Why Magic plummeted in recent three-year outlook rankings

With yet another bet on injury luck and internal development, the Orlando Magic are entering the season as the fifth-most expensive team -- trailing only the Toronto Raptors, Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets and defending-champion New York Knicks.

Of that bunch, only Denver and New York are legitimate contenders, although the new-look Raptors will be very competitive provided that Kawhi Leonard stays healthy. Just because you spend the most doesn't guarantee an automatic winner. But the Magic have invested in -- and are subsequently banking on -- their core.

Consequently, that has thrown a wrench into the Magic possibly extending Anthony Black, entering a contract season.

"The Magic have been aggressive in recent years in rookie extension negotiations, signing Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero to long-term deals. But with five players earning more than $20 million next season, including three (Wagner, Banchero, Bane) getting paid north of $40 million, can Orlando afford going into the luxury tax for a second consecutive season?" ESPN's Bobby Marks

Black can still be extended until the start of the season until those talks will have to be tabled for nine more months. A resolution now is obviously better than later, especially with player-team distrust growing in restricted free agency in this new two-apron era. Look at Jalen Duren now with the Detroit Pistons, or Jonathan Kuminga with the Golden State Warriors last summer.

You don't want that degree of tension growing between Black, 22, and Orlando.

Not to mention, the Magic don't have a ton of tradable draft capital to consolidate, and all of their big contracts have at least two more years of their deals beyond 2026-27.

Time for the Magic's core running out?:

One of the biggest reasons why the 2026-27 campaign will be incredibly important for the Orlando Magic is that it's arguably a make-or-break season for the Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner duo.

They are entering their fifth year together, and have zero postseason series wins to their ledger. They escaped the duldrums of the East, but have maxed out at 47 wins and have won 41 and 45 games each of the last two seasons, respectively.

According to ESPN's Ben Golliver, don't be surprised if the two are broken up -- especially if the train rides off the tracks.

"If Sweeney can't find a quick fix to unlock the offense in his first season as the Magic's coach, Orlando will struggle to avoid a fourth straight first-round playoff exit. The Magic have committed major money to Banchero, Wagner, Bane and Suggs, so maneuvering out of those tight salary cap quarters probably will require dissolving the frontcourt tandem."ESPN's Ben Golliver

Over the last three seasons, they are 85-68 together -- including the postseason. That's a 46-win pace, which is good-not-great. The East is expected to be quite competitive, lessening the margin-for-error for a complicated Magic squad hoping to stamp their mark. How head coach Sean Sweeney goes about maximizing those two offensively could decide their fate -- not only as a team, but together in this organization.