- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,242,477
- Reaction score
- 59
The NBA free agency period is slowing down after an explosive start to July, capped by LeBron James' decision to join the Philadelphia 76ers.
Arguably, the Eastern Conference enjoyed the most significant transactions, and it might be worth making a case for it to be the superior conference this season. Sure, there are still some moves that can be made, but James heading back to the East to join the 76ers and Giannis Antetokounmpo being traded to the Miami Heat are seismic enough moves on their own to make a case for the East.
So, how does this affect the Orlando Magic? The answer to that is not positive.
After James chose the 76ers, Law Murray of The Athletic assembled rankings for the 30 NBA teams, and he projects Orlando to be less than average after placing it at No. 18 on the list.
Murray identifies the Magic’s physicality as being their advantage, but he makes the claim that this will be the last chance for Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner as a duo. If that is the case, there is even more pressure on Orlando in the 2026-27 campaign.
Personally, barring any catastrophic results, I do not believe this will be it for Wagner and Banchero together. There are a couple of reasons for this:
The first of which is that the Magic’s front office, led by Jeff Weltman, has immense belief in this group when healthy. He has pointed toward Wagner finally having an offseason where he will not be playing in his native Germany, and it seems like if Wagner provides reasonable availability and good production, he will be sticking around.
This is because, when healthy, Wagner’s value is undeniable. When it comes to 6-foot-10 wings who can guard multiple positions and put up All-Star caliber numbers on the offensive end, the list is not incredibly abundant.
Additionally, Weltman is not the type of executive who makes franchise-altering decisions often. His biggest trade since assuming his post in 2017 was for Desmond Bane in June 2025. Therefore, expecting him to move off a pillar such as Wagner as soon as next offseason does not feel realistic.
There is an even greater level of buy-in for Banchero, who will make over $41 million with his rookie maximum contract extension kicking in. Banchero also seems very dedicated to elevating his game to take the Magic even further, which he made evident in a recent appearance on the Stephen A. Smith show.
Secondly, there is probably a better chance the organization will move off Jalen Suggs if things go south. While there have been arguments that Banchero and Wagner operate when the other is off the floor, Suggs is easier to quantify and, therefore, easier to move.
Suggs is a great defender, but his injury-prone nature does not help the Magic. Moreover, his offensive game can get ugly quickly, and that was demonstrated by his first-round meltdown against the Detroit Pistons last season when he averaged 11.1 points on 29.9% shooting from the field and 24.1% shooting from 3-point range through seven games.
Overall, I just do not see the Magic sacrificing size and All-Star production, even if the upcoming season ends in disappointment to some degree. It is the first season under new head coach Sean Sweeney, which will probably give the current core group even more time to work with.
Join the Community! Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news! It's completely free to join, simply by clicking the yellow button at the top of the homepage. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members. Download the free Roundtable APP and stay even more connected!
Continue reading...
Arguably, the Eastern Conference enjoyed the most significant transactions, and it might be worth making a case for it to be the superior conference this season. Sure, there are still some moves that can be made, but James heading back to the East to join the 76ers and Giannis Antetokounmpo being traded to the Miami Heat are seismic enough moves on their own to make a case for the East.
So, how does this affect the Orlando Magic? The answer to that is not positive.
After James chose the 76ers, Law Murray of The Athletic assembled rankings for the 30 NBA teams, and he projects Orlando to be less than average after placing it at No. 18 on the list.
Murray identifies the Magic’s physicality as being their advantage, but he makes the claim that this will be the last chance for Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner as a duo. If that is the case, there is even more pressure on Orlando in the 2026-27 campaign.
Personally, barring any catastrophic results, I do not believe this will be it for Wagner and Banchero together. There are a couple of reasons for this:
The first of which is that the Magic’s front office, led by Jeff Weltman, has immense belief in this group when healthy. He has pointed toward Wagner finally having an offseason where he will not be playing in his native Germany, and it seems like if Wagner provides reasonable availability and good production, he will be sticking around.
This is because, when healthy, Wagner’s value is undeniable. When it comes to 6-foot-10 wings who can guard multiple positions and put up All-Star caliber numbers on the offensive end, the list is not incredibly abundant.
Additionally, Weltman is not the type of executive who makes franchise-altering decisions often. His biggest trade since assuming his post in 2017 was for Desmond Bane in June 2025. Therefore, expecting him to move off a pillar such as Wagner as soon as next offseason does not feel realistic.
There is an even greater level of buy-in for Banchero, who will make over $41 million with his rookie maximum contract extension kicking in. Banchero also seems very dedicated to elevating his game to take the Magic even further, which he made evident in a recent appearance on the Stephen A. Smith show.
Secondly, there is probably a better chance the organization will move off Jalen Suggs if things go south. While there have been arguments that Banchero and Wagner operate when the other is off the floor, Suggs is easier to quantify and, therefore, easier to move.
Suggs is a great defender, but his injury-prone nature does not help the Magic. Moreover, his offensive game can get ugly quickly, and that was demonstrated by his first-round meltdown against the Detroit Pistons last season when he averaged 11.1 points on 29.9% shooting from the field and 24.1% shooting from 3-point range through seven games.
Overall, I just do not see the Magic sacrificing size and All-Star production, even if the upcoming season ends in disappointment to some degree. It is the first season under new head coach Sean Sweeney, which will probably give the current core group even more time to work with.
Join the Community! Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news! It's completely free to join, simply by clicking the yellow button at the top of the homepage. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members. Download the free Roundtable APP and stay even more connected!
Continue reading...
