NBA Power Rankings: Magic Among Eastern Conference's Elite?

Where do the Orlando Magic fall in ESPN's power rankings ahead of the 204-25 season?

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) dribbles the ball while Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) defends during the first half at TD Garden. / Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

The Orlando Magic have gone from a young team on the rise to one that's primed to contend in the Eastern Conference.

But with the 13-win improvement the Magic made and them coming within a game of reaching the second round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs, was it enough for ESPN to rank Orlando among the best of the best in the conference in its power rankings?

ESPN ranked Orlando 11th in its post-free agency power rankings, crediting its growth last season and lauding the addition of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope this offseason after signing the 6-foot-5 sharpshooting guard to a three-year $66 million deal on the first day of free agency.

"The 47-win Magic addressed a major hole by landing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, one of the league's best role players and perimeter shooters," ESPN writes. "No team made fewer 3-pointers last season than Orlando, which also ranked 24th in 3-point percentage. Caldwell-Pope, meanwhile, has shot over 40% from deep over the past five seasons, and nearly 43% from the corners the past eight campaigns."

Among the Eastern Conference teams, the Magic ranked seventh. Orlando trailed the Cleveland Cavaliers (No. 10), Indiana Pacers (No. 9), Milwaukee Bucks (No. 8), Philadelphia 76ers (No. 6), New York Knicks (No. 4) and Boston Celtics (No. 1).

With Orlando still composing one of the league's youngest rosters, projecting the experience it gained from last year's playoff run to lead to more improvement next season is well within reason. The Magic had the fifth-youngest team in the NBA last season and will return nearly the same group of players this year.

If Orlando is going to take the next step to compete in the Eastern Conference, it'll need its core of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs to continue their upward trajectory and Caldwell-Pope to be the missing piece they needed. The improvement of 2023 first-round picks Anthony Black and Jett Howard will also go a long way toward helping the Magic hold their own against the conference's elite.

Competing in an improved Eastern Conference will be a tall task. The Celtics return the same roster that steamrolled their way to an NBA Championship, while the Knicks made a splash by trading for Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets and the 76ers added Paul George in free agency.

With the growth the Magic showed last season, it's possible they're more than ready to compete with teams like the Celtics, Knicks and 76ers. If Orlando can make similar improvements next season, it'll have a chance to be among the NBA's best teams and could make the Eastern Conference that much tougher.

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