While the Sixers still have some business to attend to before their offseason can be complete, most of their Eastern Conference cohorts have just about wrapped up their work ahead of the 2025-26 season in the fall.
Now is as good of a time as ever to survey the landscape of an Eastern Conference that has lost a pair of championship-caliber teams due to superstar injuries. Very few sure things exist in the conference this year, and there is plenty of opportunity for new contenders to arise.
The Sixers are running back a roster fairly similar to the one that finished out last season in hopes of improved health and continued development from younger players propelling them back into contention. But how have the teams they will have to surpass changed over the summer?
Up last: the Orlando Magic, the most likely of teams that did not contend last year to find itself firmly in the mix atop the Eastern Conference in 2025-26. Orlando finally made a big swing to kick off the summer, trading for sharpshooter Desmond Bane. In acquiring the exact ideal fit for their team, Orlando has formed a tremendous trio of young players in Bane, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, without sacrificing its defensive identity. How much can the Magic improve?
SCOUTING THE SIXERS' COMPETITION
Boston Celtics | Indiana Pacers | Cleveland Cavaliers | New York Knicks | Milwaukee Bucks | Detroit Pistons | Atlanta Hawks | Orlando Magic
Roster changes
The Magic have lacked three-point shooting and general offensive firepower for years. And while Orlando's defensive identity has formed, they would never be able to win at the highest levels if Banchero and Wagner did not have more space to operate and more assistance shouldering massive offensive workloads. Enter Bane, about as pristine of a fit alongside those players as possible.
Added: Desmond Bane (trade), Tyus Jones (free agency), Jase Richardson (No. 25 pick in NBA Draft), Noah Penda (No. 32 pick in NBA Draft)
Retained: Moe Wagner
Extended: Paolo Banchero (five years, $239 million)
Lost: Cole Anthony, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Gary Harris, Caleb Houstan, Cory Joseph
Caldwell-Pope seemed like an ideal fit last summer, but his three-year, $66 million contract looked like a brutal deal by the time his first year in Orlando came to a close. Many scrutinized the number of first-round picks Orlando gave up for Bane -- four of them plus a swap was the price to turn Caldwell-Pope and Anthony into the sharpshooter -- but getting rid of Caldwell-Pope's deal was worth at least a first-rounder on its own.
With the financial flexibility Orlando maintained in this deal, the Magic went out and added Tyus Jones to replace Anthony in their backup point guard spot.
MORE: Everything you need to know about Sixers' 2025-26 schedule
Depth chart projection
With their new trio of stars bookended by Jalen Suggs and Wendell Carter Jr., the Magic should have one of the NBA's elite starting units. The top of Orlando's roster is absolutely good enough to contend in this year's Eastern Conference. The question will be how many bench players become reliable on a game-by-game basis. Anthony Black, a former lottery pick, feels like the most pivotal swing piece off the bench:
PG SG SF PF C
Jalen Suggs Desmond Bane Franz Wagner Paolo Banchero Wendell Carter Jr.
Tyus Jones Anthony Black Tristan da Silva Jonathan Isaac Goga Bitadze
Jase Richardson Jett Howard Noah Penda Moe Wagner
If Black makes a leap, Bitadze and Moe Wagner have enough good minutes in them to stabilize the backup center spot and Isaac stays healthy, there should be plenty of options to fill low-pressure roles at the back end of the rotation.
Sixers ties
The Sixers and Magic have had many ties in years past, from Markelle Fultz to Michael Carter-Williams. Now, just about the only tie between the two teams is that when the Sixers traded Fultz to Orlando, they received a first-round pick that became Tyrese Maxey.
MORE: Which Sixers are most likely to be traded?
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