The Orlando Magic have been a relatively successful franchise over the past few seasons and it can be considered surprising given how young the team is. They are the fifth-youngest roster in the NBA with an average age of 24.4. With that, some of the players in the rotation are viewed around the league as some of the better players in the NBA.
Bleacher Report released their updated list of the top 99 players in the NBA. The Magic have five representatives on the list with the highest ranked player being Franz Wagner at No. 34.
"We can debate if Franz Wagner was worthy of the max contract the Orlando Magic handed him coming off his third NBA season, although the 24-year-old has proved he's one of the most gifted offensive forwards in the league," the article wrote. "Injuries have limited Wagner to just 28 games this season, although he recently made his way back to the court before the All-Star break. Orlando is 16-12 with Wagner in the lineup and just 12-13 when he doesn't play."
Wagner began the preseason ranked at No. 29. The next player ranked is maybe the most surprising placement on the list in Paolo Banchero at No. 41. Banchero, arguably the face of the team over the past couple of seasons, is having a relatively down campaign. He was originally ranked at No. 19 this preseason.
"Paolo Banchero looked like a future superstar following an All-Star appearance and Rookie of the Year award in his first two seasons," the article added. "He's failed to make the next leap, however, going trophy-less over the last two years as injuries have impacted his time on the court. Banchero's scoring has taken a hit this year (21.3 points per game, the lowest since his rookie season), although that's more of a product of Desmond Bane being added to the mix and the growth of Anthony Black. The more concerning aspect is that Banchero's shooting efficiency has plateaued, even as the talent around him has multiplied."
The final three members of the Magic to crack the list are Jalen Suggs at No. 56, Desmond Bane at No. 58 and Anthony Black at No. 81. Suggs has been a consistent guard throughout his career but has dealt with numerous injuries. Bane started the season off cold but has turned it around as of late. Black is in the midst of a legitimate breakout campaign and could be a nominee for Most Improved Player.
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