This is the brightest future the Orlando Magic have had in a long, long time. It’s really as simple as that.

But the future may be now. In their last 10 games, the Magic are 7-3, including a win over the Los Angeles Clippers and two wins over the Boston Celtics. Their record in their last 10 is better than that of the Celtics, Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Pelicans, and Phoenix Suns.

And, well, why is the future now? Despite this team’s sheer youth, they have some incredible talent that could make them a contender within the upcoming seasons.

This entire column could be devoted to the Rookie of the Year favorite, Paolo Banchero. Although it seems unlikely, there is a chance that he cracks the All-Star Team as a rookie, which would be the first time a player has done this since Blake Griffin in 2011.

Banchero’s offensive repertoire as a young 20 year old is just outstanding. He’s very fundamental and has a natural feel in the mid-post to be both a scorer and facilitator, averaging 21.9 points and 4.0 assists per game. His 55 TS% is subpar, but he’s a rookie; most rookies find themselves shooting below league average. Especially when additionally considering Banchero’s offensive load as just a rookie, it’s fine that he’s shooting at this efficiency.

If Banchero is Batman, Franz Wagner is Robin. He’s a really good Robin. There’s the argument that he’s Batman, truthfully. Wagner surprised many last year when he showcased an incredible feel as a ball-handler with an ability to create for himself and teammates. It’s a skill that he never really showcased at Michigan, as he sometimes even looked afraid to dribble as a Wolverine. It’s part of the reason that I was lower on Wagner coming into the league and why I was so wrong about him.

At just 21, he’s averaging 19.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists on 58.4 TS%. His improved finishing this season has started to unlock himself even more as an on-ball threat. Just as he was coming out of college, he is a high IQ defender. His overall feel and IQ for the game is in the 99th percentile of NBA players right now. It’s that good.

The duo of Banchero and Wagner could find itself winning an NBA title one day in Orlando. This combination of oversized, offensive-initiating forwards who can create for both themselves and others, is scary. It’s really hard for defenses to have to contain both, and they’re only 20 and 21, respectively. With these two, Orlando has its clear-cut star duo that can bring a title to the city. They’re the best duo 21 and under in the league by a mile.

**While this is the duo that stands out, they aren’t alone for this team that is loaded with young talent. **

Wendell Carter Jr. is currently injured, but the former Bull broke out last season and continued to perform well this season (until injury forced him out of the lineup). In 15 games this season, he quietly averaged 16.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game with a 62.4 TS%. He’s, also quietly, one of the league’s best rollers with his combination of finishing and playmaking -- along with a budding jumpshot that defenses have to start respecting. All this is without mentioning his defensive impact, where opponents shoot 5.5% worse at the rim when contested by Wendell.

Jalen Suggs has also been hurt for the majority of the season, only appearing in 14 games. He still isn’t the most efficient, impactful player offensively, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t shown flashes. His 29.4 3PT% is bad, but on pull-ups, he’s shooting 41.9%. He averaged 5.4 assists per game, flashing the playmaking that made him so intriguing out of Gonzaga. Also what was so impressive from college was his defense, which looked quite good this season too.

Once injured, like these two, but now healthy is Markelle Fultz. After playing 8 and 18 games in the last two seasons, Fultz made his return at the end of November and has been quite good in his 12 appearances. He’s still only 24, averaging 11.6 points and 4.9 assists (although it’s on a not super efficient 51.8 TS%). He looks super comfortable on his mid-range jump shots, converting those at a 43% clip on 70 shots so far this season.

And I left the best for (nearly) last: Bol Bol. Depending on your view of how Most Improved Player should be voted on, Bol may be your MIP favorite. At 7’2”, Bol can shoot, playmake, dribble, finish, and play defense, making him the ultimate fan favorite. He’s legitimately a solid piece for this Magic team at only 23 years old, averaging 12.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting at a 65.5 TS%.

As a reminder, everybody mentioned above is 20, 21, 23, 21, 24, and 23. That’s without mentioning 22-year-old Cole Anthony (averaging 12.9 points and 4.1 assists on poor efficiency), 24-year-old Chuma Okeke (who just underwent surgery and will miss a few weeks), 24-year-old Mo Bamba (who is on the trade block, it appears. This is understandable given the emergence of Bol), 20-year-old Caleb Houstan (who got more playing time at the beginning of the season), 21-year-old RJ Hampton (who has seen his minutes decrease with the sheer quantity of guards on this roster).

Now, the ages of the players mentioned in this column are as followed: 20, 21, 23, 21, 24, 23, 22, 24, 24, 20, and 21. And this depth and talent is why the Magic will be contenders with this current core of players. Surely some players will be added to the mix in the future, but they have what it takes to become elite.

Charlie Spungin , NBA Analyst

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