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The Orlando Magic's 2024-25 season ended with a 120-89 loss to the defending champion Boston Celtics in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series, concluding a campaign defined by growth, resilience, and missed opportunities. After a quiet trade deadline drew criticism earlier in the season, Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman addressed the decision — and what comes next.
Speaking Thursday morning with Mike Bianchi on 96.9 The Game, Weltman reflected on the Magic’s inactivity at the trade deadline and signaled a new, more aggressive approach this summer.
“We had serious discussions with a couple teams that literally went into the last hour of the deadline,” Weltman said. “At the end of the day, we just couldn't get there. The price tag was a little too heavy for players that, in effect, would have been two-month rentals.”
At the time of the deadline, Orlando held a 25-27 record and was among five teams league-wide that did not make a move. Despite the inactivity, the Magic closed strong — finishing the regular season at 41-41, winning their second straight Southeast Division title, and earning a postseason berth through the NBA Play-In Tournament with a win over the Atlanta Hawks.
Magic double down on defense with KCP signing, but offensive woes continue to hamper playoff hopes
In a move signaling their readiness to compete at a higher level, Orlando signed veteran guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a three-year, $66 million contract last summer. The two-time NBA champion brought championship experience and two-way versatility to a roster built on defense and youth. He played a key role in helping solidify the team’s identity on the perimeter, though his on-court production dipped notably. Caldwell-Pope averaged 8.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 43.9 percent from the field and 34.2 percent from three across 77 appearances — one of the least efficient offensive seasons of his career. After shooting above 40 percent from three in three of the four previous seasons, his drop-off further highlighted Orlando’s broader struggles from beyond the arc.
The Magic leaned into that identity all season. Orlando led the league in points allowed, giving up just 105.5 per game during the regular season. That defensive strength translated into the playoffs, where they limited the Celtics — who averaged 116.3 points and 17.8 threes per game in the regular season — to just 106.4 points per game and 11.8 threes made per contest.
However, the team's offensive shortcomings remained a clear weakness. The Magic finished the regular season ranked 27th in scoring (105.4 points per game), last in three-point shooting percentage (31.8), and last in made threes (11.2 per game). In the postseason, those issues intensified: Orlando averaged 93.6 points, shot just 26.3% from three, and was the only playoff team to average fewer than 10 made threes per game (8.2).
Jeff Weltman signals shift to ‘win-now’ mode as Magic weigh trade-focused path to offensive upgrade
Weltman acknowledged those limitations and indicated the front office is ready to shift its team-building mindset.
“We're ready to kind of turn the page on our rebuild,” Weltman said. “Enter the next stage of our team and look through a more ‘win-now’ lens.”
He added, “For the first time, nothing can be off the table for us. I think we’re going to have to look at the team through a different lens now.”
Weltman emphasized that while the Magic want to protect their defensive identity, they recognize the urgent need for offensive improvement. He also noted that most future moves will likely come through trades due to financial limitations under the new CBA.
“I’ve talked a lot about, ‘The train is coming’—the financial train under the new CBA—and it kind of pulled up to our station this year,” Weltman said. “Most of our transactions going forward are going to have to be more trade-oriented.”
“If we're going to get better offensively, it's going to have to come at some cost,” he added. “We don’t want to lose the identity of our team. The reason that we've been a good team is because of our defense… but we know we have to get better offensively.”
Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner’s postseason growth positions young core for next leap
With Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner both 23 or younger and already showing the ability to lead in the postseason, the Magic believe they are well-positioned to make a leap. Weltman reiterated the organization’s long-term belief in its developmental model, noting that giving young players playoff experience early will pay dividends in the years to come.
“I do think that having followed that path for the last few years will be the gift that keeps giving,” he said. “As this roster turns over and we add more vets, these guys are going to be better and better for years.”
The Magic now enter a pivotal offseason with a full arsenal of draft capital, including two first-round picks in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft, and roster flexibility. With a clear shift toward contention, Orlando’s front office appears set to make moves that match the ambitions of its rising core.
