4 Magic players land on ESPN’s The Ringer’s top 100 NBA players list

ESPN’s annual ranking of the NBA’s top 100 players will be released this week. Places 11 to 100 have been announced so far. On Wednesday, The Ringer also released its list of the league’s top 100 players.

The Orlando Magic have four players from each outlet on the roster this year: guards Jalen Suggs and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and forwards Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. That seemingly contradicts ESPN’s BPI metric, which was pretty tough for the up-and-coming Magic heading into this season, despite the results and offseason in the previous months. The wrestler, on the other hand, was always in high demand with the Magic throughout the offseason.

Regardless, here are the Magic players according to each list:

ESPN: 24
The alarm clock: 30

How far the Magic go this season doesn’t depend entirely on the third-year forward, as the supporting cast around him has improved, but it certainly starts with him.

Banchero was selected No. 1 overall by the Magic in 2022 and already has Rookie of the Year honors and an NBA All-Star appearance to his name. Last year, he averaged 22.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists, helping Orlando get back to the playoffs.

The task of repeating or improving on that success is huge heading into this season, but as Orlando’s best player this year, he’s embracing it with open arms.

ESPN: 52
The alarm clock: 56

Entering his fourth season, Wagner has the potential to be a second All-Star runner-up alongside Banchero, and his new contract signed over the summer secures him as a cornerstone of Orlando’s core for years to come.

The 6-10 winger scored 19.7 points per game last year and maintained his overall shooting percentage despite a decline in three-point shooting. He’s a rising two-way star who has all the tools and past evidence to prove that combining his best elements will significantly increase Orlando’s chances of winning.

Together with Banchero and Jalen Suggs, they form the core that will determine the future of the Magic.

ESPN: 95
The alarm clock: 67

Suggs’ third season was his best. He developed into a true two-way player as an offensive point defender in the Magic’s third-ranked defense, shooting 40% from three.

In return, he is the heartbeat of the Magic’s efforts on the court. He finally had a healthy year where he showed his true abilities, scoring 12.6 points on 60.2 TS%. Managing his transition into the point guard role he always wanted will provide a glimpse into what Orlando could really be capable of this season.

Regardless, Orlando’s lead guard is the type of perimeter player all teams strive for. Maybe he’s just scratching the surface.

ESPN: 62
The alarm clock: 86

Caldwell-Pope entered the offseason with money to spend and was the Magic’s mid-range financial hunk who could pay big dividends this year. The combination of the respected full-back with a championship title in the backcourt and Suggs forms one of the best defensive tandems in the league.

He also adds a level of shooting and scoring volume from outside that Orlando’s offense sorely lacks. Caldwell-Pope scored 10.4 points per game and shot 41.5 percent from three over two seasons with Denver, and his title wins with the Nuggets and Lakers – in addition to his decade-plus of experience – are worth whatever amount of money Orlando paid him this summer.

The combination of values ​​he brings to the table on and off the field is what has made him so sought after, and that’s why it’s a big deal that Orlando was able to secure his services.

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