Annual NBA GM Survey Offers Insight on Perception of Magic Around the League

The NBA's annual survey of the 30 GMs in the league released on Tuesday morning. Here's how opposing general managers perceive the Magic and its players heading into the 2024-25 NBA season.

Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) reacts after a basket during the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game five of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The NBA's annual survey of the league's 30 general managers was released on the league's website Tuesday morning.

Polling the GMs of the 30 franchises around the league is an annual tradition, and 50 questions were posed in this iteration ahead of the 2024-25 season. This particular exercise offers insight often not ever discussed, as team's rarely have their focus turned away from their own building and its happenings.

So, with that in mind, how does the NBA's collection of GMs perceive the Orlando Magic ahead of the upcoming year?

Let's take a look:

Eastern Conference Rankings

6. Orlando Magic

Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley reacts in the second quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers during game one of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. / David Richard-Imagn Images

Of the respondents, 10% of general managers believe the Magic can earn the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, and 7% picked the Magic to finish as the No. 4 seed. In total, Orlando finished with 3% of the vote in an exercise aimed at figuring out the top four spots in the East.

%Total was calculated by assessing four points for a first-place vote, three for second, two for third and one for fourth. Assuming all 30 NBA GMs voted, the Magic earned three third-place votes and two fourth-place votes, equaling eight points.

That placed Orlando sixth in the standings of total votes:

1. Boston (39%)
2. New York (22%)
3. Philadelphia (21%)
4. Cleveland (9%)
5. Milwaukee (6%)
6. Orlando (3%)
7. Indiana (1%)

Which player is likely to have a breakout season in 2024-25?

t-5: Paolo Banchero – 7%

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) listens to the national anthem before the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Magic at game seven of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Banchero was one of numerous vote-getters in this category, with no one particular player far outweighing another in terms of votes.

The Magic's No. 1 overall pick from 2022 has done nothing but shine in his first two seasons with Orlando, achieving his first career All-Star appearance a year after winning Rookie of the Year. He became the youngest player in NBA history to lead his team in points, rebounds and assists a season ago, and led the Magic to a playoff appearance for the first time in four seasons.

In the survey, Banchero was one of just seven players to earn multiple votes from GMs:

1. Jalen Williams (OKC) – 13%
t-2. Evan Mobley (CLE) – 10%
t-2. Ja Morant (MEM) – 10%
t-2. Victor Wembanyama (SAS) – 10%
t-5. Paolo Banchero (ORL) – 7%
t-5. Cade Cunningham (DET) – 7%
t-5. Brandon Miller (CHA) – 7%
Receiving votes: 11 players.

Which team made the best overall moves this offseason?

Receiving votes: Orlando Magic

Orlando entered the offseason with money to spend but with a heavy value placed on the continuity of the roster year-over-year. The Magic went out and signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cory Joseph to bolster its backcourt, but spent the rest of its offseason returning players from its contributing core.

Gary Harris, Moritz Wagner and Goga Bitadze all got new deals, and Jonathan Isaac got a pay raise in a renegotiation-and-extend scenario. Franz Wagner earned a five-year rookie max deal, just recently gave Wendell Carter Jr. a three-year veteran max on top of the two seasons remaining on his deal, and exercised the team options of Jett Howard, Anthony Black and Paolo Banchero.

Just Jalen Suggs' contract negotiations remain unsolved at this point.

Three teams dominated the votes in this category:

1. Oklahoma City Thunder – 37%
2. Philadelphia 76ers – 33%
3. New York Knicks – 20%
Receiving votes: Brooklyn Nets, Orlando Magic, Sacramento Kings

What was the most underrated player acquisition?

2. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (ORL) – 17%

Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) controls the ball as Denver Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (5) guards in the fourth quarter during game five of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Ball Arena. / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Caldwell-Pope brings years of NBA and championship experience to a team full of players who almost all made their first playoff appearances a year ago. Not to mention Orlando's desire for spacing calls upon Caldwell-Pope's shooting capabilities from distance, but pairing him and Jalen Suggs in the defensive backcourt should only bolster Orlando's staunch defense from a season ago. They'll just need time to jell together as a unit.

Only Alex Caruso to Oklahoma City ranked higher in this category:

1. Alex Caruso (OKC) – 23%
2. Kentavious Caldwell-Pop (ORL) – 17%
t-3. Isaiah Hartenstein (OKC) – 13%
t-3. Tyus Jones (PHX) – 13%
5. Klay Thompson (DAL) – 10%
6. Chris Paul (SAS) – 7%
Receiving votes: Five players

Which team will be most improved in 2024-25?

Receiving votes: Orlando Magic

For this to become true, Orlando would likely need to make a significant increase in its win total this upcoming season while working on the foundation of 47 from a season ago. The Magic's belief in continuity means Banchero, Franz Wagner and others will have the runway to lead this on their own for at least the early going of the year. If their trajectory continues upward, and the wins follow, it's not out of the realm of possibility.

Because of Memphis' injury-ravished campaign last year, they're the clear favorite here:

1. Memphis Grizzlies – 67%
2. San Antonio Spurs – 13%
3. Philadelphia 76ers – 7%
Receiving votes: Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns

Who is the most versatile defender in the NBA?

t-5. Jonathan Isaac (ORL) – 7%

Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac (1) blocks the shot of New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi (21) during the first half at Smoothie King Center. / Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Isaac was the league's best individual defender by some metrics but gets knocked for his low minute share compared to others around the league. Of course, Isaac's injury history makes him an interesting case heading into this year, but this was the first offseason the 6-10 forward finally felt healthy. He's put on some weight, too – up from 219 to 250 pounds by his own admission. The Minister of Defense is Orlando's second-unit special weapon, finding a way to excel on a team full of defenders.

A lot of guys got some shine with this question:

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) – 17%
t-2. OG Anunoby (NYK) – 13%
t-2. Victor Wembanyama (SAS) – 13%
4. Bam Adebayo (MIA) – 10%
t-5. Jrue Holiday (BOS) – 7%
t-5. Jonathan Isaac (ORL) – 7%
t-5. Herb Jones (NOP) – 7%
t-5. Jaden McDaniels (MIN) – 7%
Receiving votes: Six players

Which head coach has the best defensive schemes?

6. Jamahl Mosley (ORL) – 7%

Getting a young team to buy in collectively to defense is a really hard thing for any coach to achieve – let alone a coach who is entering his fourth season as a head coach and on the same timeline as many of the core pieces of Orlando's future.

But when Caldwell-Pope mentioned on media day that Orlando was the first team he's ever been on where everyone wants to defend, that's noteworthy. He's been on two championship-winning teams led by two all-time great players in Lebron James and Nikola Jokic. For this team to earn that crown so early on in Caldwell-Pope's estimation is a testament to the system that Orlando utilizes to make it all go.

Mosley was one of seven coaches considered by GMs:

1. Erik Spoelstra (MIA) – 23%
t-2. Chris Finch (MIN) – 20%
t-2. Tom Thibodeau (NYK) – 20%
4. Joe Mazzulla (BOS) – 17%
5. Mark Daigenault (OKC) – 10%
6. Jamahl Mosley (ORL) – 7%
7. Ime Udoka (HOU) – 3%

Who is the best assistant coach in the NBA?

Receiving votes: Dale Osbourne (ORL)

Osbourne is entering his fourth season as an assistant with the Magic after nine seasons in Portland, joining Mosley's staff when he first took over as head coach.

Only five assistants received multiple votes from respondents:

t-1. Sam Cassell (BOS) – 17%
t-1. Micah Nori (MIN) – 17%
3. Sean Sweeney (DAL) – 10%
t-4. Chris Queen (MIA) – 7%
t-4. Jeff Van Gundy (LAC) – 7%
Receiving votes: 13 coaches

Which team has the most promising young core?

2. Orlando Magic – 20%

Orlando's combination of youth and early success in the tenure of this core makes it hard not to see optimism in the Magic's core going forward.

Jalen Suggs is 23 and entering his fourth season, Franz Wagner, also 23, enters his fourth year this season, and Banchero, 21, enters his third. That's on the front line, and players like Anthony Black, Jett Howard and Tristan da Silva wait in the wings. Cole Anthony and Wendell Carter Jr. have each been in Orlando for a bit longer but still have plenty of years in their careers ahead of them.

Only Oklahoma City's future is more promising, according to the GMs:

1. Oklahoma City Thunder – 60%
2. Orlando Magic – 20%
3. Houston Rockets – 10%
4. San Antonio Spurs – 7%
5. Detroit Pistons – 3%

Related Stories on the Orlando Magic

• WCJ EXTENSION PAR FOR MAGIC'S COURSE: With a three-year, $59 million extension Monday night, Orlando solidified Wendell Carter Jr. as another core piece they'll keep around. CLICK HERE
• LEFT ANKLE SPRAIN FOR WCJ: The Magic center left the preseason opener in the third quarter and didn't return. CLICK HERE
• PRESEASON OPENER INSTANT OBSERVATIONS: The Magic struggled with turnovers but the second unit supplied a lift. What can we take away from the unofficial first Magic game of the year? CLICK HERE

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