Blocks: Mohamed Bamba
Jonathan Isaac led the team in blocks last season with 2.3 per game. But with the forward set to miss the entire season with a torn ACL, it opens the door for Mohamed Bamba to lead the team in blocks.
Mohamed Bamba looks unlikely to start the season, with Steve Clifford stating that he is “going to be a while”. Bamba, for his effort, says he is working as hard as he can to return.
The young center was diagnosed with COVID-19 back in June and there seems to still be some issues there, having been sent home from the Orlando Bubble early because of conditioning issues.
The 22-year-old did, however, clarify that he is not a “COVID long -hauler” and that he has not felt any symptoms since the summer. This is an important year for Bamba and he needs time on the court to continue his development but for the time being, at least, we will not see him competing.
A big part of why the Magic decided to take him sixth back in 2018 was because of his shot-blocking ability. His enormous 7-foot-9 wingspan makes him a constant blocking threat and he has shown that during his time on the court. The big question is how much he will play this coming season.
So far in his career, he has not been given enough time on the court to develop, while fitness and injury problems have also taken their toll. But even if he only manages the number of minutes he did last season, 14.2, he should still lead this team in blocks.