Jerian Grant must step up for Orlando Magic with Isaiah Briscoe out

Isaiah Briscoe is out for an indefinite time with a torn meniscus. That pushes Jerian Grant back into the rotation where his performance will matter most.

The Orlando Magic have had a strong run of luck when it comes to injuries this season.

As much as last year was characterized by its constant shuffling of the lineups and dealings with injuries, this year has seen key Magic players miss virtually no time. Jonathan Isaac dealt with a sprained ankle and missed six games in November with a sprained ankle is about the longest injury the Magic dealt with.

That was before Mohamed Bamba‘s injury that has kept him out. He is reportedly out of his boot now.

But the Magic’s health has always been precarious. They do not have a ton of depth — as evidenced by their struggling bench. And an injury to the wrong player could topple the whole enterprise for this season.

Orlando will be scrambling to end the season to find an answer at point guard now as Isaiah Briscoe will be out indefinitely with a torn meniscus. The Magic announced Isaiah Briscoe will undergo surgery Wednesday after the team and Briscoe discussed his options. His prognosis for a return will be dependent on how he recovers and responds to treatment.

The unfortunate reality for the young point guard is it is the point of the season where an injury like this requiring surgery could mean the season is over.

Return from a torn meniscus and arthroscopic surgery can vary. It is unclear when Briscoe might be able to return. But with just four weeks left in the regular season, it would take an unusually quick return for Briscoe to be back and make a difference.

Briscoe had a solid rookie year after the Magic signed him off their Summer League mini-camp. After struggling early in the season to catch up to the NBA game, he played exceptionally well after entering the rotation.

A tale of two guards

If this is it for Briscoe, he averaged 3.5 points per game and 2.2 assists per game while shooting 39.9 percent from the floor. Since entering the rotation on Jan. 7, Briscoe averaged 4.6 points per game and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 39.4 percent from the floor.

More importantly, Briscoe’s addition to the lineup changed the outlook for the Magic’s second unit. Since Jan. 7, the Magic had a +4.8 net rating with Briscoe on the floor. In fact, the top three rotation players in on-court net rating were off the bench. To that point, the Magic’s bench struggled to be a net positive.

Briscoe did not cause that on his own. But he was a big plus.

He changed the game with his defensive energy and his willing to mix things up. Coach Steve Clifford would point to his increased pace — the Magic had a 100.7 pace with Briscoe on the floor since Jan. 7 — as a big reason for the boost in performance. He probably means the team had a better rhythm.

These were all things Jerian Grant was struggling to provide.

It was no secret Jerian Grant was having a rough season. He is averaging 4.2 points per game and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 41.4 percent from the floor. Quietly, he has shot the ball better from the outside at 35.7 percent from beyond the arc.

But that was all not enough.

The Magic simply were not playing well with him as the point guard. Until Jan. 7, the Magic had a -10.9 net rating with Grant on the floor. It was the second-worst mark on the team. The Magic managed a lowly 96.5 offensive rating with Grant on the floor.

And even though the Magic played at a faster pace — 101.3 — the team certainly did not have the same level of play, rhythm or offensive organization. A change to the backup point guard was long overdue.

With Briscoe out, Orlando is again turning to Grant to manage the backup point guard spot. The Magic have little choice but for him to step up.

Encouraging returns

The early returns are at least encouraging.

Briscoe began complaining of the issue against the Golden State Warriors and it progressively got worse. Grant officially re-entered the rotation Friday against the Dallas Mavericks. But he took Briscoe’s spot after suffering a concussion against the Toronto Raptors on Feb. 24.

In the five games played since then, Grant is averaging 6.0 points per game, dishing out 2.8 assists per game and shooting 58.8 percent from the floor. He is making 66.7 percent from beyond the arc.

Since then, the Magic have a team-best +16.7 net rating with Grant on the floor, including a much healthier 117.8 offensive rating.

Orlando seems to have a lot more stability with him on the floor. At least, the early returns suggest Grant has earned a continued look at the backup point guard spot.

The credit should go to Grant. He stayed professional and continued developing and working on his game even though he was not playing. When the Magic have needed him to step up he has played significantly better.

An important opportunity

With Briscoe out now, Grant will have a firmer grasp on this opportunity. Clifford has made it clear the team will turn to him in this position now. The role is his to maintain.

So far he has clearly stepped up for the Magic. If Orlando has any issues with its bench, it is hard to pinpoint them on Grant. The team’s defense remains solid and its offense has continued to hum along.

Orlando Magic

Some of that credit goes to Clifford for finding a better balance with his rotation. Often Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier (at least one of the two) share the floor with Terrence Ross in those second-unit lineups with Wesley Iwundu, Khem Birch and, now, Jerian Grant.

Giving those players a little more firepower and consistency certainly helps a player like Grant out too. He does not have the creation burden on him as much as Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier take up a lot more time on the ball and Terrence Ross becomes a focus to get shots off screens and cuts.

The Magic do not have a ton of options otherwise.

Troy Caupain is on the roster now on his two-way contract with the Lakeland Magic. He has been stellar for the Playoff-bound G-League team but has gotten little time in the NBA — five points and three assists in nine minutes. It would be hard to throw him into the game without establishing a stronger relationship with the coaching staff and his teammates.

With the Magic having added practice time during this stretch, it might be beneficial to get Troy Caupain some playing time with this group. Just in case.

But Grant will and should hold the backup role for the moment. He has stepped up successfully into that role so far, shedding his early season struggles that caused him to lose the spot.

Whether that will last is a big question for the Magic. With the pressure to make the Playoffs, the Magic will need Grant to continue playing this way and continue to step up with Briscoe out of the lineup.