Three Reasons Why Magic Aren't Playing to Full Potential

The Orlando Magic are one of the league's top disappointments this season.

As a team expected to be one of the best in the Eastern Conference, they are still fighting to stay out of the Play-In Tournament, which shows little progress from last year. Some members of the Orlando Magic On SI staff explained why they feel the Magic have struggled this season.

Wonky Fit on Offense

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero drives to the basket as Washington Wizards forward Will Riley defends. | Russell Lansford-Imagn Images

The Magic struggles are more about the collective fit than one individual. The two stars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner just can’t seem to stay healthy and, on the court, just can’t stay out of one another’s way. They both need the ball in their hands, and neither is a high-level floor spacer. The Magic lack spacing and ranking 24th in the league in 3-point percentage doesn’t help that. — Adel Burton

Expectations Were Too High

Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley during the first quarter against the Detroit Pistons. | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

The easy scapegoat is coach Jamahl Mosley, because the expectations for growth for this Magic team this season were so high. But maybe this roster was overestimated. It's hard to quarrel with the acquisition of Desmond Bane, even at the cost, because he's been so durable and productive, with that production ramping up of late.

But the roster's overall lack of shooting in other spots wasn't addressed enough, and it took some time to fix the backup point guard problem, after Tyus Jones flopped (Jevon Carter was a good late add). Jeff Weltman can't control the injuries, specifically to Franz Wagner or Jalen Suggs, but it does feel like the rotation could have been a little more well-rounded. — Ethan J. Skolnick

Too Many Injuries

Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner drives to the basket past Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Magic are a very different team if they are fully healthy, but they have not been able to play as a full unit for the entire season. Paolo Banchero went down first, then Franz Wagner hurt his ankle and Jalen Suggs has been in and out of the lineup all season long.

Now, Anthony Black and Wendell Carter Jr. are picking up late-season injuries and it just seems like the Magic can't catch a break. I asked Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff about why the Magic were struggling and he said that injuries were the biggest catalyst.

That doesn't mean everything outside of the team's health is perfect. Several issues still permeate around the roster, but it's hard to evaluate the Magic fully when the ideal product has not shown up on the court this season. — Jeremy Brener