Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey shoots past Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane. Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Magic 3-point concerns may finally be put to rest

Originally posted on Orlando Magic on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Oct 15, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The Orlando Magic are hoping to improve from being the league's worst 3-point shooting team.

There's reason to believe an improvement could be coming because the team traded for Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies. However, Bleacher Report writer Zach Buckley is concerned the Magic may still not be an effective 3-point scoring offense.

"Last season, the Magic had the league's second-best defensive efficiency—and a negative net rating. That's maybe the best snapshot description of the struggles encountered by their 27th-ranked attack, which ranked dead last in both three-point makes and three-point percentage," Buckley wrote.

"That's why this front office felt it had to pay a fortune for Desmond Bane. However, struggles of this magnitude are rarely, if ever, solved by one player, let alone one who's still awaiting his first All-Star selection.

"Orlando should be better from range, but it could improve and still be near the bottom of the league. If this offense can't breathe, then the Magic's biggest dreams won't come close to materializing."

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Bane should help Magic tremendously

The Magic hoped Kentavious Caldwell-Pope would cure their 3-point woes a year ago, but things didn't pan out the way Orlando had hoped. That led to the upgrade with Bane at the shooting guard spot.

Bane is one of the best 3-point shooters in the league, plus the way he can help space the floor will help everyone on offense as a whole. The goal for the Magic should be to generate more space and make the extra pass to get the wide open shot.

Bane's playmaking skills will ensure that an improvement will take place. The rest of his teammates will need to shoot the 3-point basket well, but every player on the roster worked on it over the course of the offseason.

The Magic had a very poor year in 2024-25 from the 3-point line, so it's hard to imagine the team having as poor of a season once again.

If Orlando can make any small improvement, the Magic should be one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Should the Magic make a huge improvement, they could be one of the contenders to go to the NBA Finals.