camp, this time giving former lottery pick Kevin Knox an Exhibit 10 contract and a chance to compete for a spot in Orlando. Knox, who has seven years of NBA experience, spent last season with the Windy City Bulls in the G League, and now gets one more look as the team sorts through the back end of its roster.
Orlando also filled out its camp group with Exhibit 10 deals for Ricky Council IV, AuDiese Toney, Ace Baldwin Jr. and Jarron Cumberland, all of whom are expected to be waived as part of the process. The moves were announced alongside the Magics 20-player training camp roster, setting the stage for a crowded few weeks as the team evaluates depth and decides which names are worth keeping around. [Read more 🡒]
Magics Young Core Is Creating A Roster Squeeze Sean Sweeney Cant Ignore
The Magic have spent the past few seasons making a clear bet on their youth, locking in Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and the rest of the core on long-term deals and signaling that this group will define the franchises next era. That approach has the roster trending toward a hefty luxury tax bill in the 2026-27 season, with the salary-cap math getting tighter by the year as Orlando tries to keep its best pieces together.
For Sean Sweeney, the challenge goes beyond drawing up a new defensive identity or sharpening the offense. He inherits a team with real upside, but also one that will have to navigate apron restrictions and the kind of roster squeeze that can force hard choices about depth, flexibility and fit. The Magic want to win with this core, and the question is how much room theyll have to keep building around it without compromising the structure that made the plan so appealing in the first place. [Read more 🡒]