\u2014 Andy Bailey (@AndrewDBailey) June 14, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The Magic’s offseason has been here for nearly two months. But with the offseason around the league officially underway, in today’s parity-driven NBA, Orlando isn’t viewed as a team that’s in line for perhaps being the ninth champion in nine years.<\/p>\n According to ESPN’s way-too-early 2026-27 power rankings<\/a>, the Magic are currently ranked 15th, sandwiched between the Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors, who didn’t survive the play-in. <\/p>\n “Sean Sweeney finally gets his shot as head coach and takes over a team that could be tailored for him,” ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk wrote.<\/a> “Sweeney’s expertise is defense and developing talent — like he did with\u00a0Giannis Antetokounmpo\u00a0in Milwaukee. He will have to establish a relationship with\u00a0Paolo Banchero,\u00a0Franz Wagner\u00a0and\u00a0Desmond Bane, and he will be tasked with elevating an already top defense.<\/p>\n “Sweeney, too, will have to upgrade a stagnant offense that struggled badly, especially after Wagner got hurt in the playoffs, and collapsed in blowing a 3-1 lead against Detroit in the first round.”<\/p>\n Magic still have plenty of ground to make up in East:<\/p>\n Of the 14 teams ranked ahead of Orlando, eight are from the East — including Cleveland, Atlanta and Indiana, the East champion in 2024-25 who was derailed by myriad injuries (namely to Tyrese Haliburton) last season.<\/p>\n New Magic head coach Sean Sweeney helps raise that floor a little bit, but the Magic still have plenty of ground to make up.<\/p>\n
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