How the Pistons closed out the Magic to advance to second round of NBA playoffs

After dropping a 3-1 series lead, including blowing a 24-point lead at home in Game 6, the Magic will have some tough questions to answer. The immediate speculation will center on Jamahl Mosley’s future as head coach, about which much has been speculated most of the season. But whether or not Orlando makes a change at head coach, its front office has to take a serious look at how it’s constructed the roster, and what changes are possible as the Magic face becoming a second-apron team in 2026-27.

Orlando has to find a point guard. It’s hard not to look at how Jalen Suggs struggled offensively, both as a scorer and distributor, in the face of the Pistons’ withering defensive pressure. Suggs has been the heart of the team, without question, for the last few years. But the Magic’s locked in to Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane contractually, at huge numbers – and starting center Wendell Carter, Jr., starts a contract extension next season.

The Magic need someone who can initiate offense besides Banchero, who was again terrific in the playoffs. They need someone to get more open looks for Bane and Wagner and Anthony Black. And Orlando is essentially out of picks until next decade, after sending four unprotected firsts between 2025 and 2030 and a 2029 pick swap to Memphis for Bane, and won’t have access to anything other than the $6.1 million taxpayer mid-level exception to sign free agents. That leaves trading someone from the existing roster as the only real way Orlando can improve the roster.

Suggs’ $150 million extension, which runs through 2030, is a descending contract, falling from next season’s $32.4 million to $26.7 million in the final season. He’s had to deal with injuries throughout his career, but his defensive impact and leadership could be valuable to lots of teams that have another primary ballhandler. That would be a tough needle to thread, but it’s hard to see Orlando running it back roster-wise next season, even if it makes a change on the bench.