The 3 Orlando Magic players with the most to gain in preseason

We will get a first look at the Orlando Magic -- now led by first-year head coach Sean Sweeney -- on Wednesday against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Most of the Magic's rotation for the new year is set, but that doesn't mean there aren't any players with something to prove over the next two weeks. Who will have the most to gain from this preseason?

Here are three candidates:

Jase Richardson:

Sep 28, 2026; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic guard Jase Richardson (11) poses for a picture during media day at AdventHealth Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Evidently, Richardson, the Magic's No. 25 draft choice last year, couldn't quite gain Jamahl Mosley's full trust as a rookie. Richardson played in 54 games, but averaged just 10.9 minutes per game. He spent most of last year on the outside-looking-in, fighting with Tyus Jones -- whose play was catastrophic -- and Jevon Carter, who signed with the Magic in February.

Fresh off an encouraging summer, the 6-foot-1 guard has a prime opportunity to establish Sean Sweeney's trust. Richardson's a gifted shooter and an excellent off-ball threat. It remains to be seen how Sweeney elects to create more space. Richardson's a knock down shooter and, in a perfect world, fits seamlessly into a scheme where he's flying off screens and creating off secondary actions.

Noah Penda:

Penda had a sneaky solid rookie season.

The reason why it was sneaky was that, like his rookie compadre above, he was a spectator for most of his rookie season. In 59 games, Penda averaged just 3.8 points and 3.2 rebounds on 40.4/32.3/68.8 shooting splits in 12.8 minutes per game.

Unfortunately, Penda missed some time in camp with a hamstring injury. But I think he could be due to a breakout season because of his winning intangibles -- especially defensively. He also looked way more comfortable during Summer League as a floor spacer and secondary creator.

That said, that's just Summer League. There are countless examples of players thriving in Summer League who don't do a lick when the real action starts. Thus, for Penda -- a wild card in the Magic's rotation -- the preseason is the first real test as to whether or not he took that leap.

Jamal Cain:

There was one play that personified Jamal Cain's first full season with the Orlando Magic.

You know which one I'm talking about:

JALEN DUREN GOT BODIED BY JAMAL CAIN OMG 😳🔥

DUNK OF THE PLAYOFFS?? pic.twitter.com/2ma5SVvcAo
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 28, 2026

Seemingly out of nowhere, Cain rose up from nowhere and baptized Detroit's Jalen Duren in Game 4.

That was kind of the case with him last season. Cain was largely out of rotation, only appearing in 40 regular season games -- playing less than 15 minutes in 25 of them. He spent most of the year on a two-way contract before getting elevated to a standard in March. His averages didn't jump off the page, posting 5.4 points and 2.0 rebounds across 12.2 minutes per game, equating to a 16-6 per-36 stat line.

In the postseason, however, Cain started in three of the Magic's seven games, playing more than five more minutes (17.6) on average, averaging 4.6 points and 3.4 rebounds. His energy defensively and on the glass were infectious -- and, at times, quite loud, highlighted by his eight-point, nine-rebound performance (three ORB) in Game 4.

Now is the time for Cain to re-establish himself in the rotation.

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