The Orlando Magic stumbled out of the gates to start 2025-26. The early returns were incredibly disappointing. The idea of the Magic being a team who could challenge the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks were quickly tossed out.
However, after a 1-4 start, Orlando has bounced back. The Magic have gotten themselves back in the playoff picture with a record of 11-8. The most impressive part is accomplishing that feat without having Paolo Banchero available for a large chunk of their upward trajectory.
Banchero has missed the last seven games for Orlando with a groin injury. Without the star forward, whom many consider to be the best player on the team, the Magic have gone 5-2. Their two losses came in an overtime thriller against the Houston Rockets, and a night when the Boston Celtics could not miss.
A notable trend from this stretch without Banchero is a much improved offense. The turnaround on that end will leave most wondering what the most effective strategy is for Jamahl Mosley and the Magic to reintegrate their young star once available.
Magic offense has been absolutely elite without Paolo Banchero
This is not a scenario like the Cavaliers and Darius Garland, by contrast. The star point guard is an unquestioned ceiling raiser for Cleveland. Garland's presence is not just welcomed, it is downright essential for the success of the team on the offensive side of the basketball.
On the other hand, the Magic offense has actually thrived without Banchero.
Before the injury, the Magic went 6-6 with an offensive rating of 114.8. That ranked 18th in the NBA. In the games that have followed, Orlando has skyrocketed near the top of the list.
During the last seven games, the Magic have posted an offensive rating of 123.3. That ranks second in the entire NBA, trailing only the Denver Nuggets (123.4) by the slimmest of margins over that span.
The Magic have seen bumps in several offensive categories, including: assist percentage, assist to turnover ratio, turnover percentage, effective field goal percentage, and true shooting percentage.
Fitting Banchero back into the puzzle and continuing to build on what has been established without him will be key for the Magic. For as good of a player as the Magic forward is, Banchero has always struggled with his offensive efficiency a fair bit. The former first overall pick has only posted a 54.3 true shooting percentage over his career.
Whether the Magic will be a legitimate threat to the Cavaliers in the 2026 race to win the East is heavily dependent on if Mosley can get all of the pieces to click at full strength. Orlando's defensive upside has bee clear over the years. It is time for their offense to reliably catch up.