2018 Orlando Magic Player Outlook: Troy Caupain

The Orlando Magic took a chance on the young Troy Caupain, hoping to translate his strong defensive showing in college into a promising prospect.

Every NBA team brings in players for camp hoping they strike it big and get someone who fell through the cracks. Doing so has been made easier thanks to the advent of the G-League.

Teams often will attach guaranteed money and a promise to include the player with the G-League team, keeping them close for a mid-season call-up. Several teams have kept their second two-way contract spot open as an enticement to keep the best players who may not quite make the main roster.

The Orlando Magic’s roster is full. The team has 14 guaranteed contracts on the roster already. There are several training camp invitees fighting for the last spot. And the Magic may still keep that spot empty anyway. Orlando also used one of its two-way slots.

Among the camp invites, Damjan Rudez, Kalin Lucas, Troy Caupain and Khem Birch, Birch seems like the most likely to win that final spot to add some more versatility in the frontcourt and because of what he gave up to come to the NBA.

Everyone else on that list has some tie to the Magic. Damjan Rudez played for the team last year. Kalin Lucas was one of the best players for the Erie BayHawks last year in the Magic’s system.

Troy Caupain is the newcomer. The rookie guard finished a stellar career with the Cincinnati Bearcats and had a nice run at Summer League with the Toronto Raptors. But he was hardly someone who stood out.

The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 10.5 points per game and 4.4 assists per game last year at Cincinnati. He added 32.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc. He was hardly an efficient player. But in his four-year career, he set several school marks for assists.

He did not show everything he could in Summer League. He struggled with his shot and did not have the greatest time protecting the ball. Caupain was a four-year player who went a bit up and down — his junior year was better than his senior year. But Caupain has the poise of an older player.

The question is how he translates to the NBA. And whether he did enough in college to do so. As a senior, he is closer to his ceiling.

Caupain has good size and fits some of the long, athletic defensive players the Magic seem to be favoring. Caupain accumulated 2.3 defensive win shares and had a 3.6 defensive box plus-minus, according to Sports-Reference. That is where he made his mark in college more than anything else. Wherever Caupain ends up, that is the skill they are signing him for.

Caupain’s frame and weight — he is listed at 210 pounds — gave him a big advantage. He has long arms too, helping him get a surprising amount of blocks for a guard and enabling him to play strong defense. Caupain will get after players and can be a lead guard defensively.

Offensively, Caupain has struggled to put all those tools together.

His shot looks fluid, but he was a 33.8 percent 3-point shooter for his career. He had a down year overall as a senior that included a 68.7 percent free throw percentage. That seems like an aberration for him, but it is not encouraging.

Caupain can get to the basket and has some nice moves to finish at the rim. But he is not a crazy leaper or someone who is going to go up and dunk on someone at his size. He has good fluidity but he is not an elite player in the paint. When defenses stop his initial move is when he might run into a little bit of trouble. He does not have elite speed or athleticism. He just has those physical attributes.

That will keep the NBA interested. Especially if he can grow his abilities as a point guard. But Caupain is a solid playmaker and he can create for others when it is called for.

The reality with Caupain is he may still need some time to develop. Which is saying something for a player who spent four years in college. He is still finding out what he can do best and how to fit into the league. Especially on offense.

Caupain will thrive on the defensive end. He can be a terror there. Piecing together his offense will determine his staying power.

He probably feels more comfortable as a playmaker. But he has the potential to create for himself. He was not afraid to take pull-up 3-pointers or bury shots over defenses that sag off him. It seems as though he has good instincts on when to attack and how to attack.

For the Magic, the question is about fit. The team has three point guards on the roster already — $13 million-plus invested in backup point guards. It seems hard to believe the Magic will carry a fourth point guard on the roster. Caupain is in camp to add another strong defensive presence for practice and maybe audition for a two-way contract (although that seems like a stretch too).

In all likelihood, the Magic are hoping to keep Caupain in their system. He is certainly the kind of player president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman prefers. It seems likely Caupain would spend time with the Lakeland Magic, pairing up possibly with Lucas for a dynamic, if undersized, backcourt.

Caupain could certainly surprise. He struggled with his shot in Summer League, but he clearly has at least one NBA skill in his defense. The offense, as he has shown in his college career, can continue to develop.

Next: 2018 Orlando Magic Player Outlook: Adreian Payne

The Magic are likely hoping they can unearth a good young prospect and keep him in their system for continued development in the next year.