The Orlando Magic enter the season with a young core, a new head coach in Sean Sweeney, and a clear push to keep climbing in the Eastern Conference. They’ve reached the playoffs in each of the last three seasons, but the next step still hasn’t come. With that in mind, four names stand out as the best bets to make a serious leap.
Anthony Black is the strongest pick to take a major step forward. He’s 22 and heading into his fourth NBA season, and his growth since his rookie year has already been noticeable.
Last season, he earned more trust in the rotation and showed real consistency as a shot creator and shot-maker. At 6’7, he brings versatility, and both his confidence and skill continue to trend upward.
He’s got one of the highest ceilings on the roster, and if the 3-point percentage improves while he keeps attacking, he could end up as the team’s most improved player.
Franz Wagner is another obvious candidate, and there’s a bounce-back case here. He’s coming off what was described as a cursed season, one in which he never fully recovered after rushing back from an awful-looking injury to play in his native Berlin.
Even so, he still flashed enough to nearly help upset the Pistons. If he gets back to 100 percent and keeps building on what he’s already shown, a first-time All-Star nod is on the table.
There’s also a case for the rookie-to-second-year jump, and that points to Penda. The second-year French forward has already looked much more comfortable handling the ball in Summer League, and that matters.
His size, versatility, and defensive disruption give him a real path to becoming a favorite of Sean Sweeney over time. That kind of fit could be enough to give him the biggest bump.
Then there’s Paolo Banchero, who may benefit most from the coaching change itself. Moving from Jamahl Mosley to Sean Sweeney could matter a lot for him, especially with Sweeney’s background around some of the league’s best players, including Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The idea is that Sweeney can borrow from Giannis’s development and apply some of that to Banchero. He’s already shown he can carry a team in a playoff series, but the regular season consistency still needs to catch up.
If Sweeney can close that gap, Banchero has a chance to move into true elite territory. He’s entering his age-24 season, and the expectation is that his prime could start now.
In Other News...
Jeff Weltman Finally Explained Why The Magic Stayed Patient
Jeff Weltman spent the offseason defending the Magics decision to stay patient with a roster that just won 45 games, and his explanation centered on something Orlando has spent the past year trying to work through: continuity. The president of basketball operations pointed to the teams core players, the returning starting lineup and the sense that the group still has room to grow once it gets more time together and more stability around it.
That optimism is part of why the Magic did not rush into a major shake-up, even with expectations rising. The franchise is also hoping new head coach Sean Sweeney can help squeeze more out of a young roster that already showed flashes when healthy, which makes the next step feel less like a rebuild and more like a test of how far this group can climb with the right pieces in place. [Read more 🡒]
Magic Fans Are About To Lose Another Franchise Voice
The familiar voice that has carried Orlando Magic games since the franchises birth is moving on, with David Steele announcing his retirement after a run that stretched across 37 seasons. Steele was there from the start in 1989, becoming one of the most recognizable figures in team history and earning multiple honors along the way, including Florida Sportscaster of the Year recognition.
For Magic fans, the timing makes the change feel even more significant after another longtime in-arena voice also departed the organization not long ago. Steeles exit closes a major chapter in the teams broadcast identity, and it leaves the franchise with a new look in a place where continuity has mattered for decades. [Read more 🡒]