NBA Analyst Lists Orlando Magic As Dark Eastern Conference Contender

The Orlando Magic have received a lot of outside hype for their offseason moves amid a weakening Eastern Conference.

Even the national media is recognizing them now. ESPN analyst Chiney Ogwumike likes Orlando's chances of contending in the conference with the likes of the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers.

"The Orlando Magic is a team that I feel like, with the East wide open given the injury concerns, there's an opportunity to really climb up the standings," Ogwumike said on NBA Today Tuesday afternoon. "We already knew defensively, they're solid. They're a top-five defense. But did you know that this has been a bottom-10 offensive team every year since they traded Dwight Howard? That's insane."

Ogwumike says the addition of Desmond Bane elevates the offense, adding a true shooter to the backcourt to complement Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero.

"They're making the moves right now to fix that offense, and I love it," Ogwumike said. "I feel like we're going to talk about them more, and we'll be seeing them more, especially later in the season."

HERE'S MAJOR REASON ORLANDO MAGIC ARE OFFSEASON WINNERS

The Orlando Magic are a better team than they were after their elimination to the Boston Celtics.

However, ESPN shared some ways in which the team could still slip up ahead of the upcoming season.

"Orlando seeks to fix its most obvious issue -- 3-point shooting, as the team ranked last in 3-point makes and accuracy last season -- with the addition of Desmond Bane from Memphis. One minor downside of the Bane deal is that the Magic traded two guards (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony) for one," ESPN wrote.

"And though Orlando signed Tyus Jones in free agency, the team also lost Cory Joseph and Gary Harris from last season's rotation. In the wake of those transactions, the Magic look extremely thin on the perimeter, which could be concerns as they use bench lineups and in the event that last season's injury issues reoccur."

The Magic have their core in Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs and Desmond Bane, but the team will need more if it wants to be among the top squads in the league in the upcoming season.

"If Orlando wants to make a real run at the top of the Eastern Conference standings, it will need a few youngsters to make a leap in 2025-26," ESPN wrote.

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