Ranking the Guards for the Orlando Magic's Future

The Orlando Magic enter an offseason filled with questions. Most notably, who will be the head coach? But beyond that, the Magic are coming off of a disappointing season. The Magic were projected to be a top 3 seed in the East; they were a play-in team. They were then eliminated by the Detroit Pistons in the first round.

The questions with the roster will begin with looking at their guard room. A room with a lot of talent and depth, but still some question marks, with the big one surrounding the 24-year-old Jalen Suggs.

The room has a lot of talented players, many of which will be around for a while so who is the most important?

Jalen Suggs in Games 4–7:

8/38 FG — (21%)
3/23 3PT — (13%)

He disappeared when it mattered most 😬 pic.twitter.com/aav4ezsfD6
— SleeperMagic (@SleeperOrlando) May 5, 2026

1. Desmond Bane

May 1, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane (3) dribbles the ball against the Detroit Pistons in the fourth quarter during game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images | Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images

Desmond Bane is a part of the Magic's future for the long run. He is a two-way player that they invested in with last year's trade, and he delivered a 20 point per game, near 50/40/90 season. The Magic fell short of expectations but dealt with many injuries and internal turmoil, some of which led to the firing of Jamahl Mosley. As the Magic step into their next chapter, Bane will be right alongside Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero.

2. Anthony Black

May 3, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black (0) dunks in the first half against the Detroit Pistons during game seven of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Anthony Black emerged in his third season on his way to 15.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. Black shines as a two-way player while averaging more than 2 steals and blocks per game. His growth certainly makes the Magic more comfortable about the way Jalen Suggs season went as they can potentially look to move off Suggs contract. His next step will be to find a stable role with the Magic's next coach and improve from beyond the arc.

Anthony Black this year:

15.0 PTS
3.8 REB
3.7 AST
1.4 STL
44.7% FG
33.3% 3PT

How would you grade his season? 🤔⬇️ pic.twitter.com/oJ6B7DBVyv
— SleeperMagic (@SleeperOrlando) May 15, 2026

3. Jase Richardson

I called for Jase Richardson to get more run early in the season, especially when Tyus Jones was struggling, but coach Mosley was patient with the Magic's 25th overall pick. Although undersized Richardson showcased great efficiency, scoring capabilities, and facilitating. Richardson's defense will have to improve, but nonetheless he is a player to watch moving forward.

Jase Richardson against the Wizards:

20 PTS (Career High)
3 REB
3 AST
7/12 FG
3/4 3PT pic.twitter.com/SSXHWAN8s2
— SleeperMagic (@SleeperOrlando) January 7, 2026

It will be interesting to see if the Magic look to potentially subtract --Jalen Suggs-- in their guard room with the emergence of Anthony Black, the foundation set with Desmond Bane, and the intrigue of Jase Richardson. The Magic should certainly look to add some positional size and versatility as you can never have enough quality players, but nonetheless the future looks bright with Bane, Black, and Richardson.

Add us as a preferred source on Google