The 2024-25 NBA season is here! We break down the biggest questions, best and worst case scenarios and fantasy prospects for all 30 teams. Enjoy!
ORLANDO MAGIC
2023-24 end
Offseason moves
Additions: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cory Joseph, Tristan Da Silva
Subtractions: Markelle Fultz, Joe Ingles, Chuma Okeke
Complete roster
The Big Question: Are Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner the fundamental building blocks of a championship contender?
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is one of the best complementary role players in the NBA. He’s the kind of player a team signs after the powers that be have convinced themselves they can actually fight back. Ask the Los Angeles Lakers, who won with him in 2020, or the Denver Nuggets, who won with him in 2023.
Caldwell-Pope joins All-Defensive guard Jalen Suggs in one of the best defensive backcourts in the league. Cole Anthony’s instant offense and Gary Harris’ veteran presence round out a talented bunch of guards — so talented that the Magic chose not to bring back former overall pick Markelle Fultz.
The Magic are just as deep at center, where Wendell Carter Jr., Moe Wagner, Jonathan Isaac and Goga Bitadze collectively provide some combination of shooting, defense and power. Carter might be the best representative of all three, though a healthy Isaac might be the game’s best defensive player per minute.
Jamahl Mosley, last season’s runner-up for Coach of the Year, has his picks. None of them will matter – at least so far this season – if Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner aren’t ready to lead them.
Banchero was an All-Star last season at age 21. He averaged 23-7-5 on 46/34/73 shooting splits. He has all the tools to become an elite forward position player. He hasn’t harnessed them yet, though few players have ever been as hard to stop from reaching the rim at such a young age.
He could improve his shooting efficiency across the board, especially on pull-up jumpers, where he shot sub-40% last season (and 32.8% from 3). Imagine the possibilities when defenses don’t know whether to guard his drive or his shot. They are totally LeBron-like. He’ll also need to improve his playmaking if he ever wants to be considered one of the game’s elite #1 options, but it’s all within his reach.
Wagner also seemed bound for an All-Star bid at age 21 — until his jumper failed him last season. No high-volume shooter recorded a lower 3-point percentage than Wagner’s 28.1% on 4.6 attempts per game. His confidence was broken. Even then, Wagner averaged 20-5-4 on 57.5% true shooting last season.
The development of Banchero and Wagner is linked together. The more respect one commands, the more freedom the other has to operate. And if both are to be respected, they will send defenses spinning into rotations, trying to stop the ball and accounts for Caldwell-Pope, Suggs and other shooters around them.
Defensively, the Magic is set. It’s rare for such a young team to perform as well defensively as the Magic did last season. They are big and versatile and played hard for their coach. They were in a seven-game, first-round rock battle with the Cleveland Cavaliers and averaged 91.5 points per game in their four losses. It’s the offense that holds them back, and Banchero and Wagner are the straws that stir that drink.
They combined to average 45.9 points, 15.5 rebounds and 8.4 assists per game in their first playoff series. Any team would take that from a couple of players still on their rookie contracts. But Wagner is due his max extension next season, and Banchero begins his in 2026. Building around them becomes more difficult in the coming years, so Orlando struck now, adding Caldwell-Pope to a largely re-signed supporting cast.
The Magic have been preparing to make a jump, but Banchero and Wagner have to make their jumps first.
Best case scenario
Even an average offense — if the defense stays the same — would push the Magic’s net rating to 4.7, which would have ranked third in the East last season. Top-10 offense? Then, the Magic could be in line for a top seed. They were one win (or one terrible third quarter) from reaching the second round of last season’s playoffs. If Banchero and Wagner can spur wins, boosted by Suggs and Carter and Caldwell-Pope and crew, the conference finals are well within reach, and Orlando arrives ahead of schedule.
If everything falls apart
Wagner can’t shoot. Suddenly, there are more serious questions about whether Wagner can ever be a No. 2 on a championship-caliber team — and whether he’ll ever meet the value of his $224 million. Banchero is stagnant, making no significant strides as a shooter or playmaker. For all the centers they have, they can’t find one that can fill the position as a bona fide Playoff Guy. The defense suffers from a lack of effort, they turn winnable games into losses, and they return to a battle for a game-in-place.
A fancy spin
The market is too high on Paolo Banchero in category formats. He’s certainly worthy of a second-round pick in point leagues, but Banchero’s high turnover rate, lack of 3s, blocks and average free throw percentage dock him significantly in category leagues.
Banchero was the lowest-ranked All-Star in category formats, finishing 159th last season. I’m not saying he wasn’t drafted — I’m saying late-third round is a considerable gap from where his real value lies. However, if we pull off the Playoff Paolo, it could be very, very interesting.
Definitely get Jalen Suggs. He starts as a point guard who should boost his assist rate after already making strides as a 3-point threat and lock-down defender. Suggs will surpass his ninth-round ADP, which currently slides to pick 100. — And Titus
schedule 2024-25
They won 47 games last season and added Caldwell-Pope. Any collective improvement from their young core should catapult them even higher. I think the Magic are ready for the spotlight. Take the upper hand.
