Injuries plagued the Orlando Magic last season, with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner missing 36 and 22 games, respectively. The Magic struggled in the absence of their two best players and fell below .500 to 24-25 at the end of January 2025.

Both have missed time again this year, as Banchero has already sat out 10 games while Wagner has been sidelined for 21. This time around though, Orlando is buoyant at 25-22 and only 2.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors for the fourth seed in the East.

The difference? Desmond Bane.

The Magic acquired the 27-year-old guard last offseason for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, and a massive haul of draft picks for exactly this reason. Orlando yearned for stability and this is exactly what they got when they brought in one of the most consistent players in the league today.

Bane’s averages are far from flashy–19.3 points, 1.9 three-pointers, three rebounds, and 4.4 assists–but what stands out the most from his season statistics is that he has played in each and every game that the Magic have had so far. This is particularly valuable given that Banchero and Wagner are frequently sidelined.

Whenever Orlando needs him, Bane is there and he does not shy away from the spotlight. The best performances of Bane this season have indeed come when either of their stars are out of commission. He has six 30-point games this season, all of which have come with either Banchero or Wagner sitting out.

The Magic’s latest game–a 130-120 win over the Raptors–was the perfect example of this. With Wagner sidelined for the fifth consecutive game and 21st time out of their last 23 contests, Bane took charge. They turned what was a 13-point deficit heading into the final period into a 10-point win. Bane hit all six of his field goal attempts in the fourth quarter to score 16 of his team-high 32 points.

Bane has had his fair share of playoff experience from his first five years in the league with the Memphis Grizzlies and it has helped him take on the cudgels of leadership for this up and coming Orlando team.

If fully healthy–and that is a major if–they have what it takes to be a dark horse contender in the East. Bane gives the Magic the type of solid third option that is critical to any team that has hopes of making it far in the postseason.

Orlando’s ceiling will always be tied to the health of Banchero and Wagner, but its floor no longer is. With Bane, the Magic have found the type of dependability that all teams crave. Given the wide open race in the East, this steadiness may ultimately prove to be the difference between simply surviving and truly contending.