Copyright Yardbarker
Tuesday marks the start of the 2025-26 NBA season, leading several analysts and talk show hosts to give their bold predictions for the upcoming season. That includes Fox Sports' Colin Cowherd, who revealed his five hot takes for the NBA season, and one of those was incredibly hot. Magic(al) run? Cowherd predicted that the Orlando Magic would be the Eastern Conference representative in the NBA Finals in June. "Orlando Magic, NBA Finals," Cowherd said on Tuesday's edition of "The Herd." "Won't be the Knicks, won't be the Bucks, won't be the 76ers and will not be the Cavs, don't trust them. ... You have a bunch of dudes entering their prime and the East is weak and I like Orlando a lot." Magic have a core group Orlando has a core of players that will include Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs and more. The offseason acquisition of Desmond Bane to improve three-point shooting will also be extremely impactful for the Magic. Cowherd is correct in discussing the Eastern Conference being wide open. There will be no Tyrese Haliburton, Jayson Tatum and who knows what the health of Joel Embiid and others will be throughout the season. Orlando has not appeared in the NBA Finals since the 2008-09 season. In a year with several question marks surrounding the East, this may be its best chance to return.
