The Orlando Magic are a young team, which makes the presence of veterans in their locker room more important.
The 2026-27 NBA season is upon us, and while some teams are expected to be championship contenders, others are just trying to take the next step.
The Orlando Magic fall into the latter category, as they are still a young team with talent but untapped and unproven potential. The inexperience goes beyond the roster, too, as Sean Sweeney comes to Orlando as a first-time head coach.
Sure, Sweeney has garnered a lot of experience as an assistant, but being the main voice on the sideline carries a different responsibility. That is where the presence of a veteran makes a difference, and even though the Magic are full of youth and players who have not yet hit their prime, they still have a few voices that can make a difference.
The veterans who can help
One such voice is that of Nikola Vucevic, who was Orlando’s most impactful signing this offseason. Vucevic is going into his 16th NBA season, and he has a familiarity with the Magic due to spending over half his career with the organization.
Even at nearly 36 years old, Vucevic is still a productive player on the floor, but the intangibles he provides as a leader will be just as important. The Magic are in a much different place than they were when Vucevic last played for them, and the responsibility that he has to help this team go deeper in the postseason rather than just try to achieve a winning record will be challenging.
The good news is that Vucevic wants to be in Orlando. Even in his time away, he has maintained his love for his time with the team and the city, and that will help fuel good results.
Another veteran who can help is Jonathan Isaac. For all his flaws and injury concerns, Isaac knows what it is like to be in a Magic uniform. He is the longest-tenured member of the team heading into next season, and the evolution he has been a part of with the organization gives him an important perspective.
Perhaps Isaac can recapture some of the elements that made him an impactful 3-and-D player during his earlier years in the NBA, but even if he can’t, he has a one-year deal to prove how his veteran leadership can be helpful.
Recently, I spoke with my colleague RJ Saunders of 1010XL Magic about my high level of confidence regarding how this team is buying into Sweeney. That is a great step in the right direction, and his voice will be empowered by the veterans on this roster, such as Vucevic and Isaac, who will become leaders.
