The 2 most valuable Magic players in Banchero’s absence not named Franz Wagner

When Paolo Banchero suffered an injury in the Magic’s loss to the Chicago Bulls, things quickly started to look grim for Orlando. The team went on a tough road trip and lost five straight games. By now, the Magic have found their footing and are back in third place in the Eastern Conference after winning six straight games. 

The team’s engine throughout that turnaround has been Franz Wagner. When Banchero went down, everyone knew that Wagner would have to step up. He is, after all, the team’s second-best player and already signed a max extension. This is his chance to live up to the contract. 

At the moment, it even looks like Wagner may be on his way to the All-Star game in San Francisco. He has been putting up great numbers, averaging 25.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.8 assists over the last ten games. 

Wagner is doing most of the heavy lifting, but he is not the only player helping the Magic survive the absence of two of their starters. 

Goga Bitadze has been key to the Magic’s success

Losing one starter is already a tough blow. Losing two is even worse. Wendell Carter Jr. has not played since the Magic’s loss to the Dallas Mavericks, meaning that Orlando was not only without its starting power forward but also without its starting center. 

Fortunately, Goga Bitadze is no stranger to having to step into the starting lineup. Bitadze is a different player than Carter Jr. and does not space the floor, but has been valuable in his very own way. So far, Bitadze has scored double-digits in all but two games in November. Most recently, he put up 17 points against the Phoenix Suns on 7-8 shooting from the field. 

The big man is also averaging 1.7 blocks and 8.6 rebounds per game in November. He has been giving the Magic consistent defense, inside scoring, and strong rebounding. Bitadze may not be the flashiest player, but he knows how to play his role and does it well. 

His consistency is a big reason the Magic have been able to recover and survive the absence of two starters. 

Anthony Black is thriving in his new role

Going into the season, it was obvious that the Magic desperately needed at least one of Anthony Black, Tristan da Silva, and Jett Howard to play well in a significant role. Black has done just that. He went from being in and out of the rotation depending on who was available as a rookie to being one of the Magic’s key players off the bench. 

Black has grown especially as a playmaker, averaging 4.3 assists over the last ten games. That is second-best on the team behind only Franz Wagner and incredibly important with Banchero out. Banchero is the team’s best playmaker, so someone had to step up in his absence. Black has done that while also averaging 8.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals over the last ten games. 

The youngster’s play has been a success story in its own right, even if Black clearly still has room to grow. He is still struggling with turnovers in some games and not shooting the three well consistently yet, but that will come eventually. At 20 years old, Black is still the youngest player on the Magic’s roster and early in his development. 

Nevertheless, his visible growth has been incredibly valuable for the Magic, and not just when it comes to keeping the team afloat during Banchero’s absence. If Black continues on the same trajectory, he could be one of the Magic’s key players in the future.