Magic's Defensive Identity Meets a Banged-Up Grizzlies Frontcourt in Memphis

Orlando's defense-first camp work gives it the edge in a preseason opener in Memphis.

ORL @ MEM Oct 8, 2026 at 12:00 AM UTC

The Magic open their preseason at FedExForum with something many teams lack in October: a clear identity. Under coach Sweeney, Orlando has spent camp building a defensive system, and the guards have bought in. Jalen Suggs, Bane, Black, Carter and Richardson have been hounding the ball and fighting over screens, pushing each other in practice. In a preseason game, where offense is often loose and sets are simple, that kind of pressure can create easy transition chances.

Orlando's availability is the main question. Jonathan Isaac (knee), Suggs (illness) and Anthony Black (ankle) are all listed as questionable, and Black is ramping up from an ankle sprain. Black and Penda have returned to practice, which is encouraging. Even if Suggs or Black sits, the depth of the guard group should keep the defensive intensity going, and extra minutes for the others are what a preseason opener is for.

Memphis has its own problems. Isaiah Stewart, Zach Edey and Micah Peavy are all questionable with ankle issues, which could thin out the frontcourt and wing rotation. If Edey and Stewart are limited, the Grizzlies lose size and rim protection against an Orlando group that will be probing for cracks. The Grizzlies also waived guard Jordan Hawkins just three weeks after acquiring him from the Pelicans, so the roster is still being sorted out. That kind of flux can show up in a game like this.

Expect a choppy, rotation-heavy game, but Orlando's defensive structure and guard depth should matter more than Memphis's uncertainty. The Magic grind out a modest win.

Prediction: Magic 112, Grizzlies 106.

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