Magic Power Rankings: Orlando Moving Up After Quiet Free Agency?

The Orlando Magic didn't do much in free agency, but the team is seen in a better light.

Jeremy Brener | Jul 19, 2023

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Orlando Magic

ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic hasn't been the flashiest team this offseason.

All Orlando did in free agency, despite being one of the teams with more cap room than most, was sign Joe Ingles from the Milwaukee Bucks and retain Moe Wagner, who was a free agent.

However, the team did draft two rookies in the lottery and is expected to run it back from last year. This puts the Magic at No. 21 in Bleacher Report's latest power rankings, two spots higher than the previous edition.

"This slight move up the rankings may have as much to do with drops from others as it does with the Orlando Magic," Bleacher Report writes. "Their most significant free-agency moves were the signing of Joe Ingles, who turns 36 in October and tore his ACL during the 2021-22 campaign, and waiving of Bol Bol."

The drops in free agency come from teams who have lost a lot this summer. Orlando isn't that. The Magic believes in its young core, headlined by Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, and added to it this offseason. There's a lot to like with the Magic going into the upcoming season, and that's reflected in the team's placement for the latest power rankings.

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Published Jul 19, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.