2025-26 NBA season preview on the Orlando Magic’s exciting year ahead. Stats, last season’s results, a look at their roster, objectives for the new campaign, the key player to watch, and a forecast for the franchise.
Orlando Magic 2025-26
How They Approach the Season
22, 34, 47, 41… What seemed like a purely upward trend in total wins turned into something straight out of Wikiloc. And once again, injuries came to the rescue as the go-to excuse.
It’s a tiresome reason but undeniably true. And let no one be misled into thinking that, at times, Jamahl Mosley’s squad looked sharper (and won more) during the stretch when they lost their stars, only to perform worse after those players returned. What really came through is that these Orlando Magic are never short on grit, hard work, or toughness, and they’re trained to overcome almost any obstacle over the six-month regular season.
That, plus the fact that constantly retooling systems and roles takes a toll on anyone—especially when injuries come for two of your three most pivotal players, each with unique abilities.
Below is the chart showing how much each Magic player logged last regular season, from most to fewest total games played.
Highlighted in yellow are the presumed starters when the roster is fully healthy.
| Rank | Player | Age | Games played | Started | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anthony Black | 21 | 78 | 10 | 24.2 |
| 2 | Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | 31 | 77 | 77 | 29.6 |
| 3 | Tristan Da Silva | 23 | 74 | 38 | 22.0 |
| 4 | Jonathan Isaac | 27 | 71 | 1 | 15.4 |
| 5 | Goga Bitadze | 25 | 70 | 42 | 20.4 |
| 6 | Wendell Carter Jr. | 25 | 68 | 51 | 25.9 |
| 7 | Cole Anthony | 24 | 67 | 22 | 18.4 |
| 8 | Franz Wagner | 23 | 60 | 60 | 33.7 |
| 9 | Jett Howard | 21 | 60 | 0 | 11.7 |
| 10 | Caleb Houstan | 22 | 58 | 6 | 13.6 |
| 11 | Cory Joseph | 33 | 50 | 16 | 12.2 |
| 12 | Gary Harris | 30 | 48 | 3 | 14.8 |
| 13 | Paolo Banchero | 22 | 46 | 46 | 34.4 |
| 14 | Jalen Suggs | 23 | 35 | 35 | 28.6 |
| 15 | Trevelin Queen | 27 | 31 | 2 | 13.9 |
| 16 | Moritz Wagner | 27 | 30 | 1 | 18.8 |
KCP, Goodbye (and Thanks)
Between Suggs and Banchero (81 games total), they didn’t even crack a full season, and the Wagner brothers (with Moritz increasingly boosting the second unit) also hit roadblocks.
Mo and Carter Jr.’s injuries gave us a chance to enjoy Goga Bitadze’s best version. Meanwhile, the only starter who actually stayed healthy only confirmed that his signing was a bust, and moving him immediately was the best choice.
It’s a shame because, on paper, KCP was supposed to fit in as seamlessly here as Desmond Bane will, who we’ll get to next. While on defense he lived up to—and even surpassed—expectations (posting the best defensive win share of his career), on offense he was stuck in neutral. He never rediscovered the catch-and-shoot marksmanship he showed in Denver and Washington.
As a result, with their lone “natural shooter” failing at his specialty, the numbers were brutal and unavoidable: last in the NBA in threes made (11.2), worst in three-point percentage (31.8%).
At that point, the real question isn’t how the Magic dropped from 47 wins to 41, but how they still managed to top 40 victories despite all those injuries and scoring woes that sank them to the fourth-worst offensive rating in the league (108.9).
The answer is clear: they did it with championship-level defense. It was their daily bread, their warm milk before bed, their calling card for the last two seasons. In 2023-24, they built the league’s third-toughest defensive wall (110.8), then ranked second in 24-25 (109.1), just behind the OKC team that currently defends the crown.
Two Signings—And What a Pair!
All those highs and lows led to two offseason additions, one of them a blockbuster move.
The less flashy but far from trivial pickup is Tyus Jones. Signed for one year at $7 million (a steal), he’ll fill two needs and offset a third: the absence of a reliable backcourt backup—prompted by Cole Anthony’s departure—and the lack of a true distributor, something Orlando has been short on for years (made worse by parting ways with Markelle Fultz). None of the team’s lead combo guards (Suggs, Black) truly excels at running the offense.
The veteran point guard is coming off a modest year in volatile Arizona, but on a stable franchise like the Magic, he should find his footing. He’ll get quality minutes, and his role may expand based on the matchup and game situation, rotating with Black, who’s also expected to step forward (solid on defense, streaky and hesitant on offense).
Another trait Jones brings, besides reliability as a rotation playmaker, is shooting. He hits from beyond the arc (37.8% over a decade in the league). That’s music to Mosley’s ears.
Which brings us to the other summer signing that truly places all the chips—both for this preview and for the Magic’s hopes—on the table.
The Icing on the Cake: Desmond Bane
Desmond Bane is the kind of player nobody expected to leave Memphis, much less end up in Orlando.
The price was high (KCP, Anthony, four first-rounders, and two pick swaps), but it was totally workable for a young core whose oldest player doesn’t even hit 30 (Tyus Jones at 29) and for a project searching for its final twist. The definitive piece to blow up the East and be taken seriously in the playoffs after two straight first-round exits.
For better or worse, the all-in move is Desmond Bane.
In Florida, the payroll is maxed out (barely under the first apron), and they’ll go to battle with a Big Three that’s about as far as you can get from the old-school version of that label: Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Desmond Bane, all forced to shine not through isolation, but continuous interplay.
With Bane at the two-guard spot, the team’s overall gravity increases, giving them four players who can command defensive attention off the dribble. We’re talking about a 41% three-point shooter over his NBA career who also flirts with 50% from the field, demanding constant closeouts and opening new passing lanes. That should spark more ball movement and pace this season, flowing better on offense not so much by relying on one hot shooter but by leveraging the chaos of defending him.
The 2025 Draft Rookies
The Magic have also added two rookies, an internationally seasoned forward (Noah Penda, the 32nd pick, whom we covered here at NBAManiacs) and Jase Richardson (the 25th pick and son of elite dunker Jason Richardson). Jase should have a decent shot at cracking the rotation if Mosley decides they need more outside firepower (he shot 41% from three as a Michigan freshman).
Below is a comparison chart from the excellent Draftcasual project, comparing Richardson’s impact chart with another top combo guard in this class, Dylan Harper.
The Fringe of Optimism
Like Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami, and so many others, the Magic depend on their share of “what ifs” to make their formula work. One thing in their favor is that they’ve shown they can handle adversity, and now they just want one season of fully ripened fruit.
If it happens and they avoid any major injuries—or at least minimize their key players’ absences—the Magic have a real case to be feared. Bane represents an enormous step forward, not because of his standalone value, but because he’s the final puzzle piece for a team that just needed another dose of oxygen.
Then there’s the possibility Tristan da Silva has a breakout season, carrying over his EuroBasket form and boosting the second unit.
Or that Jonathan Isaac—coming off a healthy year and still one of the game’s most versatile, fierce defenders—hits enough open shots to justify more than the 15 minutes a night he got in 24-25. That would let Mosley turn Banchero, Wagner, Bane, and Suggs loose (any of them can put up 20 points) in a swarm that defends relentlessly and makes life miserable for opponents.
¿Está en esta lista el próximo #DPOY? pic.twitter.com/KYBZvTPwT2
— nbamaniacs (@nbamaniacs) September 29, 2025
They’re still the same Magic known for airtight defense, but finally free from having to lean on it exclusively to grind out wins. Now, scoring should stop being a shared headache and become the other team’s problem.
Player to Watch: Paolo Banchero
Franz Wagner, as expected, was one of the biggest EuroBasket breakthroughs. He’s proven to be a superb second option and a steady co-leader for the Magic. But there’s no question who the real star is and who must carry the load when times get tough and the rim seems to shrink.
A torn right oblique kept Paolo Banchero (ranked 17th in ESPN’s current list) from being a two-time All-Star, but he returned and played at the same level that earned his first selection.
Now entering his fourth NBA season—the last on his rookie scale before his (super) extension—he needs to raise his game. More strength inside? Absolutely. A louder leadership style? Yes. Some defensive growth? For sure. And a three-point stroke that cements itself at 35 percent? Definitely.
A franchise player has to do all that: at least hold his own on defense and dominate on offense. And if the Magic not only want a solid regular season but to make noise in the playoffs, a Paolo contending for All-NBA honors is a must.
“I think this year I can take my game to another level. I’m more motivated than ever. I’m still learning how disciplined you have to be to be great. The more routine you have—day by day, training at the same time… It’s crucial to be there every day, dialed in, with the right mindset.”
– Paolo Banchero (Summer ’25)
nbamaniacs’ Prediction
Reaching 50 wins in the regular season should be a near lock at 1-to-1 odds. Failing to hit that mark would be a fiasco in what’s touted as the most promising, ambitious season in Disney territory since the Superman Howard era.
Staying healthy through April is a must. Getting to the playoffs in good shape is a bigger hurdle. Arriving with fully developed chemistry is the key to making Banchero’s next words ring true.
“I think we should be a team that goes on a deep playoff run. Hopefully that means the Finals. If not, then at least the Eastern Conference Finals. I want to go deep in the playoffs. I think we have a really complete roster. It’s easy to say now, but we have to go out there, play the season, and win those games. That’s what excites me. But honestly, looking at our team and checking out the guys now, it’s early, but I believe we have the kind of roster that can make the Finals.”
Focusing just on the 82 games, I place them just above Atlanta: 56–57 wins.
Previous team: Atlanta Hawks. Next team: Detroit Pistons.
(Cover photo by Jeremy Reper–Imagn Images)
