Official 2025-2026 Regular Season Thread

[MassimoPayne]

When is Moe coming back? If he plays like before he will solve a lot of problems (on the offensive end). He can kind of create his own shot / drive / post up and Franz and Paolo don't need to iso every time. Also another big body that we can play.

[drsd]

I am very happy none of us are part of coaching nor management. The pixels being floated here are fairly insane.

[pepe1991]

When is Moe coming back? If he plays like before he will solve a lot of problems (on the offensive end). He can kind of create his own shot / drive / post up and Franz and Paolo don't need to iso every time. Also another big body that we can play.

Probably around February.

[Blue_and_Whte]

Playing faster has basically paid no dividends whatsoever so thus far. It's done nothing other than absolutely kill the Magic on the margins.

Last year the Magic gave up 19.8 transition possessions per game defensively, 18.5% of the time.

This year those numbers are up to 23.6 transition opportunities per game for opponents at 20.5% of the time.

They are turning it over more than last year which is leading to more fastbreak points going the other way.

They are fouling a lot more than last year which is leading to more easy points for opponents.

They are giving up a lot more offensive rebounds which is leading to huge increase in 2nd chance points allowed.

Their offense actually has improved a bit (112.9 ORTG this year compared to 108.9 ORTG last year), but it's not nearly enough to make up for the fact they've seen heavy declines in areas of strength a season ago.

And many of those declines can seemingly be tied to simply have less energy overall on a possession to possession basis from playing at a significantly faster pace.

This is basically the conclusion I came to after some perspective and cooling off over the Hawks L although I’m still skeptical of Mose being the long term solution.

We went from 0-100 in terms of pace so they either need to slow it down a little or the guys just need to adapt. Either way it’s pretty obvious that their energy is impacted playing faster.

One thing they have got to start doing is being intentional on getting Bane some open looks. It won’t solve all the problems it but I see other teams run action for lower tier players and it’s maddening.

[BadMofoPimp]

It is soo early in the season for people to be panicking like this. Now, if this is happening in March, then panic. Team needs time to gel and work through the inefficiency.

[MassimoPayne]

It is soo early in the season for people to be panicking like this. Now, if this is happening in March, then panic. Team needs time to gel and work through the inefficiency.

I think it is right the time to panic. There is basically no glimmer of hope besides TDS strong form. The schedule was really easy. I am scared when better teams are coming

[Knightro]

It is soo early in the season for people to be panicking like this. Now, if this is happening in March, then panic. Team needs time to gel and work through the inefficiency.

They can't afford to wait that long IMO. If it's still not working in a month, you have to fire Mosley and give a new coach, assuming they go external, enough time to course correct.

For better or worse, this season is an all-in year just like the next 3 are after that.

Depending on the organization's appetite to be a deep luxury tax team, this year might be the best roster they have over the next 3-4 years.

Guys are going to price themselves off the roster and the replacements will be less expensive (and perhaps less talented) players.

[Driguez]

It is soo early in the season for people to be panicking like this. Now, if this is happening in March, then panic. Team needs time to gel and work through the inefficiency.

I disagree with the “too early” comments. The core has been together for as long as Mosley has been a coach plenty of time to gel and work thru the inefficiencies. Yet here we are year 4 can’t construct a competent half court offense, couldnt integrate KCP and now he can’t figure out how to use Bane. I think this is who he is and if that’s the case our future is capped by his limitations.

[AdamTheGreek]

Bane is shooting 28.6 3PT% eight games into his Magic career.
Last season in Memphis he shot 40.6 3PT% in 5 October games, but then 23.8 3PT% in 8 November games.
So there’s precedent at least.
Bane played 69 games that season and still shot 39.2 3PT% for the campaign.

Tyus 8 games into his Magic career is just 2-of-15 on 3s so far.
I don’t think we’re using him correctly (and we can protect him better defensively), but he’s missing wide open looks. A dozen of those fifteen attempts have been wide open looks.
Tyus in the COVID-delayed 2020-2021 season:
4 games in December: 0-for-7
10 games in January: 25.8 3PT%
15 games in March: 22.2 3PT%
Shot 32.1 3PT% in 70 games for Memphis in his last sub-39 3PT% shooting campaign.

[thelead]

Bane is shooting 28.6 3PT% eight games into his Magic career.
Last season in Memphis he shot 40.6 3PT% in 5 October games, but then 23.8 3PT% in 8 November games.
So there’s precedent at least.
Bane played 69 games that season and still shot 39.2 3PT% for the campaign.

Tyus 8 games into his Magic career is just 2-of-15 on 3s so far.
I don’t think we’re using him correctly (and we can protect him better defensively), but he’s missing wide open looks. A dozen of those fifteen attempts have been wide open looks.
Tyus in the COVID-delayed 2020-2021 season:
4 games in December: 0-for-7
10 games in January: 25.8 3PT%
15 games in March: 22.2 3PT%
Shot 32.1 3PT% in 70 games for Memphis in his last sub-39 3PT% shooting campaign.

For me, it’s more about the volume. There is no way Bane forgot to shoot but he’s not getting enough clean looks and the slightly contested looks are not being put up. Why? Is it rhythm? Not comfortable with the plays? That’s the biggest thing for me right now with Bane.

[AdamTheGreek]

Bane is shooting 28.6 3PT% eight games into his Magic career.
Last season in Memphis he shot 40.6 3PT% in 5 October games, but then 23.8 3PT% in 8 November games.
So there’s precedent at least.
Bane played 69 games that season and still shot 39.2 3PT% for the campaign.

Tyus 8 games into his Magic career is just 2-of-15 on 3s so far.
I don’t think we’re using him correctly (and we can protect him better defensively), but he’s missing wide open looks. A dozen of those fifteen attempts have been wide open looks.
Tyus in the COVID-delayed 2020-2021 season:
4 games in December: 0-for-7
10 games in January: 25.8 3PT%
15 games in March: 22.2 3PT%
Shot 32.1 3PT% in 70 games for Memphis in his last sub-39 3PT% shooting campaign.

For me, it’s more about the volume. There is no way Bane forgot to shoot but he’s not getting enough clean looks and the slightly contested looks are not being put up. Why? Is it rhythm? Not comfortable with the plays? That’s the biggest thing for me right now with Bane.

For sure.
Part of it is he’s being run off the line.
But he’s also not fully confident in his 3 at the moment. He should be getting up 9-10 attempts per game from deep when he is.
He’s done a good job driving and either finishing or dishing it off, but we need to get him 3 attempts.

[Rainwater]

It is soo early in the season for people to be panicking like this. Now, if this is happening in March, then panic. Team needs time to gel and work through the inefficiency.

Panicking is what people do best, lol. Who cares about the circumstances and context; small size and new additions be dammed, lol. I feel like the heightened expectations has breed the idea of early success. So if they aren’t winning now it must be a failure.

[Idiosyncratic]

It is soo early in the season for people to be panicking like this. Now, if this is happening in March, then panic. Team needs time to gel and work through the inefficiency.

I don't really see panic though, definitely a lot of concern. It's the same shortcomings many have been talking about for years. But now we paid 4 1st round picks for the right to still have those shortcomings so the entire operation will be under more scrutiny.

I think there is a really good chance they end up being fine, but the fact that they look this bad is concerning. Especially since a lot of it is the same stuff we have had issues with for years. They gave up a lot of picks and have no financial flexibility. They have to win with what they have, there is going to be some level of pressure.

If we just traded one pick for Simons or something and started this bad, we could at least be like OK, we have the Suns pick to look forward to and Simons salary coming off the books plus all of our assets intact to go for the next big piece that becomes available. But the situation now is we pretty much went all-in so we need to see results. And I agree it still could end up fine-- it is a tiny sample, but can't expect people to not be concerned when we mortgaged a lot of the future to win right now.

[jezzerinho]

I just think we're playing completely away from our strengths. And we do have some strengths.

Both Paolo and Bane have gravity. Proven gravity. And complementary gravity. They both also have some court vision and passing ability.

So WHY THE HELL aren't the Magic taking advantage of it? Get a tilted defence, which is the objective of all attacking strategies, and play away from it to where the space is.

Where the space is we have players who should be able to take advantage or, if the defence rebalances, move it again.

There's a whole shotclock and plenty of talent to work with.

But everyone is standing around, taking turns to throw themselves on the defence like waves on a granite cliff - while the other 4 watch stoically on like bored seagulls.

The pieces aren't perfectly fitting but the ingredients are there to have an offense that uses off ball movement and movement of the ball to put a pretty multifaceted and pretty smart player into a high probability shot.

But you wouldn't know it watching the 2025/26 Magic so far...

[Darth Magic]

I just think we're playing completely away from our strengths. And we do have some strengths.

Both Paolo and Bane have gravity. Proven gravity. And complementary gravity. They both also have some court vision and passing ability.

So WHY THE HELL aren't the Magic taking advantage of it? Get a tilted defence, which is the objective of all attacking strategies, and play away from it to where the space is.

Where the space is we have players who should be able to take advantage or, if the defence rebalances, move it again.

There's a whole shotclock and plenty of talent to work with.

But everyone is standing around, taking turns to throw themselves on the defence like waves on a granite cliff - while the other 4 watch stoically on like bored seagulls.

The pieces aren't perfectly fitting but the ingredients are there to have an offense that uses off ball movement and movement of the ball to put a pretty multifaceted and pretty smart player into a high probability shot.

But you wouldn't know it watching the 2025/26 Magic so far...

Sit down and guard and don't worry about the offense

[Skybox]

I just think we're playing completely away from our strengths. And we do have some strengths.

Both Paolo and Bane have gravity. Proven gravity. And complementary gravity. They both also have some court vision and passing ability.

So WHY THE HELL aren't the Magic taking advantage of it? Get a tilted defence, which is the objective of all attacking strategies, and play away from it to where the space is.

Where the space is we have players who should be able to take advantage or, if the defence rebalances, move it again.

There's a whole shotclock and plenty of talent to work with.

But everyone is standing around, taking turns to throw themselves on the defence like waves on a granite cliff - while the other 4 watch stoically on like bored seagulls.

The pieces aren't perfectly fitting but the ingredients are there to have an offense that uses off ball movement and movement of the ball to put a pretty multifaceted and pretty smart player into a high probability shot.

But you wouldn't know it watching the 2025/26 Magic so far...

Sit down and guard and don't worry about the offense

Green font?

I'd be really curious what Mike Malone or Taylor Jenkins would, hypothetically, do with Paolo & Franz...anyone out there have a vision for them living their best lives together. We have two starting guards that can shoot 3's at high volume...who has EVER run a great frontcourt driven offense that doesn't really rely on any post play or high post playmaking?

Not doubting, just dying of curiousity.

[Darth Magic]

I just think we're playing completely away from our strengths. And we do have some strengths.

Both Paolo and Bane have gravity. Proven gravity. And complementary gravity. They both also have some court vision and passing ability.

So WHY THE HELL aren't the Magic taking advantage of it? Get a tilted defence, which is the objective of all attacking strategies, and play away from it to where the space is.

Where the space is we have players who should be able to take advantage or, if the defence rebalances, move it again.

There's a whole shotclock and plenty of talent to work with.

But everyone is standing around, taking turns to throw themselves on the defence like waves on a granite cliff - while the other 4 watch stoically on like bored seagulls.

The pieces aren't perfectly fitting but the ingredients are there to have an offense that uses off ball movement and movement of the ball to put a pretty multifaceted and pretty smart player into a high probability shot.

But you wouldn't know it watching the 2025/26 Magic so far...

Sit down and guard and don't worry about the offense

Green font?

I'd be really curious what Mike Malone or Taylor Jenkins would, hypothetically, do with Paolo & Franz...anyone out there have a vision for them living their best lives together. We have two starting guards that can shoot 3's at high volume...who has EVER run a great frontcourt driven offense that doesn't really rely on any post play or high post playmaking?

Not doubting, just dying of curiousity.

Definitely green font I'd love Mike Malone as our coach

[Ducklett]

It is soo early in the season for people to be panicking like this. Now, if this is happening in March, then panic. Team needs time to gel and work through the inefficiency.

If we still suck by March and nothing happened, Franz and Paolo are being traded in the summer.

[basketballRob]

I'm still laughing at Bane. You can see he just loses control sometimes. He did it against Maxey, too. Watching his highlights, he just disrespects players once in a while.

Sent from my SM-G781U using RealGM mobile app

[cedric76]

I just wanted bane to shoot 8 3pt per game