Rookie of the Year award winner Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner could be one of the league’s top forward combinations for years to come. Wendell Carter Jrr. has a stranglehold on the starting center job.
The mystery for the Magic is how their backcourt will shake out. They’re loaded with high draft picks at the guard positions and coach Jamahl Mosley will have some tough decisions regarding his rotation, particularly at the point.
Markelle Fultz is the favorite to be the starter at the point. He appeared in 60 regular season games last season and started them all, averaging 14.0 points and 5.7 assists per night.
Cole Anthony saw extensive playing time, mostly off the bench. He averaged 13.0 points and 3.9 assists in 60 games during his third NBA season.
The Magic invested the sixth pick in a loaded draft on Arkansas’ Anthony Black. The one-and-done college player averaged 12.8 points and 3.9 assists — along with 2.1 steals — for the Razorbacks last season. It stands to reason that Black will get some immediate playing time, given his draft status.
Then there’s Jalen Suggs, the No. 5 pick of the 2021 draft. Suggs had a stellar college career at Gonzaga but his first two NBA seasons haven’t been memorable. He’s been nagged by injuries, though he still started 19 of the 53 games he played last season. Suggs averaged 9.9 PPG and 2.9 APG and will be entering a pivotal season in his NBA career. He’ll come to training camp with plenty to prove and perhaps a chip on his shoulder.
Orlando also invested a lottery pick this summer on Jett Howard. He played one season at Michigan for his father, Juwan Howard, and ran the point for the Wolverines. He averaged 14.2 points in his lone college campaign.
Gary Harris remains the likely starter at shooting guard but it’s not a given. Harris has been a steady, if unspectacular, performer during his NBA career. He started 42 of 48 games last season but only averaged 8.3 points.
Another Michigan product, Caleb Houstan, could be a bigger factor in his second NBA season. Houstan was a high second-round pick in 2022 and made 51 appearances off the bench.
Veteran Joe Ingles, a free agent acquisition, is likely to back up at the forward spots but he could play some minutes at the off-guard spot.
A couple of natural point guards could share the court, but it’s quite a puzzle for Mosley.
That brings us to our topic of the day: How do you think the Magic’s backcourt will shake out? Who will start and who will be the main reserves?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.
I would trade cole anthony & Markelle fultz. You still have point guards. Banchero and Wagner can handle the ball to.
Fultz is going to start for them at PG, no question. That young, disorganized squad became a play-in team with Fultz running the point, they had a .500 record in his starts. Cole Anthony’s ceiling is as a 6th man.
Black is talented, really talented, but he won’t get the nod right away. My bet is that the Magic give him reps off the bench leading the second unit with Cole Anthony playing more like a traditional 2-guard. Kind of like how the Pacers handled Mathurin last season.
Suggs should start at the 2 imo, Harris looks done as a starter. Still a decent player, but more like Terrance Ross than a full-time guy. Suggs started to put things together when he got more reps and better health. From the end of the January on, he averaged about 11 ppg and shot 38% from 3, with his typical strong defense. He’s a good 3&D option for the Magic going forward.
Honestly I’d go matchup dependent at SG with Fultz as full time PG starter.
Suggs or Harris when they need more defense. Anthony when they go small ball or need more offense.
They played with a lineup that featured Franz Wagner at SG with Banchero playing SF as a result of all the time Harris missed last season. I’d go with Fultz, F. Wagner, Banchero, M. Wagner and Carter to start the season then if Black, Howard or Anthony can earn starter minutes I’d move Moritz Warner to the bench.
I like Shultz. He’s a solid 2way guy. He’s got size. And he’s still got upside imo. I definitely start him. Then I’d be looking at Suggs to take over. To one day win over the staring position. Anthony I would play and look to love him. But I don’t think they have to rush. By TD they should now more. And can get value for Anthony.
This is the yr the Magic show real progress. Plenty of talent on this team.
love = move …. wow my bad
Start Fultz and Suggs. Anthony and Harris audition as trade bait for teams at deadline then let the young guys fight for minutes. This team’s ceiling for this year is play-in. Ingles is gone at deadline too as long as he still has some game left.
Bring Black and Howard along slowly at first, though I believe Black is starting at the two before the All-Star break.
This team has time and shouldn’t rush. Banchero will be All-World by his fifth year.
Any way it goes, I suspect a mid season trade will reduce the number of point guards.
Difficult one here. Trade Fultz, and the Wagner Bros to OKC for Jalen Williams, Bertans, Joe and Victor O. Trade Carter Jr, Suggs and Anthony and a 1st for Kessler and Ochai Agbaji. If not trade for Wiseman. Develop Black at PG (tell him to get a haircut). Start PG. Black SG. Agbaji SF. Williams PF. Paolo C. Kessler. Waive Victor and Bertans. Let Issac sit then release him when they can. Sign veterans, tank one year then everything is good
Wagner Bros and Okeke to OKC. Fulks, Carter Jr, Suggs and Anthony to Utah. Utah trades Kessler, Agbaji and George to Orlando. OKC trades Jalen Williams, Bertans, Joe, K Williams and Victor O to Orlando. Helps OKC cut roster down after waiving Okeke, gives Utah a real PG with potential in Fulks and role players off the bench. Gives Orlando young talent. Orlando can then waive Bertans, Victor O and K Williams. Keep everyone on the Orlando bench then sign Terrance Ross Ish Smith and T Gibson for veteran help. Waive Isaac when they can, tank and compete never year*
Trey Mann and 1st to Orlando from OKC*
Fulks to Utah and George to Orlando. Okeke to OKC*
Wolves need a PG and Orlando has an abundance. Not sure what a trade between them would like. Maybe Kyle Anderson or Naz Reid heading to the Magic.
Which PG goes back, though? Cole Anthony would just be an inferior D-Lo, and Fultz doesn’t have much of a jumper still. I guess Cole Anthony could work if you play him more as a sixth man.
Then sign Terrance Ross, Ish Smith and T Gibson for veteran help.
I would not count on a trade deadline backcourt transaction unless the season is not going well.
The Magic FO are patient (some would argue to a flaw), and it’s clear they want to see how the backcourt looks like in post-season action before they commit to long term $ for Fultz and Cole Anthony in the offseason.
Weltman has already stated that this season’s priority is to play clean low mistake basketball with W’s as the goal every night. Everyone is talking about the Play-In as the bare minimum for what they’d consider a successful season.
Shortly after the draft he stated that the rookies will not be gifted developmental minutes and that they along with everyone on the roster will have to earn their role regardless of where they were drafted or how much they’re being paid.
Now wether that’s just “please buy season tix” BS or real accountability…we’ll have to wait and see.
This will be the most likely rotation through the first half of the season if everyone’s healthy:
[Starters]
Markelle Fultz
Jalen Suggs
Franz Wagner
Paulo Banchero
Wendell Carter Jr
[Rotation]
Cole Anthony
Gary Harris
Joe Ingles
Jonathan Isaac
Moritz Wagner
[Fringe]
Anthony Black
Jett Howard
Caleb Houston
Chuma Okeke
Goga Bitadze
[Two-Way]
Kevon Harris
Admiral Schoefiled
Early on, it will not be surprising if Jett Howard and Anthony Black get substantial time with Orlando’s G-League team, which is only 20 minutes away in Kissimmee.
They’ll have to beat out rotation tier vets + face tough competition from hungry fringe-rotation young vets fighting for their NBA lives. They’ll have to really turn heads in training camp to scrape any rotation minutes.
IMO Jett Howard has the most chance of finding some limited minutes due to the Magic’s desperate need of shooting. If his shot translates and he’s not a disaster on defense or a turnover machine – I could see him carving out a small role early on.