Why The Orlando Magic Are Serious Title Contenders

Why The Orlando Magic Are Serious Title Contenders

With the blockbuster trade for guard Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies and investing a ton of money into their core players of Balipo, France Vagner, and Jaylen Suggs, the Atlanta Magic feel extremely confident that they can compete in the immediate future and they have every reason to feel this way. Paulo and Fron have already emerged as one of the best wing duos in the league. This team has been elite defensive team over the past few years. They now have the best guard play they will have in a very long time. There’s no guarantee the Magic will be a serious contender in year four, the Paulo experience, but if there’s a year for them to make a big jump, this is definitely the year. One of the main reasons why the Magic should be taken seriously is the upward trajectory of forward Palibro, who has more than lived up to the building of the number one overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft. Now, Carol’s 2025 season was off to a very hot start. We averaged 29 points per game through five games, which included a 50point explosion against the Indiana Pacers. However, this season ended up being a roller coaster given the injury he suffered that cost him 34 straight games and playing a big part as to why he had a very rocky comeback where he didn’t look like himself. Then All-Star break happened and he literally turned into Hercules. Across those 24 games, he averaged 298 and five on 47% from the field, had 22 games scoring north of 20 points in that span, and had a month of March where he averaged 30 points per game on 50% from the field and 35% from three. This is a 610, 250lb freak of nature that roams the floor exceptionally well and dominates offensively through strong drives to the rim where he uses this incredible handle that he has for his size, his body control and fluidity and immense frame to absorb contact and be a fearless finisher at the rim. This makes him great in transition and chances are that if Paulo is barging into the paint, you’re ending up on a poster or will be in his highlight reel. He has a good faceup game with great footwork, great positioning when backing down defenders in the post, and an ability to hit fadeaway jumpers on post defenders. And in a season where Suggs missed significant time and wasn’t available for the playoffs, we saw even more improvement from Paulo as a ball handler, playmaker, and shot creator for the team, having a natural feel for the game, being better at reading defenses, and using the attention that he garners to set up his teammates. And yes, we’re talking about Paulo Napoleon Bankro, not Patrick Mahomes like that interviewer thought. But to be fair, Paulo was a 68 quarterback in high school. Imagine that. The thing about Paulo is that he steps it up even further in the playoffs. In 2024, he became just one of three players 21 or younger to drop 25 and five in a playoff debut. became the youngest player ever to record 30 plus points, 10 plus rebounds, and five plus assists with zero turnovers in a playoff game and scored the most first half points ever by someone 21 or younger in a game seven. In those games, he shot 44% from three on six attempts a game. The incredible thing about Paulo is that he’s done all this while working with the literal worst three-point shooting supporting gas in the league. The team as a whole shot 31% from three, meaning that defenses can obviously sack off of shooters and send more help. And it’s evident that three-point shooting has played a major reason as to why the Magic haven’t had excellent offenses and have had first round outs despite having elite defenses. Balo has stepped up in the playoffs in that department, but making further strides in the regular season would catapult him from perennial all-star to literally AllNBA. Before we continue, be sure to leave a like on the video as that makes a massive difference for the channel and sub for more content like this. This past season, Palant Carroll and France Vogger became the first Orlando Magic teammates since Shaq and Benny to each average 20 points per game or more in the same season, testing to them being one of the best duos already in the league. Injuries did play a factor in Fronza season 2, but when healthy, he was an all-star caliber player. He’s a 610 wing with an ability to take defenders off the dribble. Is incredible getting downhill and getting into the paint. Has excellent footwork in numerous ways of scoring in the paint. He can finish with either hand in either side of the rim. Has a floater game. His overall ginormous size allows him to finish over defenders with length. And he has the concentration to follow through and finish contested layups both in the half court and transition. His excellent awareness off the ball allows him to be a great slasher. He has ability as a pick and roll ball handler. and his ability to find teammates on drives in transition making him a good playmaker as a wing. Additionally, he has great size, length, and smarts to be a good defender. However, despite his brilliance in him having statistical jumps in the playoffs, his biggest weakness is his outside shooting. He shot sub 30% from three over the last two seasons despite having an increase in volume over that span and shot 27% and 19% from three in the 2024 and 2025 postseasons respectively. That’s unacceptable from a wing who’s the second option on the playoff team and he needs to improve in that area to take the next step as a player. However, he didn’t have the benefit of having guards who could be great creators and be threats behind the three-point line. Insert Desmond Bane. The Magic gave up four unprotected first, KCP, and Cole Anthony to land Bane, but he’s been one of the best shooting guards in the league, is a very underrated playmaker, and shot six threes a game at a 41% clip for his career. That’s the type of player who can operate as one of your lead ball handlers, drop anywhere between 20 to 30 points on any given night, will change life in Orlando, and will provide them the best guard play they’ve had in a very long time. He does have a shorter wingspan, but the Magic have one of the better guard defenders in Jaylen Suggs alongside him in the back court and have a great length across the roster in what is still an elite defensive team. Speaking of Suggs, he unfortunately missed a ton of last season due to injury, but when he was healthy, he’s proven to one of the better two-way guards and has redeemed his NBA career. Defensively, he’s a good screen navigator, puts pressure on the ball handler, and is one of the better hustlers in the league. The problem for Suggs, just like Frono, etc., is the consistency he needs from behind the ark. Through his first couple years in the league, he wasn’t great from three in the slightest. And then 2024 happened and he was shooting nearly 40% from three on five attempts a game. 2025 wasn’t great for him. He aggressed to 31% from three which falls much closer to his career 32.9%. He needs to pick it up for the Magic to have better spacing in their starting five and also to have more flexibility with their lineups. From an overall roster building perspective, the Magic are blessed with solid depth. They have the strength in the front court with Wendell, Bataze, Jonathan Isaac, and the recently brought back Movagner who was good for the team before his injury. In the back court, they recently picked up Tyus Jones in free agency. Player who’s been routinely one of the better backup point guards in the league, who’s a career 38% three-point shooter, is a great veteran presence, and is routinely among the league leaders in assist to turnover ratio. Having yet another ball handler that can shoot is ideal, but having other options at the back court is even better. The Magic still have Anthony Black and the newly drafted Jace Richardson, who was a great pickup for them as a late first round pick. We’ve seen flashes from Black, but year three is where we should see more consistency from him in the rotation. And as just a rookie, I do only have modest expectations for Richardson. However, there is a clear potential for him to be an offensive punch. Despite him being a smaller guard with the defense, offseason additions, and hopeful internal improvement, the Lo Magic should be contenders in the Eastern Conference, and they don’t really have an excuse not to be. The East is completely wide open with the unfortunate injuries to the conference’s top stars, and there is an expectation for this team to compete right now. They’ve invested hundreds of millions of dollars into Paulo, Fron, Suggs, and Bane, and have already tasted what the playoffs can bring. And even with potential shooting woes, anything short of a second round, birth, or even a conference finals appearance would be seen as a massive disappointment. With that being said, let me know your thoughts on Magic and the steps you think they can take in order to be serious contenders in the Eastern Conference. How great do you think Paulo and France will be with yet another year of playoff experience? And with the backcourt needs being addressed over this off season, let me know how you feel Desmond Bane will change life in Orlando. And also, where do you rank the Magic among the top teams in the East? Are they below the Knicks and Cavaliers as the best teams in the Eastern Conference, or are they even ahead of those teams? Let me know in the comments section down below. And if you want to hear more about more Eastern Conference teams and one that’s kind of a sleeper one, check out my last video on the Boston Celtics and why they’re still a solid team in the East.

The Orlando Magic have seen massive growth with their star duo of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Moreover, with the Desmond Bane trade, the signing of Tyus Jones, and internal improvement, the Magic will be serious contenders this upcoming NBA season.