Everyone might recognize the Magic are better than the 8-seed they finished at. There might still be recognition of this team’s talent and its place among the Eastern Conference’s Playoff teams.<\/p>\n
But nobody is annointing them future champions. Nobody is jumping out on the limb they did last year when many said they could reach the Eastern Conference Finals.<\/p>\n
The roster is expected to be much the same this year as it was last year. Nobody is expecting massive changes<\/a>. But Orlando’s frustrating 2026 season, as injury filled as it was, has changed how everyone views this team.<\/p>\n If the Magic are going to change minds, they will have to do so on the court. Nobody is giving them the benefit of the doubt anymore.<\/p>\n Fans will be hard-pressed to find anybody in the national media — and maybe even fans, frustrated by a team failing to meet expectations — who is ready to sign the Magic’s praises.<\/p>\n Orlando went from a media darling to a team everyone is doubting. And the early look-ahead to the 2027 season only drives that point home.<\/p>\n The early predictions<\/p>\n It is still too early to make any big predictions for the 2027 season.<\/p>\n The offseason is still ahead. Even though the Orlando Magic are not expected to make major changes to their lineup, they will add at least a few players<\/a> to supplement their bench. The front office has signalled it believes in its starting five at the very least.<\/p>\n There will be a lot of moves beyond the Magic too — the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade<\/a> is the first big domino of this offseason to fall.<\/p>\n That is to say, the league will change a lot in the next month before the Magic can sit down and truly prepare for their season.<\/p>\n But the early predictions are not friendly to the Magic.<\/p>\n Law Murray of The Athletic ranked the Magic 14th in his post-Finals power rankings<\/a>. That is actually up one spot, a credit to their 3-1 lead in the first round that ultimately fell apart. The Magic will have questions to answer about their offense, particularly after their Game 6 collapse<\/a>.<\/p>\n Murray ranked the Magic eighth among Eastern Conference Teams.<\/p>\n ESPN ranked the Magic 15th in their postseason power rankings<\/a>. They have the Magic ninth among Eastern Conference teams, elevating the Indiana Pacers back into the Playoff picture.<\/p>\n Orlando has a hill to climb even to avoid the Play-In, it would seem.<\/p>\n The sports books reflect this change too.<\/p>\n The early odds from BetMGM<\/a> have the Magic at +5000 to win the title, ranking seventh among Eastern Conference teams. The Magic were +4000 to win <\/a>the title last year in the preseason.<\/p>\n Nobody is buying that Desmond Bane by himself was going to change anything. They move from a potential contender to a team on “The Bubble.”<\/p>\n The Magic were darlings last year. This year they have a lot to prove.<\/p>\n Changes ahead?<\/p>\n That is fair to say. <\/p>\n
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