Orlando

Magic

The 2022 No.1 overall pick now has a contract in place that proves he was worth the early selection. It also includes a player option in the fifth year. Banchero is coming off averaging 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.9 three-pointers per game as the Magic lost in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight season. In a weaker Eastern Conference next season, Banchero will have a chance to lead Orlando deep into the postseason. From a fantasy perspective, Banchero’s woeful shooting percentages and defensive contributions weighed him down last year and he’s likely to come off the board in the 25-50 range in drafts. Desmond Bane joining the Magic may cut Banchero’s usage in a bit in 2025-26, which may help him shoot a better percentage.

Wagner tore his ACL in December, and he’ll miss time to start the 2025-26 season. Before suffering the injury, he averaged career highs in points (12.9), rebounds (4.9) and three-point percentage (36) in just 18.8 minutes per game. Once he returns, he’ll likely take on a similar role as a microwave scorer and spacer off the bench.

The Magic needed to improve their depth at point guard, and signing Jones accomplishes that objective. His one season in Phoenix was a disappointment, with the veteran guard being moved out of the starting lineup for good in mid-March. Appearing in 81 games, Jones averaged 10.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.0 three-pointers in 26.8 minutes. In Orlando, he’ll likely serve as Jalen Suggs’ backup, but there may be opportunities for streaming value due to Jalen’s injury history.

The Magic officially selected the versatile Shulga, but the pick is headed to Boston via trade. According to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, the former VCU standout will be on a two-way contract. The good news for Shulga is that Boston’s G League program has been a positive asset, which should help his development. He’s a versatile guard who can play on or off the ball offensively and earned Atlantic 10 Player of the Year honors as a senior.

Orlando traded picks 46 and 57, as well as a 2026 second-rounder and a 2027 second-rounder to the Celtics for the rights to Penda. The 6’8, 225 pound French forward played professionally for Le Mans Sarthe Basket last season where he showcased the attributes that make him attractive to NBA teams. His size gives him the ability to guard forwards, while his speed and athleticism give him the tools to handle guards. His defense is a major plus, but Penda is a quality scorer, too. He’ll bring physicality, toughness and strong two-way play to the team that drafts him. His fit in Orlando next to Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner will be an interesting one, but he should be at least a strong reserve defender, with potential to become more than that.

As a freshman at Michigan State last season, Richardson was an incredibly efficient guard that was effective on both ends of the floor. He averaged 12.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.9 three-pointers in 25.3 minutes per game. However, he is more of an off-ball guard than a lead ball handler, which is a difficult role to play in the NBA at 6’2”. He makes up for it with a 6’6” wingspan and a 38” vertical jump, but the height is still concerning, even if he is more than talented enough to be a high-impact player in the NBA. Richardson fits in well with the Magic as a plus offensive player who doesn’t need the ball in his hands to impact the game.

As part of the trade, Orlando declined its team options on Harris (worth $7.5 million) and Joseph ($3.47 million) for salary cap purposes. The Magic upgraded their perimeter rotation with the Bane trade, which was completed on Sunday. However, the team will have some work to do this summer regarding their depth behind starters Bane and Jalen Suggs. Both players will be unrestricted free agents on June 30. Neither player logged consistent rotation minutes for the Magic last season, and their exits (if they do not re-sign with Orlando) would not impact fantasy basketball.

The Magic have long needed an upgrade at the shooting guard position, and they’ve taken a significant swing at addressing the issue with Sunday’s reported trade. In 69 games this season, he averaged 19.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.4 three-pointers, shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 89.4 percent from the foul line. Bane has been one of the best shooting guards in the NBA over the last three seasons, due to the ability to both knock down perimeter shots and defend his position. Given the state of the Eastern Conference, Orlando’s decision to make this move is understandable, as it significantly improves the starting lineup.

Wagner tore the ACL in his left knee just before Christmas, robbing the Magic of a player who was among the most productive reserves in the NBA at that time. Boasting an 18-12 record at the time of his injury, the Magic finished the regular season 41-41 and were eliminated by two-seed Boston in the first round of the playoffs. While Wagner did not provide specifics regarding his recovery process, he aims to be cleared in time for the start of next season. “That’s part of the rehab — you go day-by-day, you figure it out, but, of course, that’s what I’m working toward,” Wagner told the Orlando Sentinel when asked about his availability for the beginning of the 2025-26 season. “I’m pretty positive-minded toward that.” Wagner has a team option for next season and has expressed a desire to return to Orlando. Fantasy-wise, he’s been most impactful as a streamer when the Magic were without starting center Wendell Carter Jr.

Carter reached double digits in rebounds in four of the five games, recording two double-doubles. While he certainly wasn’t elite, the Magic center had a decent finish to his fourth full season with the franchise. Appearing in 68 regular-season games, Carter’s scoring output decreased, but he was more productive in rebounds, assists, steals and blocked shots. Unfortunately, the starting role has not made WCJ a significant fantasy asset, as he finished the season ranked outside the top-175 in category leagues and outside the top-150 in points leagues. With three guaranteed seasons remaining on his contract, Carter will likely go into training camp locked into the starting center role.