Three Reasons the Orlando Magic Fell Short of Pre-Season Expectations

The Orlando Magic were picked by many as a potential candidate to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals. I had them being a top 5 seed that would go on to face the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals, and many others thought that this could be the year they take that leap.

However, Orlando fell mightily short of those expectations.

Not only did Orlando lose in the first round for the third straight season, but they were the Eastern Conference's 8 seed, and a play-in team.

So what happened?

Limited Minutes With Wagner, Bane, & Banchero

We start with one of the major problems for the Magic this season. Desmond Bane, Paolo Banchero, and Franz Wagner only played 354 minutes together in the regular season. Bane was the only Magic player to appear in all 82 games, but the big three couldn't play together due to Banchero missing 10 games and Wagner only appearing in 34.

Their big 3 is highly capable of being a top team in the East, but they didn't play together in the regular season, and it put the Magic behind the 8-ball early on, forcing this tough first round draw.

The issue continued in the playoffs as Wagner only appeared in 4 of the 7 games with Orlando going 3-1 in those contests.

The Magic will pay the quartet of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, and Jalen Suggs $155 million next season:

Wagner: $41.8 million
Banchero: $41.3 million
Bane: $39.5 million
Suggs: $32.4 million pic.twitter.com/y5j35xlDw3
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) May 3, 2026

An Inability to Win on the Road

Orlando was the only playoff team in the Eastern Conference that was below .500 on the road (19-21) and the issue continued in the playoffs as 3 of the 4 losses came in Detroit. Playing on the road is something that all the best teams often do well, and at least good enough where it isn't a topic of discussion come the end of the season. Going into another team's arena and stealing games on the road is the best way to advance in the playoffs, it's the great equalizer as a series doesn't start until a team wins on the road. Orlando did that in game one but faltered the rest of the series.

A new voice in Orlando could sure up their success on the road and ensure the focus, composure, and tools needed to win on the road are instilled in the roster.

Lack of Point Guard Depth and Three Point Shooting

The Magic didn't have a reliable point guard beyond their leader in assists, Jalen Suggs with 5.5 and part of their offensive stagnancy was their lack of creation and sets. Their offense just relied on the stars to make plays, and the role players to make their shots, which they struggled to do (Orlando was 26th in the league shooting 34.6%). Part of this problem was the dreadful season that Tyus Jones had --he was brought in to man the bench unit and failed-- beyond that Suggs had to carry the creation load with Banchero and the other stars, drive and kicks, two-man actions, and a lot of iso-ball.

The Magic’s available 6-10 playoff rotation:

Jamal Cain
Jevon Carter
Goga Bitadze
Tristan da Silva
Moritz Wagner

Carter was picked up off waivers in February

Cain converted his two-way deal to a regular contract with the Magic in March

Is this lack of talented depth on Coach?
— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) May 4, 2026

3 head coaching candidates to replace Jamahl Mosley

Better scoring and offensive efficiency will be a huge area of concern for the Magic's next coach but also something the front office can help with in regard to Orlando's depth.

Orlando certainly didn't meet expectations, and the coach took the fall for their many foundational issues. So as Orlando goes into the offseason with a head coaching vacancy, the things they need to address start with the back court, their offense, and then the availability of their big three.

If the Magic can bring these things together and turn it around on the road, the 2026-2027 Magic can meet the expectations of this year's team.

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