5 questions the Orlando Magic have to answer to finish the season

Who takes the lead at center?

With the trade of Nikola Vucevic and the waving of Khem Birch, the front office has made it clear that Steve Clifford will have to decide whether to play Mohamed Bamba or Wendell Carter at center.

Clifford has likely gone with Carter to be the starter because he has already had experience as a starter in Chicago. But both these players have played very well since the trade.

In the last nine games (excluding Monday’s Spurs game), Bamba has averaged 12.4 points, 5.4 rebound and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 48-percent from three during that stretch. He has continued to play with more confidence as he continues to play more. With more time, he will be even better at using his size for positioning.

However, Carter has also been playing very well as the starter for the Magic.

In his last nine games, he has averaged, 13.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. Carter has shown to be a more consistent and stable option for the starting center spots as he is also less likely to make positioning mistakes.

But it seems through the eye test that Bamba may have a higher ceiling since he has the potential to be an elite shot-blocker and a good three-point shooter, especially for his position.

There are going to be many discussions surrounding the future center spot for the Magic, and both players are playing very well in the heat of competition. However, these last stretch of games will not be the deciding factor for the spot, but it will help the front office when it comes to having data for decision-making this off-season.