When the Orlando Magic appointed Jamahl Mosley as the team’s new head coach, the enormity of the job ahead of him was clear.
The team is only just starting to embark on its rebuild, and at present does not have a clearly identifiable star that can be built around moving forward.
It could be Jalen Suggs, if the early signs are anything to go by. Or Jonathan Isaac could return to reach his defensive potential while expanding his offensive toolkit. Perhaps both could happen, or someone like Markelle Fultz or Chuma Okeke could take a leap.
There are plenty of possibilities ahead. But with such a young roster, Mosley’s job will primarily be about developing the players to be in a position to win in the future, rather than now. But establishing the right culture and a winning mentality will be important too.
The Orlando Magic have a new young roster and a new coach who could experiment with all the pieces the Magic have. We review some lineups we would like to see.
It will also be vital for Mosley and the team to use next season to find out who can be the key focus of this rebuild moving forward. It is imperative that Mosley experiments next season, both with his starting lineups and his in-game adjustments, and every player should be given the opportunity to impress.
He should use this period of uncertainty and players getting back healthy to test out different lineups to discover what works and perhaps more importantly, what doesn’t.
With that in mind, here are four lineups Mosley should absolutely experiment with next season…
PG: Fultz, SG: Suggs, SF: Okeke, PF: Isaac, C: Carter Jr
There will no doubt be some disagreement among Orlando Magic fans when it comes to what the strongest team is next season. But at present, given what we know about the players, this starting lineup gives the Magic the best chance of winning games.
Despite having seen very little of Jalen Suggs in a Magic uniform, he has shown enough in college and at Summer League to suggest he is the best option alongside Markelle Fultz at the guard spots. Gary Harris, while the best defensive option at the position, has taken a serious step back on offense since his career-best 2018 season with the Denver Nuggets.
This lineup sees Mosley go with the best players at his disposal. It does not fit together all that well, with a noticeable lack of shooting and offensive creation despite its positives on the defensive end, particularly in the frontcourt. But it would not be at all surpising if we see Mosley go with this lineup as the default starting five next year, given Fultz and Isaac are healthy enough to start.
Alongside its obvious defensive benefits, having two guards who can share ball-handling responsibilities could work to the advantage of the team while allowing the individuals included to work on the weaker areas of the game in a lineup with more reliability than others Mosley could name.
PG: Fultz, SG: Suggs, SF: Okeke, PF: F. Wagner, C: Bamba
If Jamahl Mosley wants to play with more space and shooting, this lineup would make a lot of sense.
It is not exactly dependable when it comes to shooting the basketball, but there is a ton of potential for this lineup to get to that point. Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner hinted they could both become reliable from beyond the arc with their college performances despite posting average percentages.
And while Chuma Okeke had his ups and downs last season when it came to shooting the ball (ending at 34.8-percent for the season), he has all the tools to become a 40-percent shooter from three-point range. Throwing in a center like Mohamed Bamba that, while not yet knocking shots down consistently, has to be respected at the arc or he can make teams pay, creates a lot of space.
That is where Markelle Fultz comes in. There is a big argument Cole Anthony could be the point guard in this lineup given that he has higher upside as a shooter than his teammate. But using Fultz’s driving and finishing ability, as well as his playmaking skills to kick out to open shooters, makes this a lineup heavily geared towards his strengths.
It would be a brave choice for Mosley to go with this from the start, but it would be great to see him at least go with it mid-game for a lengthy period to see how well it works.
PG: Suggs, SG: Hampton, SF: Ross PF: F. Wagner, C: Bamba
While Markelle Fultz has demonstrated enough to suggest he should be the team’s primary point guard and ball-handler next year, the Orlando Magic must see what Jalen Suggs can do in that role too. Handing him this responsibility in-game would allow him to develop at a steady pace and at a time when the opposition is weaker.
Giving him more freedom to create will be of enormous benefit to his development, in the hope that one day he can do this at an All-Star level. And doing it when Markelle Fultz or Cole Anthony is not on the court would also maximize the responsibility placed on him, given both need the ball to be truly effective.
Pairing him with R.J. Hampton also makes for an intriguing backcourt of incredible speed and athleticism. Hampton was used largely off-ball last year. Coach Steve Clifford was trying to ease him into new responsibilities with a new team. He showed he does not need the ball in his hands to be effective. He can also play some defense and shoot the ball a bit too.
This lineup also means Jalen Suggs does not have sole responsibility to score, given accomplished sixth man Terrence Ross would also be on the court at the same time. That also provides him with a skilled offensive player to create for.
Ultimately, factoring in playing time for Suggs as the point guard is a must for Mosely next season, whatever the lineup around him might be.
PG: Anthony, SG: Fultz, SF: Okeke, PF: Isaac, C: Carter Jr
Jalen Suggs’ arrival has created huge optimism among Orlando Magic fans that he can be the man to take the team toward NBA title contention for the first time since the Dwight Howard years.
But while Jalen Suggs has to be given all the opportunity to reach his high ceiling, it is also important that, despite the high number of guards on the roster, Cole Anthony is given the time he needs to keep developing his game.
The 21-year-old had an up and down rookie year that was heavily disrupted by a rib fracture which kept him out for around two months. But following his return, there were signs of improvement. He started to finish far better at the rim which helped contribute to some big scoring displays towards the end of the season.
Cole Anthony has to be given the chance to show what he can do when starting, either alongside Markelle Fultz or Jalen Suggs. Given Fultz has more experience and Suggs will need time to adjust given he is coming into his first year as an NBA player, the latter might make more sense as a starting guard pairing with Anthony.
This lineup would make the most sense in Suggs’ early days as an NBA player when he is still adjusting to the league and could benefit from more time off the bench, as opposed to being thrust into the starting lineup straight away.
If Anthony can grow as a shooter and playmaker, he can become a very good NBA player in the future. The excitement around Suggs must not hinder the development of his team-mate, who can still go on to become a big talent if given the chance