The Magic's Complicated Path Forward
On the Magic's quiet trade deadline and their upcoming payroll issues further heightened by their disappointing season. Also, some thoughts on the Pelicans and Zion Williamson's unique contract.
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The NBA has had several teams enter crisis mode this season after falling well below expectations. Some were able to turn things around through time or timely personnel moves at the trade deadline.
The Clippers went from potentially surrendering a top pick in the upcoming draft to the Thunder to getting back into Play-In Tournament contention. They also relieved themselves of the pressure of being a win-now team by trading their top veterans in moves oriented toward the future. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, went from a potential Play-In team back to looking like a legitimate title contender by making several trades, including one with those same Clippers.
Then there are the teams that fell below expectations and couldn’t do anything about it at the deadline. No team may have a bigger magnifying glass on them over the second half of the season than the Magic.
The Magic accelerated their timeline last summer by signing Paolo Banchero to a maximum extension and trading four first-round picks for Desmond Bane. Both moves signaled a belief that this team was close to contention. The results haven’t backed that up, as they’ve been one of the most disappointing teams in the NBA this year.
Sitting at 31-26 as of last night’s win over the Lakers, the Magic are once again in Play-In territory. They have improved from a below-average offense to an average one, but still rank near the bottom of the league in multiple offensive categories, including three-point shooting. More alarmingly, their defensive rating has fallen to the middle of the pack after they ranked among the top defenses in the league in each of the last two seasons.
To be fair, injuries have played a significant role. Franz Wagner, their best player this season, is sidelined indefinitely with a high left ankle sprain. Jalen Suggs, their most connected piece to sustained success over the years, continues to miss time with knee issues. Banchero also missed a significant stretch early in the season. But the injuries don’t fully explain how far short of expectations they’ve fallen.
When the Magic traded for Bane, the consensus was that he was the missing piece not only to advance past the first round, but potentially to make them a legitimate Finals contender in a weak Eastern Conference. To his credit, Bane has largely delivered on that promise. He hasn’t missed a game since arriving in Orlando and has played outstanding basketball after a rough start to the season.
With only one major move available to them, the Magic correctly identified the type of player they needed in Bane. The core just may not have been strong or cohesive enough to go all-in on yet.
