During the 2025-26 season, the Orlando Magic were a dominant force in the Emirates NBA Cup, as they went 4-0 in group play before eventually losing to the New York Knicks in the semifinals.

On Friday, the Magic will kick off their NBA Cup schedule against the Toronto Raptors on the road. Given the struggles they have endured over a 1-3 start, it is going to take quite an effort to be successful in this season's cup landscape.

Orlando was already dealt a bitter taste of what it was up against in the Raptors with a 129-99 loss on Wednesday at Scotiabank Arena. Now, without the services of two of their most important players, Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs, the Magic must find a way to bounce back. 

Not just for the sake of getting off to a good start in group play, but also to avoid falling further into the losing column. 

For Orlando to win on Friday, it is going to take a strong team effort, but there are specific weaknesses that must be addressed for a win to happen. Let's review some of them:

It is worth noting that Franz Wagner has never been a good 3-point shooter, but through the first four games of this season, the numbers are worse than usual. 

So far, Wagner is shooting just 15% from beyond the arc. He has taken 20 total attempts and made only three. Over the last two games, he is 0-for-6 from the perimeter.

This shot isn't falling for Wagner, and coach Sean Sweeney needs to keep finding ways to put him in situations that play to his strengths. However, this is the NBA, and timely shots often come down to hitting a three. 

For as good a player as Wagner is, he cannot be trusted to do that right now. But if he is going to keep taking these shots, he has to be better than he has been.

Not only was the Magic's offense not good enough in general in Wednesday's loss and in other losses that have preceded it, but giving the ball away has been an issue as well. 

Orlando lost Wednesday's game by 30 points, and 20 of the points that benefited the Raptors were a result of 20 turnovers committed by the Magic. It was an issue that Sweeney pointed to in his post-game interview before anything else, and there is a blunt realization that this problem needs to be addressed.

No team wants to turn the ball over, but since Orlando’s offense has been struggling, it makes every possession matter even more.

When the Magic signed Vucevic over the summer, it was about much more than just reuniting with an aging veteran; it was an addition to provide much-needed frontcourt depth, especially after Moe Wagner departed in free agency.

The problem is that Vucevic's role has come in short supply, and he has not done much with it. Over four games, Vucevic is averaging just 10 minutes of playing time while notching just 2.5 points per game and 2.5 rebounds. 

Perhaps the veteran just needs more time and more opportunities to get into a rhythm, but the numbers he has posted have made him nearly unplayable.

The Magic simply need more from him, especially as injuries have compelled everyone to elevate their game.