{"id":257201,"date":"2026-05-04T02:08:32","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T02:08:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/257201\/"},"modified":"2026-05-04T02:08:32","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T02:08:32","slug":"jalen-suggs-and-2-magic-who-shouldnt-be-back-after-horrific-playoff-collapse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/257201\/","title":{"rendered":"Jalen Suggs and 2 Magic who shouldn’t be back after horrific playoff collapse"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Orlando Magic have officially reached the end of the 2025-26 NBA season. With the conclusion of their campaign, questions about the future have immediately surfaced, with many pondering who and what the Magic need to add this coming offseason. The 3-1 collapse and Game 7 blowout against the top-seeded Pistons only magnified things. <\/p>\n

Along with the matter of who should be added to the roster, however, is the difficult conversation about whom the Magic should move on from.<\/p>\n

It’s never an easy conversation to have, as the Magic have built a roster flush with players who have built a close connection with the Orlando community. Furthermore, the franchise has made the playoffs in each of the past three seasons after missing it in nine of the previous 11.<\/p>\n

Despite the success that the Magic have managed, however, there’s an unavoidable need to create cap space and make difficult personnel decisions.<\/p>\n

Jonathan Isaac<\/p>\n

Jonathan Isaac is guaranteed just $8 million of the $14.5 million he’s due overall in 2026-27. Though Isaac has been with Orlando for nearly a decade, committing to that short-term and ultimately long-term cost is not quite as easy to justify as it used to be.<\/p>\n

Following a 2025-26 season during which Isaac sat for 30 games and played just 10.0 minutes per appearance, it’s time for both sides to move on.<\/p>\n

The Magic have two high-volume forwards in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, which plays some degree of a role in Isaac’s limited minutes. Unfortunately, he’s also shot 41.6 percent from the field and 24.3 percent from beyond the arc over the past two seasons.<\/p>\n

There could be a way to justify bringing Isaac back at a lower salary, but given how much money he’s owed and how badly Orlando needs to improve its supporting cast, parting ways is a necessary evil.<\/p>\n

Jalen Suggs<\/p>\n

This isn’t an easy name to include, as Jalen Suggs has been a net positive <\/a>for the Magic. His defensive proficiency, playmaking, and timely scoring have all played a direct role in Orlando’s success over the past five seasons.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, Suggs carries the unfortunate distinction of being paid significant money while battling a consistent string of injuries.<\/p>\n

Suggs missed 34 games as a rookie in 2021-22 and 29 in 2022-23. He played 75 in 2023-24, but then missed 47 games in 2024-25 before sitting for another 25 in 2025-26. He’s still a positive contributor, but he also has four years and $115 million remaining on his deal.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, 2023-24 wasn’t just an outlier in terms of availability. He shot 39.7 percent from beyond the arc, but has shot 33.9 percent or worse in each of his other four seasons. For a Magic team that ranked No. 27 in three-point field goal percentage in 2025-26, that’s an alarming fact.<\/p>\n

Throw in the harsh reality that Suggs’ market value will only deplete if he suffers another injury, the time has unfortunately arrived for the Magic to trade him for a better fit.<\/p>\n

Moritz Wagner<\/p>\n

Moritz Wagner is a heartbreaking name to include on this list, as he’s thrived during his six seasons with the Magic. Unfortunately, with Wendell Carter Jr. locked in as the starting center, Goga Bitadze making $7,608,696 in 2026-27, and Wagner battling a steady stream of injuries, there just isn’t much space left on the salary cap table.<\/p>\n

As such, Orlando should make the difficult decision to part with Wagner and instead prioritize improving the quality and depth at other positions.<\/p>\n

Wagner has appeared in just 66 games over the past two seasons, which unavoidably plays a part in this discussion. He provides a boost when he plays<\/a>. There may yet be more in the tank, but the Magic have too much on the line to bet on injuries not continuing to be an issue.<\/p>\n

It may not be a comfortable conversation to have, but Orlando needs to cut ties with Wagner in order to preserve a degree of financial flexibility.<\/p>\n

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