Magic fans are beginning to question who the real franchise player in Orlando is

If there’s one team that has defied the odds when it seemed like they hit rock bottom, it’s the Orlando Magic.

After losing Paolo Banchero to an oblique injury that sidelined him for 34 games, followed by Franz Wagner suffering the same injury on Dec. 6, the Magic somehow managed to maintain their standing as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. However, once Banchero returned to action on January 10th, the Magic’s fortunes began to change — for the worse.

With Wagner still sidelined and no clear timetable for his return, the team has struggled mightily, losing five of their last six games despite Banchero’s presence. This skid has caused the Magic to tumble to the eighth seed. Given how well the team performed in the absence of both top scorers earlier in the season, fans are now asking the difficult question:

Who is the real franchise player on the Orlando Magic?

Over the past two seasons, advanced metrics have painted an intriguing picture of the duo’s impact. When Wagner is on the court and Banchero is off, the Magic boast an impressive net rating of +10.87. Conversely, when Banchero is on and Wagner is off, the team records a disappointing net rating of -3.65.

Wagner’s individual performance this season further underscores his value. In the 25 games he’s played, he has averaged 24.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.7 steals, leading the team to a 16-9 record. Meanwhile, in the 11 games Banchero has played, he has posted slightly stronger averages of 25.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 4.5 assists, but the team has struggled to a 4-7 record in those contests.

To complicate matters, injuries to key players like Jalen Suggs, Moritz Wagner, and Wendell Carter Jr. have forced head coach Jamahl Mosley to constantly adjust his rotations. Over the team’s 45 games this season, Mosley has deployed 17 different starting lineups. However, the data suggests that stability — and success — has been more closely tied to lineups featuring Wagner. Of the Magic’s three best-performing lineups, all have included Wagner and none have included Banchero. In contrast, the five games where Banchero played without Wagner resulted in a 0-5 record.

This disparity has raised eyebrows among fans, especially given the expectations surrounding Banchero as the number one overall pick. While he is tasked with covering more areas of the floor than Wagner, the results have yet to reflect his potential dominance. Both players have nearly identical shooting splits, but something isn’t clicking for the Magic, particularly when Banchero is leading the charge.

With Orlando’s roster loaded with lottery-pick talent — many of whom have struggled to find consistent minutes — a shakeup at the trade deadline might be necessary to restore the team’s momentum. Whether the Magic choose to bet on Banchero as their cornerstone or reconsider their long-term strategy, one thing is clear: the team must find answers soon to avoid squandering a season that once held so much promise.