The Ongoing Complacency of the Orlando Magic Front Office

The Orlando Magic have developed an ugly pattern in the last decade, and I think we’re at the breaking point.

This isn’t the first time the Orlando Magic have caught the injury bug, I still remember when Frank Vogel during the Vucevic Era was so limited on options that he had Aaron Gordon bringing the ball up the court on offense like a point guard, and then having to defend the best player on the opposing side on defense. The Magic have historically invested a lot of money to players who just can’t seem to stay healthy, it almost feels like a curse dating all the way back to the Grant Hill days.

But the lack of transparency related to injuries and length of time being away from the court is an ongoing trend within this organization, and its very irritating and it might cost us the best player we’ve had wearing the uniform since Dwight Howard. Jalen Suggs is the latest mild controversy, and for the record its not his fault.  

Suggs had played only once within the last month and a half, but it was only recently that it was discovered he needed season-ending surgery? How did they not know the extent of his injuries back in early January? And if they did know, why wasn’t there any movement at the trade deadline?

The Orlando Magic were the fourth seed by the start of the new year, and had the easiest schedule after the All-Star Break. The main weaknesses of the Magic were abundantly clear: lack of a true point guard, and shooting. So why was there not a single attempt at the deadline? Not a single phone call? Can you imagine if they had even considered calling a Dallas Mavericks team that apparently wanted to get rid of Luka? Can you imagine an Orlando Magic squad with Luka?

This current situation of a depleted roster feels deeper than an injury-ridden season, this feels like a mix of miscommunication, laziness, unwillingness to actually aim for a deep playoff run, and a light surrender of the season entirely. Paolo Banchero is one of the toughest guys in the entire league, and someone as competitive as him doesn’t have much tolerance for that kind of organizational behavior.

There was an infamous game last season where he was clearly ill but still played, had to battle it out and made the game-winning shot against the Pistons, and ended up crying at the post-game interview because of the mix of raw emotion, illness, and obvious fatigue. That man is a fighter, he’s got the skillset of Heat-era LeBron James, and the relentlessness of a Russell Westbrook. This isn’t some random player, Banchero might be a Top 10 player in the entire league within the next couple seasons; so why aren’t we maximizing our chances in the postseason with a couple moves? .

Yes, it will be hard to beat the Cavs and Celtics, but if we’re not going to at least try, why compete in the first place? Why even play basketball? Why even trade fan-favorites Aaron Gordon (who by the way has a better three-point shooting percentage than the Magic) and Nikola Vucevic if we’re just going to be complacent and accept mediocrity? Paolo Banchero asked for a point guard last SUMMER and up until today, March 2025, we still don’t actually have one. Even Fultz was available up until recently when he finally signed a contract, this time with the Sacramento Kings.

There’s too much talent in this league to not pick up the phone and try to work out a deal, even a tiny deal that would boost a bench that has been playing far above their paygrade and typical workload. The importance of the trade deadline has been obvious this season, as the Golden State Warriors have risen from the dead, the Lakers are suddenly NBA Finals-worthy, and we have seen inactive teams like the Suns, 76ers, Heat, and Magic slip in the standings.

It is already a very long season of basketball from start to finish, but not doing whatever it takes to push towards the NBA Finals makes it feel even longer, while also potentially making it a shorter stint for Paolo Banchero to be wearing the Orlando Magic jersey.

Next time pick up the phone, and make a damn call.