Noah Penda’s push for a bigger role with the Orlando Magic has hit a rough patch before the season even gets going.
The forward left Friday’s preseason game against the Miami Heat in the first quarter with right hamstring tightness and never returned, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The latest update is even more concerning: Penda partially tore his right hamstring during the game. The injury is in the same leg that bothered him in training camp, though it affects a different part of the hamstring, and the previous issue had fully healed.
That’s a painful turn for a player who was trending toward more minutes in his second season. Penda was expected to become a more important piece for Orlando thanks to his ability to guard positions one through five and handle playmaking duties on the perimeter. With the Magic finishing up their preseason schedule, he looked like one of the clearest candidates to earn an expanded rotation spot.
The injury scare in Miami didn’t stop with Penda. Jase Richardson and Franz Wagner also exited early, adding to a frustrating night for Orlando in its final preseason game.
For Penda, the setback arrives after an offseason built around taking the next step. He said at Magic media day that the break felt like the longest of his life because it gave him time to reflect on his rookie season and prepare for Year 2. After spending two weeks in France with his family, he came back to Orlando to work with the coaching staff before Summer League and even brought in a chef to help with his diet.
His focus was split between getting his body ready and sharpening his shooting. Penda spent hours in the gym every day attacking both goals, calling the process a step-by-step journey that included some frustrating stretches.
He felt good about what he showed in Summer League, then kept pushing his conditioning after another short trip to France. When he returned to Orlando about a month and a half ago, he started learning the new coaching staff and playbook while gearing up for his second NBA season.
He also explained why he trimmed down. Penda said the decision came from looking back on his rookie year and understanding how important it is to maintain the right pace over the course of an NBA season.
He had wanted to lose weight before, but watching young players leave teams or get traded before finishing their rookie contracts drove the point home. That realization pushed him to focus on conditioning early instead of waiting.
Penda said he wants those changes to last and not waste the chance to keep developing while he is still young.
He also met with Sweeney before Summer League and had several conversations with the new head coach about what his role could look like. Penda said he appreciated Sweeney’s approach, especially the idea that roles can shift during the season rather than staying locked in.
Sweeney laid out the early expectations while making clear the staff would keep helping Penda work toward his goals. Penda said he likes the chance to grow without being boxed into one ceiling, with the understanding that his responsibilities can keep changing as he earns them.
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Magic Face Two Big Questions After Preseason Finale
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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 🡒]
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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 🡒]