Magic Hit the Panic Button With a Wild New Starting Lineup Against the Knicks

The Orlando Magic are hitting the panic button just two games into the season, rolling out a starting five on Sunday that looks like a fantasy basketball roster drafted entirely on auto-pick.

According to Underdog NBA, Orlando is shaking things up in a major way against the New York Knicks. The Magic will officially start Josh Richardson, Jalen Suggs, Desmond Bane, Franz Wagner, and Wendell Carter Jr. at Madison Square Garden.

"Lineup alert: Magic will start Richardson, Suggs, Bane, Wagner, Carter Jr. on Sunday. (Underdog NBA)"

Desperation is a hell of a motivator in professional sports. Orlando is sitting at an ugly 0-2 after getting completely run off the floor in their first two matchups. They gave up 132 points in a shootout loss to the Atlanta Hawks and followed it up by getting blown out 115-93 by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Injecting Richardson and Bane into the starting unit is a clear cry for two-way stability. Suggs is coming off a quiet six-point, five-assist performance against Atlanta, and the backcourt defense has been more of a suggestion than a reality so far this year.

For anyone staring at the betting board, this rotation shuffle turns Orlando player props into a total guessing game. Usage rates are about to get weird, especially with Bane stepping into a primary scoring role alongside Wagner and Carter Jr. while the new guards figure out how to share the ball.

We will find out quickly if this new five-man group can actually space the floor or if it is just rearranging deck chairs on a sinking ship. If the Magic drop to 0-3 in New York, the front office might need to start making some real phone calls.