The expectations surrounding the Orlando Magic heading into the 2026-27 season are vast, and there are plenty of questions about how this team will operate under new head coach Sean Sweeney.

Sweeney is entering the fold with new tactics and philosophies in an effort to help the Magic reach greater heights than they did under Jamahl Mosley, and while he is known for his defensive acumen, what he can do to elevate the team offensively is also worth discussing.

Sweeney’s offensive approach is predicated on spacing, and he has emphasized that whoever has the ball in their hands becomes the point guard. Seeing his mindset put into practice to evolve what has been a struggling offense will be interesting, but it does not change the fact that Orlando’s backcourt of Desmond Bane and Jalen Suggs will have the ball in their hands often.

Bane and Suggs will be going into their second year of playing together. Let’s talk about what it can look like for them.

While neither fits the true definition of a point guard, Suggs and Bane can complement each other’s strengths, and though the Magic had an underwhelming 2025-26 season, their dynamic was on display.

From a concrete perspective, Bane is a better offensive player, and Suggs is the better defender. When Suggs was alone in the backcourt, his offensive deficiencies were more glaring, though he has demonstrated some improvement. However, he is not a good enough facilitator or scorer to shoulder the burden on his own.

In trading for Bane in June 2025, the Magic received a player who had just logged an average of 5.3 assists over 69 games. In his first year in Orlando, Bane’s average dropped to 4.1, which again illustrates that he is not a true floor general.

Yet Bane is a scorer, and his ability to tackle some of the offensive load is the primary reason why Orlando acquired him. He averaged 20.1 points for the Magic while playing all 82 games, and his consistent presence alone is something that the organization desperately needed after dealing with several injuries in recent years.

It is worth noting that Suggs averaged a career-high 5.5 assists last season, and that statistic was supported by the addition of Bane.

Nevertheless, Bane is never going to be a true point guard, just as Suggs will not. Together, though, they can combine their strengths on both sides of the ball to create a formidable threat. Bane has been as advertised, and if the Magic can get a healthy and slightly more consistent version of Suggs, they can hang with just about any team in the East.

On a recent episode of the Full Court Magic Podcast, I detailed what Suggs needs to do next season:

"Another player that needs to stay healthy is Jalen Suggs, and can he be better in a playoff atmosphere than what he was last year, because, I mean, outside of a hot start in Game 1 against Detroit, he just fell apart, absolutely fell apart, and was just abysmal for this team, and they need him to be the other part of what should be a very productive backcourt, right? 

Like, I understand that Jalen's game, first and foremost, is predicated on defense, and that's fine, but you've got to hit your shots when you take your shots, right?"