Magic Win Projections: Can Orlando Finish Better Than Last Year?

Are you taking the over or the under?

Jeremy Brener | Jul 24, 2022

Magic Win Projections: Can Orlando Finish Better Than Last Year? /

ORLANDO - Expectations for the Orlando Magic heading into the 2022 season are not high.

After winning just 22 games last season, good for second-worst in the league, there isn't a whole lot of promise in Central Florida.

However, the Magic got better this offseason. By drafting Paolo Banchero with the No. 1 pick, the team adds an instant starter and difference-maker on the court. Banchero will change the way the offense is played and elevates the floor and ceiling of the team.

Outside of the draft, the team has so far neglected to sign outside free agents, meaning it appears that the Magic will run it back with the same group next season.

By keeping almost everything in-house, it will improve the team's chemistry and the players can all develop together under second-year head coach Jamahl Mosley.

With the players already familiar with Mosley's system, the kinks in the system will be less apparent next season.

Couple all of that with the likely return of a healthy Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac and the team has potential to be better than it was last year.

In fact, Terrence Ross believes the team can make the playoffs.

While Ross appears optimistic, PointsBet is not expecting that large of a jump.

The sportsbook is projecting 27.5 wins for the Magic this season, which is 5.5 more than last season's total. Only the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons have been projected to finish with fewer wins than the Magic.

While it looks like the team improved on paper, we'll wait until the season starts to see if it translates onto the court.

Published Jul 24, 2022

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.