Paolo Banchero isn’t backing away from the Orlando Magic’s ceiling, and he’s not pretending last season felt good, either.
The All-Star forward said the Magic have enough to compete, even after a 45-37 finish and another first-round playoff exit left the group with unfinished business. Orlando entered the 2025-26 season with real buzz after trading for Desmond Bane, and the East looked wide open enough for a team like the Magic to make a move. Instead, the season never quite clicked the way it needed to.
“We do have enough,” Banchero said. “We won 45 games, and if you ask anybody in the building, we did not put our best foot forward from start to finish. To still win 45 games, make the playoffs, and put ourselves in position to advance leaves everyone with a sour taste because we didn't finish it.
“But when we look each other in the eye, we know our team is enough with our size, defense, and versatility,” he added. “I'm excited for what the new staff can come in and do to put us in the right positions, but looking around that locker room, we have enough.”
That confidence comes after a season that showed flashes but never reached its full version. Injuries played a part, and so did the wear and tear of former coach Jamahl Mosley’s voice, according to the source material. Orlando still managed to grab the eighth seed in the East, but the first-round wall remained in place.
The Magic got closer than they had with this core, though. They built a 3-1 series lead over the Detroit Pistons and were one win away from the franchise’s first playoff series victory since 2010.
Then Franz Wagner suffered a calf strain in Game 4. Orlando still won that game, but it was the last one it would take in the series.
Banchero made clear he views Wagner as more than just another starter missing from the lineup.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn't think it would have been a different outcome if we had him,” Banchero said. “Franz is an absolute key to our team, and we are not the same when he’s not out there. The versatility he brings on both sides of the ball at 6-foot-10- he can guard 1-through-5, high-level defender.
“Offensively, he brings balance with his attacking, high IQ, and cerebral style,” Banchero added. “He’s one of the leaders on our team. Seeing him go down was not only a loss for what he does on the court, but a loss for his voice, IQ, and presence.”
Now the Magic are moving toward the 2026-27 season with the same core, a new staff coming in, and Banchero still convinced the roster can hold its own.
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