The 2023-24 Orlando Magic’s Season Preview

September 10th, 2023

by Alan Lu

Last year, the Magic were able to surpass expectations, as they went from being one of the worst teams in 2022 to being a decently competitive team in the NBA last season. They were boosted by the strong play of Paolo Banchero who went on to win the Rookie of the Year award, and Franz Wagner turned in another strong season last year. This year, they will look to build off of it, as they were able to add Joe Ingles and a couple of talented rookies to help them out this year.

Orlando’s Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are two of the Magic’s best players heading into the 2023-24 NBA season.
(Photo: Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images, via SBNation’s Orlando Pinstriped Post)

Star Players:

F Franz Wagner

Franz Wagner was tremendous at the 2023 Basketball World Cup as he helped Germany to win the gold, and he could be the front runner to win the Most Improved Player award in 2024. He is an athletic, versatile combo forward that can do a little bit of everything, and he is a fill in the blanks type of player that can excel as a glue guy or as one of the best players on the team. He’s having an excellent FIBA Basketball World Cup, and he helped Germany to defeat USA in the semifinals this year.

Paolo Banchero might not be a star just yet, but he’s getting there, as he’s really close. He is an athletic, skilled combo forward that won the Rookie of the Year award last year, and he is a versatile scorer and an underrated playmaker, and he was able to make Team USA’s squad for the 2023 Basketball World Cup.

Additions:

F Joe Ingles, G-F Anthony Black, G-F Jett Howard, and G Mac McClung

The Magic were able to add an offensively skilled role player in Joe Ingles, who has been a solid shooter and playmaker when healthy, as well as a slew of young players that could help their team in the future. Anthony Black is an athletic, skilled playmaker that could project to be a dynamic player on both ends of the floor, but will need to improve his jump shot. Jett Howard is a skilled swingman that can shoot and pass the basketball, but he will need to show that he can ably get his own shot and defend at this level. Mac McClung won the Slam Dunk Contest last year, and he is a very athletic point guard that could compete for minutes this season.

Subtractions:

G Michael Carter-Williams

The Magic didn’t really lose that much, and while Carter-Williams won the Rookie of the Year award in 2014, he hasn’t really been a relevant NBA player recently, so the Magic did not seem to have any major losses in the offseason.

Rookies:

G-F Anthony Black and G-F Jett Howard

While the Magic is an up-and-coming team, both Black and Howard are talented rookies that could see significant playing time this year, as there are minutes that could be had for the upcoming season. Among the two, Anthony Black is the most likely to get immediate playing time, as his playmaking prowess and two-way potential could make him one of the most intriguing newcomers on the Magic’s team this year.

Expected Rotation:

Franz Wagner is having a terrific 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, and he could be a strong contender to win the Most Improved Player award in 2024.
(Photo: Chris Coduto/Getty Images, via Fansided’s Orlando Magic Daily)

The Magic has a talented group of starters, though they are still young and inexperienced. Banchero and Franz Wagner have the most potential and they are up-and-comers that could lead the Magic into the new season.

Projected Starting Lineup:

C Wendell Carter Jr.

F Paolo Banchero

F Franz Wagner

G Gary Harris

G Markelle Fultz

Key Bench Players:

Cole Anthony is a skilled playmaker that can excel for them as a starter or bench player, and he will play a key role on the Magic’s team this season.
(Photo: Phelan M. Ebenhack/The Associated Press, via Orlando Sentinel)

The Magic added some young players and a veteran shooter in Joe Ingles. Cole Anthony is a solid playmaking point guard that has given them a big boost off the bench. They are hoping to see some gains from third-year guard, Jalen Suggs, whose shown promise but has been plagued with injuries and inconsistent play, and they are also hoping to get some solid play from their young players this season.

G Cole Anthony

G-F Anthony Black

G Jalen Suggs

F Joe Ingles

FJonathan Isaac

The Rest of the Roster:

F-C Moritz Wagner

G-F Jett Howard

F Caleb Houstan

C Goga Bitadze

F Chuma Okeke

F Kevon Harris (Two-Way)

F Admiral Schofield (Two-Way)

Others in Camp:

G Mac McClung (Exhibit 10)

Head Coach:

Orlando Magic’s head coach, Jamahl Mosley helped his team get more wins than expected last year, and they will look to build off of that for the upcoming season.
(Photo: Jim Dedmon/USA Today Sports, via SB Nation’s Orlando Pinstriped Post)

Jamahl Mosley
2022-23 (ORL): 34-48, missed the playoffs
Coaching Career: 56-108, 0-0 in the NBA Playoffs

Mosley helped the Magic get to more wins than expected last year, and he will be looking to build off of that.

Outlook:

The future is bright for the Orlando Magic, and while it may be uncertain if they’ll reach the play-in tournament or the playoffs in 2024, they will be an entertaining team this season.
(Photo: Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images, via SBNation.com)

The Magic is an entertaining team that could be more competitive than expected. If everything breaks right, they might be able to get a play-in tournament spot, but they might not have enough experience and polish to legitimately make the playoffs this season.

Projected 2023-24 Finish:
Projected Regular Season Finish: 12th in the Eastern Conference
Expected Playoff Finish: Projected to miss the playoffs
2023-24 Preseason NBA Power Ranking: 24

I went to Basketball-Reference and No-Trade Clause to look up some information for this write-up. It will be an exciting basketball season this year, and I’m looking forward to seeing the in-season tournament to see how that will unfold. Anyways, that is my write-up on my preview of the 2023-24 Orlando Magic. Thanks for reading.