Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero reacts with forward Franz Wagner. Rob Gray-Imagn Images

How high is Orlando Magic's ceiling going into season?

Originally posted on Orlando Magic on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Sep 25, 2025 8:55 AM ET

The Orlando Magic are going into the upcoming season hoping to be a little healthier than they were a year ago.

Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs all missed a significant amount of time and the latter could see his recovery eat into some games in the upcoming season. However, if the Magic are healthier than they were a year ago, they could make some real noise in the Eastern Conference.

"After injuries derailed their progression last season, 2025-26 could be the season that the Magic join the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference. With their young core healthy and still rising toward their collective prime, along with Orlando’s key offseason additions, the Magic are poised to make a leap. The only question is how big can that leap be – particularly with the East as wide open as ever," NBA.com contributor Brian Martin wrote.

"Banchero (25.9) and Franz Wanger [sic] (24.2) are both coming off career-best years – and are one of only three returning healthy duos to each average 24+ points per game, joining L.A.’s Luka Dončić and LeBron James and New York’s Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. How quickly the Magic can incorporate Bane and Jones in order to lift Orlando’s offense while maintaining their elite defense will be key to answering just how high the Magic can rise."

David Butler II-Imagn Images

Magic need to stay healthy

Last season, Banchero went down with an oblique injury on Oct. 30. That allowed Wagner to take over as the leading offensive juggernaut on the floor, but he suffered an oblique injury of his own on Dec. 6.

That gave the torch to Suggs, who suffered a knee injury on Jan. 5. He only played in one more game for the remainder of the season.

Banchero returned on Jan. 10 and Wagner shortly after, but the Magic only had six games last season in which all three were available and Orlando still finished with a respectable 41-41 record and the No. 7 seed in the East.

If those three are on the floor together more often in the 2025-26 season along with newcomer Desmond Bane, the Magic should have an incredibly high ceiling which could take them to the top of the Eastern Conference.