Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane looks to pass the ball as Minnesota Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Why Orlando Magic are among NBA's offseason winners

Originally posted on Orlando Magic on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Sep 21, 2025 12:08 PM ET

The Orlando Magic are a better team going into the 2025-26 season than they were back in the spring when they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.

Their improvement as a team prompted Bleacher Report writer Grant Hughes to list the Magic as one of the winners of the offseason.

"The Orlando Magic weren't serious contenders for the East's top seed before the offseason, but they are now," Hughes wrote.

"Don't get caught up in the cost they paid to acquire Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies, which involved four first-round picks and one additional first-round swap. All that matters for our purposes is the on-court improvement Orlando made by adding one of the league's most reliable high-volume three-point shooters to an offense in desperate need of stretch."

Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Bane trade was the biggest part of the offseason, but there were a couple of other shrewd moves that have the Magic in a better spot now than they were a few months ago.

The team signed Tyus Jones to a one-year deal and inked Paolo Banchero to a long-term extension, so the future outlook of the team is looking bright. These moves can help Orlando's offense improve to become one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.

"The Magic should expect organic growth from Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs can resume his ascent if he has better health luck. But the status quo was never going to be enough to get Orlando into the East's upper echelon," Hughes wrote.

"Bane and fellow addition Tyus Jones give the Magic a real shot to produce a league-average offensive rating, something they haven't achieved since 2011-12. Combined with what should be one of the three or four best defenses in the NBA, that'll be enough to give the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks a run for the conference crown."

The Magic have to make improvements on the offensive end and these moves will give them the best chance to make that happen.

Orlando was the worst 3-point shooting team in the league and ranked 27th in offensive rating. Making the playoffs with those numbers is astonishing, but it's also a testament to how good Orlando's defense is.

The defense has the makings of a true contender, but the offense needs to step up in order to make that happen.