Every Orlando Magic player ranked

     While basketball is a team sport, part of what makes it unique is that it's small rosters and no need for face coverings allow fans to easily identify individuals who make up the team. Unlike football, hockey, and baseball where everyone wears at minimum a helmet, and sometimes more (facemasks, pads, tights, face shields, visors, etc.) basketball players are pretty much fully exposed outside of their jersey and shorts which makes them more recognizable during a game. Additionally, the fact that there are fewer players per team makes getting to know the team as a whole a much easier task. An NBA roster typically only includes 15 active players, in comparison to NHL (23), MLB (26), and NFL (53). 

     Since learning I'd be moving to Orlando back in 2022, I began following the Magic, and honestly they've been a really fun rag-tag group to get to know and one that's easy to root for. Some of these players I was well familiar with from their college days before they joined Orlando while others were names I learned once becoming a fan of the team. All in all, the front office has done a great job of assembling group that the fans have embraced on and off the court.

     So as sort of a new exercise, especially as we're attending more and more games and watching them on TV, I thought it would be fun to take a closer look at each member Orlando's roster and rank each player from least important to most important. Just about all of these players serve an important role as Orlando prides itself on its depth, and many of them share similar traits that the franchise prioritizes (positional size & length, great defensive play, good character on & off the floor).

     Putting together a winning basketball team is a science. You need the right combination of star power, role players, rotational guys, and veteran leadership to succeed. For example you're combining a group of people with different strengths and weaknesses, perhaps player A is a great 3 point shooter, player B is an elite defender, player C is a great passer and facilitator, and player D is a rebound machine, and player E doesn't specialize in any single area but can do a little bit of everything. But then they all mold together and use those strengths to help the team win.

     In this article we'll get to know the Orlando Magic a little bit better and we'll dive deeper into what each specific member brings to the table. As a disclaimer, I am only including players who have appeared in more than 3 games. So without further to do....

#15. Caleb Houstan 

Age: 21
College: Michigan
Draft Pick and year: 31st overall in 2022.

 

     Caleb Houstan was selected by Orlando in the 2nd round of the 2022 NBA draft. Houstan played college ball at Michigan and was someone the staff was hoping would help their 3 point shooting. Houstan has split time between the Magic roster and the G-league (minor league level below NBA) as the organization continues to work on his development. For the most part, he only shows up if other players are injured or if a game is a blow out in the final 5 minutes. I'm not sure if Houstan will still be on the team once his rookie contract expires at the end of next season.

#14. Corey Joseph
Age: 33
College: Texas
Draft Pick and year: 29th overall in 2011. 

     Corey Joseph is a 15-year veteran player the staff decided to sign in free agency this offseason, moreso in a leadership and mentorship type role as opposed to someone they expected to play big minutes. However, he is someone Jamal Mosley will plug in mid-game at times if he feels the team could use a boost from the veteran. Barring injuries, Joseph won't see many minutes considering he plays the same position as Jalen Suggs, Anthony Black, and Cole Anthony (point guard) but his experience brings value to a group mostly comprised of younger players still growing and developing.

#13. Jett Howard
Age: 21
College: Michigan
Draft Pick and year: 11th overall in 2023. 

     Jett Howard was the 11th overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft and is the second youngest player on the roster next to Anthony Black, who the Magic took 6th overall in that same draft. Howard is a wing player whose biggest strength is 3 point shooting and thus the staff felt he was someone who, with the right development, could fill a major need for the Magic, but at the same time Orlando also felt Howard has the potential to do more beyond shoot 3's as well given his length and athleticism. Howard spent his rookie season in the G-League with the Osceola Magic, where he put up strong statistics and adjusted to the speed of the pro-game, and his good performance resulted in a spot on Orlando's roster this year. Some games he gets minutes, others he doesn't, but he's shown the ability to be a knock down 3 point shooter when given the opportunities. Doing so consistently will help Jett to carve out a bigger role in the future.

#12. Gary Harris
Age: 30
College: Michigan State
Draft Pick and year: 19th overall in 2014. 

     Gary Harris is in his 5th season with Orlando after the organization acquired him in a trade with the Denver Nuggets in 2021. Harris spent 7 seasons with the Nuggets before coming to Orlando and is what's known as a "3 & D" player, someone who can knock down 3's and play good defense. Harris checks Orlando's boxes of perimeter shooting, good defensive play, and veteran experience and is someone who when healthy will come off the bench most nights, however he has recently been sidelined with a hamstring injury.

#11. Cole Anthony
Age: 24
College: North Carolina
Draft Pick and year: 15th overall in 2020. 

     Cole Anthony was the 15th overall pick by the Magic in the 2020 NBA draft and is in his 5th year with the team. Anthony is the shortest player on the roster at 6'2, but one of the bigger personalities on the team and a fan favorite. Anthony can be streaky, some nights he's a huge sparkplug off the bench, and others he falls into a slump and struggles to get out of it. But when he's on his game, he has a pretty well-polished offense game. He's a great ball-handler, he can facilitate, he has good quickness, he can shoot, and he's crafty around the rim. His small size can occasionally make him a liability on defense and the lack of consistency can be frustrating, but all in all he's a professional and vocal leader who contributes to the team's success.

#10. Moe Wagner
Age: 27
College: Michigan
Draft Pick and year: 25th overall in 2018. 

     After striking gold with his brother Franz, the Magic decided to sign his brother Moe (short for Morritz) in 2021. Prior to coming to Orlando, Moe had spent his first 3 years with 3 different teams (Lakers, Wizards, Celtics) and had struggled to carve out a significant role, but in Orlando he's been a key member of the big-man rotation of Wendell Carter, Goga Bitadze, Jonathan Isaac, and himself. He doesn't have the height and wingspan of those other 3, but his bigger more muscular frame allows him to be one of the more physical big men on the team. He's good at scoring at the rim and getting to the free throw line, but can also knock down an occasional 3. He also wears his emotions on his sleeve, he plays with a lot of passion and loves to get the crowd energized after big plays with a flex or scream but is also quick to show his displeasure when there's a questionable foul call or a no-call when he feels he was fouled. But he's a fan favorite and strong contributor off the bench and bringing him here further solidified his sibling Franz's long term future with the team. 

#9. Tristan Da Silva
Age: 23
College: Colorado
Draft Pick and year: 18th overall in 2024. 

     Orlando's lone rookie this season, Tristan Da Silva was selected by the Magic with the 18th overall pick in this year's NBA draft. Da Silva was a 4 year college player at Colorado, and despite his inexperience the injuries have forced Orlando to thrust him into the fire more than originally planned and he has handled it well. Da Silva has started a handful of games in the absence of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner and he's been able to hold his own and contribute to the team's success. Da Silva isn't great at any one particular area, but he's serviceable or good at just about everything. He was a prospect Orlando really liked throughout the draft scouting process and they were thrilled when he was still available for them at pick 18. His young career is off to a good start and he's someone who can be a key role player for this team for years to come.

#8. Jonathan Isaac
Age: 27
College: Florida State
Draft Pick and year: 6th overall in 2017. 

     The Magic had high hopes for Jonathan Isaac when they selected him 6th overall in the 2017 NBA draft, but frequent injuries in his earlier years delayed his development and had some questioning if he had a long term future with the organization. But Orlando saw Isaac's potential when healthy, and the organization stuck by him and this ultimately worked out for both sides. Isaac is probably the best defensive player on the team. His incredible length and wing span makes him an elite rim protector who can block shots but he also has enough quickness and athleticism to guard on the perimeter. If the Magic need a stop late in a game, he's almost always on the floor due to his lockdown ability. Defense is his greatest strength, but he has the ability to knock down 3's and collect rebounds as well. Off the court Isaac has been good for the Orlando community in general. He's a proud Christian and good role model and even occasionally stops by local Christian radio stations in the area.

#7. Goga Bitadze
Age: 25
College: N/A (International)
Draft Pick and year: 18th overall in 2019. 

     Goga Bitadze hails from Georgia, the country not the state. At 6'11, he's the tallest player on Orlando's roster. Goga came to Orlando in 2023 after struggling to find a significant role with the Indiana Pacers. Initially he was just a depth big man who only played due to injuries and blow outs, and it wasn't certain whether or not Orlando would re-sign him this past offseason. But the Magic did keep Goga on a super affordable contract, and that proved to be one of their best offseason moves. Wendell Carter missed time with a plantar fasciitis injury, which created a vacancy in the starting line up that Goga ultimately filled and he took the opportunity and ran with it. He's been the team's best rebounder and his size and shot blocking ability made it difficult for opposing teams to score at the rim. He's almost never going to shoot or dribble it when he's more than a couple feet away from the rim, making him more of an old-school traditional big man, but he really stepped up in Carter's absence and now still gets significant minutes even with Carter back in the line up. 

#6. Anthony Black
Age: 20
College: Arkansas
Draft Pick and year: 6th overall in 2023. 

     Only 20 years old, Anthony Black is the youngest player on Orlando's roster, but he's someone who is grasping the game quickly and truly looks like he belongs despite his age. "AB" helps the Magic in a number of ways, he's a great defender, he's a good passer, he's good at scoring at the rim, he's a good ball-handler, he can slow things down and facilitate but also lead a fast-break. His biggest weakness when he was drafted was 3 point shooting but the coaching staff has helped develop him into an improved catch and shoot player. He has the great positional size and length that Orlando loves and it feels like he's still only scratching the surface of his full potential. The improvement shown from year 1 to year 2 has been substantial and Black looks like a more confident and comfortable player and the staff continues to entrust him with more minutes and responsibilities. The kid has a bright future but already plays an important role in the present, as he averages the highest minutes on the team amongst bench players.

#5. Wendell Carter Jr.
Age: 25
College: Duke
Draft Pick and year: 7th overall in 2018. 

     Orlando likes rotating it's big men between Carter, Goga, Isaac, and Moe Wagner, but Carter is typically the one who starts as he's the most balanced and well-rounded of the bunch. He's a good rebounder, he can make 3's, and he can be physical and score inside and get to the free throw line. The fact that he can shoot outside as a big man helps Orlando space the floor better than they can when Goga is in the game, but his bigger frame makes him a better rebounder than Isaac, and he's quicker and has more athleticism than both Goga and Wagner. Carter's career actually began in Chicago, but the Magic acquired him in 2021 when they were entering a rebuilding phase and looking for young promising prospects. His strong play was rewarded this offseason as he received a 3 year extension just before the season began. 

#4. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Age: 31
College: Georgia
Draft Pick and year: 8th overall in 2013. 

     Better known as "KCP", Caldwell-Pope was Orlando's biggest offseason addition. KCP is one of the league's better 3 & D players and was a starter on two different championship winning teams in the last 5 years, the Lakers in 2020 and the Nuggets in 2023. Naturally, all of these traits made him a great fit for Orlando who was looking to improve it's 3 point shooting, loves tenacious defensive players, and they felt he would model what championship work and experience looks like for the young players, especially come playoff time. His 3 point percentage could be a little higher, but overall he is helping further bolster the defense and helps Orlando space the floor better on offense, which then helps players like Banchero and Franz Wagner drive to the rim. And he's providing the vocal leadership the Magic hoped he would.

#3. Jalen Suggs
Age: 23
College: Gonzaga
Draft Pick and year: 5th overall in 2021. 

     Entering last season, Banchero and Franz were clearly the two best players on the team, but Orlando needed someone to separate themselves from the rest as the clear number 3, and Jalen Suggs has established himself as that guy. He may not have the same natural talent as the two above him, but he's an extremely high energy player with a motor that never stops and he embodies hustle and grit. Defensively Suggs is an absolute pest to whoever he's guarding, he has really good lateral quickness and can smother his assignment by giving them little to no room, and he has quick hands and reflexes that make him good at poking loose balls and even though he's a smaller player he occasionally blocks shots. Suggs' offensive game has improved a lot over his first 3 years as well. His catch and shoot 3 point shooting numbers improved a lot last season and this year we're seeing him learn to score in other ways like jump shots off the dribble and driving to the rim, and he's also not a bad passer. Like Moe Wagner, Suggs plays with a tremendous amount of passion and wears his emotions on his chest for better and for worse, and like Isaac he genuinely seems to love the fans and the community here in Orlando. At only 23 years old. he's a key piece of Orlando's young core and just signed a 5-year extension this offseason.

#2. Franz Wagner
Age: 23
College: Michigan
Draft Pick and year: 8th overall in 2021. 

     No one ever wanted Paolo Banchero to get injured, but the silver lining may have been that it allowed Franz Wagner's game to truly blossom as he stepped into the leadership and go-to scorer role in Paolo's absence. While things initially got off to a bumpy start post-Banchero injury with the Magic falling to 3-6, Franz then elevated his game to new heights and became a prolific scorer, averaging almost 30 points a night and helping Orlando win 14 of its next 17. His rebounding and assist numbers also went up as he grew as a playmaker, and he was someone the Magic turned to and leaned on late in games and he often delivered in the clutch. Franz is a dangerous offensive weapon because he can score in so many ways. He's arguably the best on the team at driving to the rim and finishing through contact, he's developed a super nice step-back 3 pointer, he has a nice little floater over defenders if he's driving but they get between him and the rim, and because he's so good at drawing contact he often gets fouled and goes to the free throw line. His driving ability has also made him a better passer as he can attack the rim but then kick it out to an open 3 point shooter in the corner at the last second. Despite all the talent he possesses, Franz comes off as a pretty humble guy. Even when Banchero returns, Franz has proven that he deserves a high volume of touches and the team will be dangerous with two different prolific scorers in the fold and two different players they can entrust in the game's biggest moments. Wagner also got a lucrative 5-year extension this offseason so he's here to stay in Orlando for a while, and at only 23 years old he's just now entering his prime.

#1. Paolo Banchero 
Age: 22
College: Duke
Draft Pick and year: 1st overall in 2022. 

     Even though Wagner did an amazing job keeping things afloat in his absence, Paolo Banchero is still the best player on the team and the one who offers the highest long-term upside. Sometimes you need a little good luck to turn a franchise around, and the Magic got some when they won the 1st overall pick in the NBA draft lottery in 2022. There were a few different players in contention to be the #1 pick that summer, but the Magic front office did their due-diligence and ultimately settled on Banchero, who has proven to be the best player in the class. He won the Rookie of the Year award in his first season, which was one vote away from being unanimous, and was named an All-Star in year 2. Even though his first year was already impressive, he made a massive jump in year 2 and helped lead Orlando back to the playoffs for the first time since 2020 and nearly got them into the 2nd round. Banchero has the ideal combination of size, strength, and athleticism that makes him an ideal superstar wing player. He can score in just about every way: driving to the rim, posting-up inside, from the 3 point line, from the mid-range, off the dribble, at the free throw line, etc. When all of that is clicking, he can be nearly unstoppable, as evidenced by the 50 point game he had just before his injury. He also has really good court vision which makes him a great passer and play maker, and he has the size, strength, and athleticism to be a really good rebounder and defender. He's been very good for Orlando in clutch time, with a number of game-winning shots already under his belt. There's absolutely a world where Banchero is a top-10 player in the league and possible MVP candidate, and at only 22 years old the sky is the limit for him. Paolo is the franchise building block Orlando has long craved since the days of Shaq and Dwight Howard, and maybe, just maybe the one who can lead the Magic to it's long-awaited first NBA title.