The Magic didn’t advance any further than last year — losing in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight season — but coach Jamahl Mosley believes they deserve credit for overcoming adversity, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. The team survived a season-long string of injuries that resulted in just six games together for Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs, but still managed to win 41 games and advance through the play-in tournament.
The injury bug started when Banchero suffered a torn right oblique muscle five games into the season. The same injury hit Wagner about five weeks later, and Suggs underwent season-ending knee surgery in early March. Backup big man Moritz Wagner was lost for the season with a torn ACL in December.
“I’m extremely proud of the way that they competed and represented the Orlando Magic all year,” Mosley said after his team was eliminated Tuesday night in Boston. “You can go down the list for the things that have happened to this group and every reason to understand that we could have felt sorry for ourselves, and we never did. Everybody found a way and that’s who this group has continued to be and will continue to be moving forward no matter the circumstances, no matter the adversity [and] no matter what you’re hit with in a season. You find ways to step up and into the moment that you’re called upon.”
Beede notes that roster changes will likely be coming in an effort to produce a more efficient offense. The Magic hold team options on Moritz Wagner, Cory Joseph, Gary Harris and Caleb Houstan, and they have eight first-round picks and 12 second-rounders over the next seven years that can be used as trade chips.
There’s more from Orlando:
- There were some positives for the Magic despite the loss, Beede adds in a separate story. The defense caused problems for the Celtics throughout the series, and Banchero proved that he’s capable of carrying the scoring load in the playoffs. He averaged 29.4 PPG while playing nearly 40 minutes per night. “When I train in the offseason and when I’m getting ready for the season, I have this time of the year in my mind,” Banchero said. “Playoff basketball is the best part of the season, so just having that time of the year in the back of your mind while you’re training, realizing that [the] season doesn’t end in April. You’ve got to plan for it ending in June.”
- The front office will have to be aggressive this offseason because the current roster is about to get a lot more expensive, notes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Rookie scale extensions for Franz Wagner and Suggs will take effect next season, while Banchero will almost certainly get a max extension this summer that will start in 2026/27.
- ESPN’s Bobby Marks looks ahead to the Magic’s offseason in an Insider-only story. He notes that Houstan played nearly 17 minutes per game after the All-Star break and may have a future in Orlando. The team could make him a restricted free agent this offseason by declining his option and issuing him a qualifying offer instead. If he’s option is exercised, he’d be on track for unrestricted free agency in 2026, though he’d be extension-eligible.
Wonder if they’ll give Charles a shot
Franz & #25 pick to SA for former FSU Nole Devin Vassell & #8 pick. Magic could use that top10 pick on an explosive guard like Tre Johnson or Jeremiah Fears. And Vassell brings them much needed shooting on the wing. Franz & Paolo are just too similar to maximize their potential as far as winning.
Just because they lost to a better team.. maybe an all time great team isn’t a good reason to deal away a great player like Franz Wagner… actually it’s a pretty bad reason. The Magic just need to add to their backcourt and they’ll continue to get better.
I didn’t say anything about making this trade because they lost to a better team. You made that up all by yourself. I literally stated my reason for making the trade in my concluding statement yet you decided to make up an imaginary one anyway.
It’s clearly a reaction to losing a playoff round. You can say it’s not that, but it obviously is. Bottom line is that trading a top 25 player for inferior players is not a formula for getting better. The Magic will find other ways to get to the next level than dealing away Franz Wagner.
Well… when you lose to a better team in the playoffs, you don’t just stay pat and run it back- you look to improve.
He said tweak the roster, not overhaul it.
An all time great team? That activates my hilarity unit.
I didnt say anything he all time greatest team, but a team with 3 or 4 HOFers plus the 6MOY winner is pretty elite.
Funny
Maybe they finally trade for Trae. But I know they are afraid to.
With two 6’10,” 220 pound+ young stars, 22 and 23 years old, and all those draft picks, the Magic are just where the Celtics were a couple years back. Big threat next year with a bit more luck with health.
They need coach change, this year loss and especially last year just show that Mosley ain’t the guy that can elevate this team in po. Last year in 7 games series he gave away for free 2 first games by playing with no big. This year he played against elite team with bush league offensive sets, and bush league team can be beat by going physical on both side of court. After losing easily first couple of games Magic did go physical on D in one game but that was it. On offense they were jacking 3s like they are not the worst 3% team in league.
Next year depending on Black progress they will need either elite big or elite sg. Their best big is Mo and he is just average gritty big, ofc compared to other two on team he looks great but in reality he is great backup C. The other two should be considered just salary fillers for someone good. Backcourt is either Black Suggs, since both if them are 2g, ofc if they could land some good 3point sg then Black would be backup unless moved in trade.
Cut Houstan because he is trash. Trade Isaac because he can’t shoot. Give Tristan da Silva more minutes.
Bronny James could be a great addition to Orlando.