There were so many positive takeaways for the Celtics after an incredible final day of the regular season, in which they pulled out an improbable win with almost the entire rotation resting. On the other side of the coin, it has been nothing but doom and gloom for the Magic, the demoralized losers from the regular season finale.
Orlando came into the season with huge expectations after trading four first-round picks to acquire Desmond Bane as the missing piece alongside Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs. Bane has been great, but not much else has gone right. Wagner missed more than half the season due to injury, Paolo took a step back, and Suggs missed time as well.
Even with a breakout year from Anthony Black, the team never hit its stride. The offense didn’t take the leap forward it was supposed to, as they finished just 18th in offensive rating, and even more disappointingly, they lost their defensive edge and identity that made them good the past few years, dropping to 13th on that end.
Magic need shake-up as badly as any team in the NBA
The vibes have been bad all year, and speculation about Jamahl Mosley’s job security has been rampant. Then, on Tuesday, a day before Orlando’s play-in game in Philadelphia, Raheem Palmer of the Ringer reported that the Magic are “dealing with major turmoil in their locker room” and that “a star player is willing to demand a trade if the head coach Jamahl Mosley isn’t fired at the end of this season.”
Source: The Magic are dealing with major turmoil in their locker room with my sources saying that a star player is willing to demand a trade if the head coach Jamahl Mosley isn’t fired at the end of this season.
— Raheem Palmer (@iamrahstradamus) April 14, 2026
Connecting some dots here, it's safe to assume that "a star player" would most likely be Banchero or Wagner, the two foundational pieces. They are two promising young players, but whether the coach changes or not, this pairing has to be on its last legs.
Realistically, with or without this report, it was pretty clear that change was coming. This team has looked disjointed and unhappy all season long, and Sunday’s loss to a Celtics team led by Baylor Scheierman, Ron Harper Jr., and Luka Garza may have been the cherry on top.
After the all-in trade for Bane, this team was dubbed a dark-horse contender in the East and had the third-best preseason odds, with a win total of 51.5 games, behind just the Knicks and Cavaliers. Instead, they limped into the 8-seed with just 45 wins, even with a third of the league tanking.
Celtics may see the Magic in round one
And as if that wasn’t enough, the final insult may come in the form of a beating from the Celtics in round one. The Magic still have to play for their playoff lives, but if they can rebound and beat the 76ers without Joel Embiid, they’ll come right back to Boston for what could be a painful first-round matchup.
But based on these reports and the body language this team has been giving off, they may not even be able to get past Philly. That would set up a do-or-die game on Thursday, just to reach the 8-seed, where they’d face another tough foe in the Pistons.
Either way, it’s not looking good, and frankly, even a miraculous playoff run may not be enough to keep this team together. One way or another, it appears we’re headed for some major changes in Orlando this summer.
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