Magic's Growth: Can It Sustain Momentum as It Matures?

Get ready for the upcoming 2024-25 NBA season as we explore 24 essential storylines leading up to opening night on Oct. 22. Our experienced analysts will break down a different topic each day to help you stay informed and excited for the new season.

Here is storyline 

No. 11:

The Magic are

trajecting

upward? What’s the next step?

22. 34. 47.

Three seasons. A 25-game improvement. A seven-game slugfest during the first taste of playoff action.

The Magic have developed alongside coach

Jamahl Mosley

, who has this youthful squad fully bought in on defense (which is often tricky for up-and-coming teams to do). Now that they’re locked in around Paolo

Banchero’s

soaring potential, it’s time to make that hardest of jumps into

top-4

territory and annual contention.

Everything here banks on the offense rising toward that suffocating defense. Orlando allowed 110.8 points per 100 possessions (No. 3 in the NBA), a full wave of the wand from 18th (113.7) a season prior. The Magic have size up front:

Banchero and

Franz Wagner are each 6-foot-10 as are the re-upped Wendell Carter Jr. (three years), Moritz Wagner (two years) and Jonathan Isaac (five years).

(Of note:

Orlando Magic president of basketball operations 

Jeff

Weltman

and general manager Anthony Parker managed to

re-negotiate and extend

Isaac into a declining deal to help cushion against the apron.)

In the backcourt, Jalen Suggs finally turned in a full season and his 3-point percentage climbed to 39.7% (from 21.4% as a rookie and 32.7% in 2022-23), solidifying the lead guard’s starring role. Cole Anthony is now firmly established as a bench sparkplug, and 2023 No. 8 pick Anthony Black awaits opportunity, enough so that Markelle Fultz was not re-signed.

Seeking championship experience, the Magic tapped into their cap space and picked up Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as the starting 2-guard. He’s expected to provide switchable D along with the 3-pointes as a career 36.9% shooter (and 40.3% — on 4.3 attempts — for the last five seasons).

Our John

Schuhmann

recently analyzed

how

Banchero

is key to improving the offense’s unpredictability. A

bounce-back

campaign from maxed-out Franz Wagner, whose points and efficiency dipped unexpectedly in Year 3, will determine the true ceiling.

The expectations have risen, and another first-round exit will be considered a step back. Even weathering more considered efforts on a nightly basis, there’s no reason the Magic can’t elevate out of the East’s middle to take advantage of injuries or inconsistency at the

top, though just looking at the numbers, a third straight double-digit improvement is unlikely … or is it?

* * *

Ben Couch is director, editorial content for NBA.com.

The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Warner Bros. Discovery.