The Orlando Magic, fresh off a 47-win season and a fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, are positioning themselves as a rising force in the NBA. With a young core led by Paolo Banchero and the recently extended Franz Wagner, the Magic have made notable strides, particularly with the addition of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope this summer. Despite not landing a veteran floor general—a need that became evident during their playoff run—the Magic are confident in their trajectory.
However, the broader NBA community remains somewhat skeptical about how quickly Orlando can ascend to the top. According to DraftKings, the Magic have the seventh-longest odds to win the Eastern Conference. Similarly, NBC Sports’ summer NBA Power Rankings placed Orlando sixth in the East. But that hasn’t dampened the team’s confidence.
In a recent appearance on ESPN’s First Take, Banchero voiced his belief that the Magic should be mentioned in the same breath as the conference’s elite teams like the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, and New York Knicks.
“Getting KCP is going to help us a lot,” Paolo Banchero said. “That’s a guy that’s won two championships in the last five seasons. He’s been around some of the greatest of all time. So, he’s going to be able to come out and make a huge difference for us. We’re a really young team and getting that playoff experience, a top-five seed last year, a lot of momentum heading into next season… We feel like we’re right there. We’re right there with all those [teams].”
Reflecting on last season, Banchero emphasized the team’s resilience and their surprising ascent. “I remember last year, we started the year off as a top-two, top-three seed and everybody thought it was a fluke. Everybody thought we were going to be a play-in team and drop out the top of the East. We finished strong and got the fifth seed and had a chance to really grab the two seed at the end of the season. We were right there last year.”
Banchero’s confidence is exactly what the Magic want from their leader as they aim to build on last season’s success. The addition of Caldwell-Pope, coupled with the continued development of their young stars, should indeed make Orlando a better team this year. However, the competition at the top of the Eastern Conference has also intensified.
Boston is returning its top seven rotation players from a title-contending team, New York added Mikal Bridges, Philadelphia acquired Paul George, and Cleveland is hoping new head coach Kenny Atkinson can unlock more from their core. Meanwhile, Indiana and Miami remain formidable opponents lurking in the background.
All of this suggests that while Orlando is poised for growth, it might not immediately translate into a significant leap in the standings. Still, with their defensive prowess, the Magic have a strong chance to secure a top-six seed and potentially even home-court advantage in the first round.
Orlando remains a team on the rise, and while the road ahead is challenging, their upward trajectory is undeniable. The only question now is just how big their next step will be.
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