The Orlando Magic are SECRETLY NBA Championship Contenders…

The Orlando Magic are SECRETLY NBA Championship Contenders…

If you’re looking for the biggest sleeper in the NBA, look no further than Orlando, Florida because the Magic could legitimately make a surprise run to the NBA Finals this year. And yes, that’s a bold statement, but it’s not even crazy to think that they were the five seed in the Eastern Conference just two years ago with a 22-year-old Paulo and a 23-year-old Fron. Then this year, they got wrecked by oblique injuries and an inability to shoot the three ball. But with back-to-back really good off seasonasons, I think they’ve built up something really, really special here in Orlando. And I don’t think it’s crazy to say that they could be this year’s version of the Indiana Pacers from last year with the Celtics Bucks and Pacers all injured this year. Look for a guy like Paulo Beno to really step up. He averaged 26, 7, and five assists last year in 34 minutes a game. Shot 45% from the field and did all this while being injured half the season with an oblique tear. He played 46 games and still put up numbers like that with zero spacing around him. When they get some spacing around this man, he’s going to average an easy 30 ball per game. He and Fron Vagner are one of the best young duos in the league. Maybe the best under 25 duo in the association. People just don’t want to give him credit because Fron is also that guy, especially if he can get his three-point shooting up. They are both great slashers getting downhill and finishing at the rim. Bronze averaged 24 a game with 5.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.3 steals in 34 minutes a night. Shot 46% from the field and 30% from three on six attempts. So neither one of them are great three-point shooters. However, Paulo showed in the playoffs he can shoot the three ball a little bit. Fron really needs to work on that and get it up because as you can see, his three-point efficiency has gone down ever since he came into the league. He had a strong sophomore year shooting 36% on four and a half attempts and it’s gone downhill ever since. but he’s a 610 wing with a 75 wingspan that speaking of getting downhill, loves to do that, is great at finishing around the rim and is a monumental piece of this young core. And this is still a relatively young overall Orlando team. It’s a team that, like I said, finished fourth or fifth, excuse me, in the Eastern Conference just a couple of years ago before they were bounced in the first round by the Cleveland Cavaliers, who were an ascending team. But as you can see, they had a number two ranked defense that year and a bottom 10 offense in the league. The three-point shooting has been horrific as of late and they really got to fix that. But with Paulo and Fron and the return of a guy like Jaylen Suggs on top of Desmond Bane coming to Orlando, I really think Jaylen Suggs is going to have a big time year this season. This Orlando team is poised to have a deep run in the playoffs, especially like I said with all the injuries. But last year they finished 41 and 41, seventh in the East with a top ranked defense and a bottom ranked offense. I mean, just look at the three-point shooting from the past couple of years. They ranked dead last year and dead last the year before that in three-point percentage. It has been historically bad. So, what do they do? They go out, they bring in Desmond Bane, a guy that can absolutely shoot the three ball. His nickname is Three Rex for a reason because that’s what he’s known for. He can score on the interior a little bit, but averaged 19.3 points a game, 6.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game last year in Memphis. Shot 48% from the field and 39% from three on 6.1 attempts per game. And you add him to this young duo of Paulo and Fron, and they’re all relatively the same age. So, this is a core they can grow together for the next 5 years, and just see how much you can win because I think you’re going to be able to win a lot. This is an ascending team in the Eastern Conference. In the West, there’s a ton of really good young teams, but in the East, not so much. And that’s where the magic come into play. Taking a look at Bane’s best season back in 2023, 2024, put up almost 24 a game, owned 46% shooting from the field, 38% from three. He’s going to be a fantastic addition and 100% worth all those late first round picks that they’re going to end up being. They bring in Tyus Jones as well to be the backup point guard while Jace Richardson develops. He’s going to come in on a one-year deal coming over from Phoenix. Worth about $7 million. A perfect deal if you’re the Magic. That’s the best bang you can for your buck you can get at the backup point guard spot in the league. He averaged about 10 points a game with 5.3 assists, 2.4 rebounds, one steal in 28 minutes a night. Shot 45% from the field and 41% from three. The assist to turnover ratio. King is coming to Orlando. And I mean, he’s going to be a phenomenal backup point guard. He’s in the prime of his career at age 28. Started a little bit for Phoenix as well. I mean, he’s notoriously a backup PG, but he can start if you need him to, but like I said, he’ll be the backup while they wait for Jace Richardson to develop. He was my number nine overall prospect in this year’s class, and I’m a big time Jace Richardson truther. Now, I know he’s only 6’2 with a 66 wingspan, so that is an issue. But he can score efficiently from every level of the court, and he was a Tom Isiz guard, so he can defend. There’s not going to be an issue there. Knocking down the three ball. He’s best off the catch, but I mean, he can go off the dribble as well, moving right here to that. That’s a bad pass. And he’s able to catch it and knock it down or pass, right? Reed bad pass as he catches it at his feet almost and then is able to knock it down. That’s not an easy shot to hit. His off the bounce scoring shows flashes. It’s not elite yet, but there have been flashes off the bounce. But off the catch, he’s a guy that can sit there and knock it down. And that’s what you need alongside of Paulo and Fron is guys that can hit the three ball and space the floor. Jace averaged 12.2 points a game, 3.1 rebounds, 1.9 assist, and8 steals in 25 minutes per game. shot 49% from the field and 41% from three. His slashing is pretty good as well. He’s got a really nice left hand as he gets to it very often. The lefty jumper is beautiful, but as he gets downhill, he uses his body very well to ward off defenders and be able to finish around the rim. Works the pick and roll very well. Also, as you can see, I’m a big time Jace Richardson guy with all these clips we’re talking about here. Getting to the rim with the left and then right here, getting downhill once again and finishing with that left hand. really nice. Per 40 minutes in college, he averaged 19.2 points a game, 5.2 rebounds, three assists, and 1.2 steals. And as a starter, averaged 16 points a game with 4.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assist in 30 minutes a night. He’s also got a nice midi because he is a smaller guard, so you have to have a mid-range in that situation. and he does and he didn’t really produce at the beginning of the year because he didn’t play that much but once he started starting he was the focal point of this Michigan State offense that went to the Elite 8. Now you have Richardson and then also Noah Pinda who was the second pick of the second round and he’s a guy that could really develop. I mean he’s 6’8 with a 7 foot wingspan, weighs 245 lbs and is a knockdown shooter knocking it down out of the pick and roll right here as the throw behind guy. a very very valuable part of any offense in basketball right now. As you can see, the pick and roll and then knocks down the throw behind right here. Just catching and shooting. And like I said, they need catch and shoot guys. His release is pretty slow, so that needs to be worked on, but as a catch and shoot guy alongside of Paulo and Fron definitely could be a nice piece of this rotation. You see the stats as a professional in France, 44% shooting from the field, 30% from three on 3.2 attempts per game. The finishing is there. He’s a big body. Like I said, he’s 245 lbs getting downhill and finishing with ease. And then right there, playing off two feet, using the pump fake to get the defender in the air, and then the easy layup. He’s got a post up game as well that he can use and shows flashes defensively like getting the block right here leading to a run out. This is what I think the starting lineup’s going to look like in Orlando next year with Suggs, Bane, Fron, Paulo, and I guess Wendo Carter Jr. at the five unless they make a change there. Vousvich is reportedly maybe about to be bowled out so maybe we see that. But that’s a really really solid starting lineup. You got a lot of depth there and then you also have a lot of depth coming off the bench. Tus Jones, we talked about it, one of the best backup point guards in the league. Anthony Black, fantastic defender. Can he take an offensive step in year three? Same thing with Dilva, can he take a step in year two? Mo Vagner was a fantastic backup center option. And then you also have guys like Jace Richardson and Gogab Patad on top of Noah Penda. I’m a huge fan of this Orlando Magic team. Let me know your thoughts on the Magic down in the comments section below. Like I said, I think this is a team that could be the surprise of the Eastern Conference and maybe even shock the world and make the NBA Finals this year. With that being said, that’s going to be it for today’s video. Thanks so much for watching. Make sure to hit the like button, leave me a comment down below, and hit that subscribe button if you did enjoy any point. And with that being said, thanks so much for watching today’s video.

This video looks at the Orlando Magic and how they are secretly nba championship contenders with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner
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