Why this Magic forward is making a name for himself

There's still a lot of season left, but it would not be an overreaction to say that the Orlando Magic's start to the 2025-26 season has been beyond dreadful for everyone involved.

Though perhaps the biggest positive is that Tristan da Silva, who the Magic selected No. 18 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, has blossomed. The Athletic's John Hollinger recently detailed why in a column highlighting 10 players that most don't know, but should.

"You can understand why Orlando fell in love with Tristan da Silva leading into the 2024 draft, because he’s exactly the type of player the Magic desperately need: a knockdown shooter off the ball who can cut, pass and make the right play," Hollinger wrote. "He wasn’t quite ready for the role when Orlando auditioned him (and several others) as a wingman from the Franz-and-Paolo Show in his rookie season, finishing with a 9.9 PER and a minus-2.6 BPM.

"While the rest of the Magic endure a forgettable first two weeks, da Silva has been a revelation. ... He’s only in the second season of his rookie-scale contract, and if he continues at this clip, he’ll be a bargain at $3.8 million for this year and $4 million for next.

"That’s a major development for a Magic squad that is locked into four huge contracts for Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane and Jalen Suggs and will be flirting with the luxury tax and second apron for at least the next two summers."

Tristan da Silva been the Magic's exception to the rule:

Despite acquiring Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones last summer, the Magic's inefficiencies offensively remain unchanged. The enter Friday's action No. 23 in offense and 3-point percentage with the third-fewest 3-point attempts per 100 possessions.

The Magic are all too familiar with poor offense. But the reality is you can't survive in today's NBA with dormant offense. The Magic's 6-foot-8 forward has been the exception to the rule.

Through eight games, da SIlva's averaging 11.9 points and 3.0 rebounds on 49.3 percent shooting and 41.7 percent from 3-point range on 4.5 attempts per game. He is hoisting nearly 54 percent of his shot attempts from deep, where he's been the Magic's one true floor spacer.

To Hollinger's point, da Slva is also smart off-ball as a cutter and relocation threat. He's not incredibly dynamic with the ball in his hands, but he'll make the right play as a connector.

Orlando, frankly, couldn't ask for much more alongside Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane. It will obviously need more from their three stars, but da Silva has been the one shining light to a season of darkness, even though there's still plenty of basketball to be played, for better or worse.

Tristan da Silva been the Magic's exception to the rule:

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