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5 questions for the Orlando Magic’s third quarter of the season

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Aaron Gordon and the Orlando Magic have had their struggles this year but still find themselves in a playoff spot. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.
Aaron Gordon and the Orlando Magic have had their struggles this year but still find themselves in a playoff spot. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. /
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Markelle Fultz, Orlando Magic
Markelle Fultz’s promise has Orlando Magic fans hungering for when he can take over the starting job. (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /

How will the Orlando Magic further integrate Markelle Fultz?

The Orlando Magic have an eye on the future then. At least one eye on the future.

While the team is trying to make the playoffs and has that short-term goal as its overarching measure of success, the team also wants to use that as an avenue to continue growing the rest of the team. The Magic’s plan this year was always to use the playoff race as a means to put young players in winning situations

They probably knew they could count on Jonathan Isaac to be a defensive ace. They probably figured they would see more progress from Aaron Gordon and Mohamed Bamba (the results are certainly mixed).

The big wild card, however, was Markelle Fultz. Before the season started, they had no clue what to expect from him. Midway through the season, Fultz might be one of the team’s most important players and the player with the most untapped potential.

Through the first half of the season, Fultz has averaged a fairly modest 11.7 points per game and 4.6 assists per game on 46.2-percent shooting. Those 4.6 assists per game are not even the team lead — D.J. Augustin still holds that mark at 4.7 per game.

In a whole lot of ways, Fultz is still a rookie. He is still learning the league and making mistakes.

But his impact is undeniable too. The Magic were +1.9 points per 100 possessions better than opponents with Fultz on the floor, compared to -3.2 points per 100 possessions with Fultz off the floor. The Magic were only worse with Nikola Vucevic off the floor.

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    • Fans certainly have gotten excited about Fultz’s overall play. It feels like Fultz is firmly ensconced as a key part of this team’s future. And fans are antsy to see Fultz do more and more.

    He averaged only 10.5 field goal attempts per game — more than Jonathan Isaac, actually — and had a 20.9 percent usage rate. The Magic still play a fairly balanced offensive game that gets everyone involved. That is how the Magic should play.

    But the team still runs most of the offense through Evan Fournier and Nikola Vucevic. They are still the Magic’s two best and most consistent offensive options. Vucevic can handle his own as a pick-and-roll player. But Fournier is still better used as a secondary ball-handler. And Fultz is better as the primary attacker.

    Fultz leads the team with 12.4 points created by assists, according to Second Spectrum. He averages 9.5 potential assists per game (behind only Augustin on that mark). Fultz is a gifted passer and playmaker. He can get into the lane when he wants and is smart finishing around the rim or keeping the ball moving.

    He has gone through his growing pains when given the chance. He had a turnover that cost the Orlando Magic the game against the Phoenix Suns. But he quickly learned his lesson and finished the game against the Los Angeles Lakers only five days later.

    The Magic are very clearly still managing him and his growth. They are treating him like a rookie, as they should. So the question is how much they are willing to expand his role and what part of his growth and development that is a part of.

    And, more importantly, whether expanding Fultz’s role and responsibility will help the team win. Some of it may just be their preseason offensive plans did not revolve around Fultz to take advantage of his skills. Some more time and practice — like the extended break they have next week — might be an opportunity to practice Fultz with more responsibility.

    Either way, part of the rest of this season should be spent seeing how much responsibility Fultz can take and slowly expanding his role a bit more. That seemingly is what the numbers suggest. And the Magic may well be a better team with more Fultz.