The 1997–98 NBA season was the ninth season for the Orlando Magic in the National Basketball Association. The Magic hired Chuck Daly as head coach, who won two championships coaching the Detroit Pistons. Offseason acquisitions included All-Star guard Mark Price from the Golden State Warriors, Derek Harper from the Dallas Mavericks and free agent Bo Outlaw. Under Daly, the Magic would get off to a solid 16–7 start. However, they struggled losing nine of their next ten games, as Anfernee Hardaway played just 19 games due to a knee injury, and Darrell Armstrong was out for the rest of the season with a torn right rotator cuff in his shoulder after 48 games. At midseason, Rony Seikaly was traded to the New Jersey Nets as the Magic finished fifth in the Atlantic Division with a record of 41–41, missing the playoffs for the first time since the 1992–93 season.

Hardaway was selected for the 1998 NBA All-Star Game, which would be his final All-Star appearance. Following the season, Price retired after playing 12 years in the NBA, and Harper signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Lakers.

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