Orlando Magic confront salary‑cap crunch and new coach ahead of next‑season deadline

The Orlando Magic are on a one‑year clock to reshape their roster because their projected payroll for the 2028 season will sit just $39 million under the NBA’s second‑apron limit, while four of their highest‑paid players — Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane and Jalen Suggs — are each on contracts that will exceed $40 million (Suggs near $30 million). With limited cap space, the team is expected to trade at least one of those core players before the summer deadline to avoid a second‑apron breach.

After a playoff push that ended with a 3‑1 series lead loss to the Detroit Pistons, the Magic fired head coach Jamahl Mosley and hired Spurs assistant Sean Sweeney as the new head coach. Sweeney, known for improving defensive performance in San Antonio, inherits a squad whose defensive efficiency dropped from second in the league to 13th last season. The organization hopes his arrival, combined with retaining the five highest‑paid players, will restore competitiveness.