Those deserving the most blame for the Orlando Magic's collapse

Everyone in the organization needs to take a look in the mirror

May 3, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) reacts 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

The Orlando Magic had the Detroit Pistons on the ropes, going up 3-1 in the series, but folded and are now watching the playoffs at home like everyone else. There’s plenty of blame to go around from coaches to the players but four should get the most: coach Jamahl Mosley, Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane and Jalen Suggs. 

Keep in mind that they lost a series in which the Pistons had no second high-level shot creator in part by letting Tobias Harris, of all people, turn into a supernova.

The coach didn’t have enough motion, passing and screening in his offense. He paid for it not even 24 hours later by being relieved of his post on Monday morning. 

Mosley didn’t deliver, and while a lot of the blame is on him, the biggest problem for most of the season was the team’s inability to hit open shots consistently then injuries. Now with him gone, the next faces critics will look at when they don’t get it done are the players, not the coaches. Starting with Banchero.

Rarely will anyone see someone ascend to big-time status while they are poor free-throw shooters, and Banchero was abysmal at the line. It cost the team in Game 5, and watered down his performance.

It didn’t get to the point where he stopped driving inside for fear of missing at the line, but one doubted he’d ice all of them. Even if he would’ve made a few more, it could’ve influenced how they were attacking late. He followed up with his worst playoff game ever in Orlando in Game 6, being powerless to stop one of the worst collapses in franchise history, and he slowed down in the second half of Game 7. 

Serious question: Banchero has a bright future ahead of him, but is he better than Julius Randle right now?

On top of that, he needs more time in the lab working on his 3-point shot. One thing the elite players can do is come down court, pulling up from distance when the defense has set weak pick-up points. He needs that in his arsenal to take another leap. 

Bane needs to be better in big games, too. He made an insufficient 39.1 percent of his shots through seven games, and the only area he saw success was above the break and in the corners, but rarely inside the arc. He wasn’t an effective playmaker for his teammates, either, logging a 1.2 assist-to-turnover ratio.

One other problem, the series highlighted, is that the team needs another playmaker. It even felt magnified because Suggs, who shot 25 percent over three-straight elimination games, disappeared like a thief at night, so he shouldn’t be off the table in the pursuit of one.

The sting of humiliation is usually one of the greatest teachers in life. The Magic were supposed to take the next step, but fell flat on their faces because they are a mentally weak team. They should wallow in that reality so much that it hurts because they would’ve had a more favorable matchup in round two against the Cleveland Cavaliers, which are the equivalent of a skinny jeans team.

The Margic are further away from the promised land than they thought, and that won't change until everyone takes ownership of what happened this season.