After a wildly successful draft, the Orlando Magic are in a unique position most teams would love to be in. They have almost too many young prospects. Luckily for the Magic, they have time to experiment and assess who works and who doesn’t.
One can expect that once Jonathan Isaac and Markelle Fultz return from injury, they will most likely have a spot in the starting lineup. But the remaining slots are still up in the air.
The Magic fell far from their previous identity as a stellar defensive team. Just two years ago, the Magic were boasting a top 10 defense and a suitable offense. Under Steve Clifford and the consistent production from Nikola Vucevic, the Magic thrived toward the latter half of the 2020 season.
But now that the Magic have fully accepted the youth movement and have committed to the rebuild. The team looks a lot different. Especially with the hiring of Jamahl Mosley, the identity of the team is sure to change.
The Orlando Magic are starting their rebuild with a roster full of intriguing young players and a ton of questions about the rotation. Carving a starting lineup will be difficult.
There is not one specific area the team needs to address. Overall the team was way off the mark and finished 29th and 26th in offensive and defensive rating respectively last season. Their net rating was not much better at -9.4 which put them at 29th.
This is how a team ends up with the best odds to win the Lottery and one of the worst records in the league.
There is no telling if this season will statistically be better. That will naturally come with having young inexperienced players on your team. To put the inexperience of the team into perspective, Isaac has only played 136 games in his now four-year career, Fultz has only played 113 in four years and Mohamed Bamba has only played 155 in three.
There will be ups and downs but that is expected.
But one question that looms ahead of the start of the regular season is who suits up in the starting lineup.
The Magic still have players like Terrence Ross and Gary Harris alongside all their young prospects. How does the coaching staff balance minutes? The Magic should not be tanking games just for another lottery trip, they should be aiming high, and rightfully so.
What about the center position? The Magic currently have Wendell Carter Jr., Moritz Wagner, Mohamed Bamba and Robin Lopez under contract.
Who starts? Who gets minutes? And perhaps the most intriguing question is what do the Magic do with Bamba? It is not that far off to expect a Bamba trade in the future. Perhaps it is just a matter of when…
Let’s not forget the team also have a slew of guards they will need to work through. Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs, Markelle Fultz, R.J. Hampton and Michael Carter-Williams are all vying for the same backcourt spots so it will be an interesting year to see who starts, closes or even who will not be on the team moving forward.
The Magic also have a gaping hole at the forward position. After letting Dwayne Bacon and James Ennis walk in free agent, the team does not have a traditional, reliable 3-and-D wing.
Isaac is most needed at the 4, Chuma Okeke has only shown flashes and both Terrence Ross and Gary Harris are undersized for the position.
The hope is Franz Wagner can be the big playmaking wing who can spread the floor and facilitate to complete the lineup. Wagner will grow into his role but he isn’t quite ready for it.
Taking in all the questions, goals and conflicts into consideration, here are three potential starting lineups for the 2022 NBA season.
Potential Orlando Magic starting lineups
The Ideal Lineup
Markelle Fultz, Jalen Suggs, Terrence Ross, Jonathan Isaac, Wendell Carter
The chances you see this lineup at the season opener is very low. There is no official timetable on Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac’s return. But one can expect to see this lineup sometime this season.
In theory, it is pretty devastating. Both Markelle Fultz and Jalen Suggs are reliable, versatile and active defenders. They are capable of locking down guards even if the matchup proves unfavorable.
Fultz is still working on his shooting. But after last year, he showed semi-reliable mechanics and the willingness to let it fly from deep.
While his summer league stint was short, Suggs showed the offensive creativity that made him such a desirable two-way guard in the draft. While he did shoot an underwhelming 41.5-percent from the field and only made five of his 14 3-point attempts, he showed enough.
Let’s not forget about his athletic blocks. I do not know about you but they got me out of my seat.
Suggs probably has the most shooting potential of the bunch and would be the best pairing alongside Fultz.
Until the Magic are able to find a reliable 3-and-D wing who fits the framework of the roster, Terrence Ross will have to do.
Most known for his ability to unleash a barrage of threes, Ross is susceptible to poor decision-making and is mostly a negative on the defensive end. In theory, the rest of the lineup will be able to cover up for Ross’ defensive setbacks while Ross can supply the necessary scoring. It seems as though Ross is better suited to come off the bench for spark plug scoring.
There is really no question at the 4.
Barring any setbacks, Isaac will and should start. Even though Chuma Okeke had an excellent rookie year, he is not as versatile on the court. Sure. We have not seen Isaac play in almost two years, but the potential is undeniable. He will provide instant defensive pressure both on the wing and in the paint.
I like Wendell Carter at the starting 5. He is more reliable and consistent than Mohamed Bamba and while shooting is not his strong suit, Wendell Carter has the tools to be an impact player.
Even with the signing of Robin Lopez and Moritz Wagner, Wendell Carter provides more defensively than both. He also led the team last year in offensive boards. This unlocks more opportunities for the rest of the squad.
And on Suggs’ surprising ability to grab rebounds, the Magic may be in a good spot to capitalize off of second-chance points.
Potential Orlando Magic starting lineups
Three-Guard Lineup
Markelle Fultz, Jalen Suggs, Cole Anthony, Jonathan Isaac, Wendell Carter
There is no question Jamahl Mosley will look to tinker with three-guard lineups this season. It is just a matter of who the third guard is.
Going down the list: Michael Carter-Williams will most likely come off the bench unless his massive gains have somehow empowered him to become the ultimate combo guard he was destined to become. That leaves Cole Anthony and R.J. Hampton.
Perhaps it would be better to compare the two as black and white as possible.
Anthony is smaller, worse at defense but is a better shooter and passer. Hampton is bigger, better at defense but is a worse shooter and is getting better at passing.
One thing they share in common however is they are both young and unproven. Patience and time are the name of the game for these two and the Magic certainly can spare both this season.
While both bring something different to the table, I would lean toward Anthony getting the nod. This may change if Hampton wows and shows immense growth and improvement, especially as a shooter.
Similar to the “original” three-guard lineup that consisted of Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dennis Schroder with the Oklahoma City Thunder, all three guards need to be able to play make and shoot to a certain extent. Anthony is a better playmaker especially in the half-court and is a better shooter thus making this lineup more potent than with Hampton.
It is my guess this lineup would be more situational rather than a consistent go-to lineup. But it would not hurt to run Fultz, Suggs and Anthony or Hampton together.
Potential Orlando Magic starting lineups
Defense Wins Championships
Markelle Fultz, Jalen Suggs, R.J. Hampton, Jonathan Isaac, Mo Bamba
This one is probably the least likely to happen. But the message is clear: Defense, defense and more defense.
Both Markelle Fultz and Jalen Suggs are capable guard defenders who can even guard smaller wings at times. R.J. Hampton apparently grew to a whopping 6-foot-7 which would make him an athletic guard wing combo who in theory could turn into a good wing defender. But Hampton is rawer than proven, so time will tell on his defensive abilities, especially within the next year.
Jonathan Isaac is a no-brainer here. He is big, he is long and he plays excellent defense. There are questions about his availability heading into the season but he comes back healthy his presence is sure to be felt.
Depending on the matchup Jamahl Mosley may opt for Mohamed Bamba instead of Wendell Carter. Even in limited minutes, Bamba led the team with 3.9 blocks per 100 possessions, nearly 2.5 more blocks than Carter. Bamba also posted the team’s highest defensive rating at 109.
Bamba will need to prove to the coaching staff that he will be a capable and most importantly an effective option for the rotation and he may need to do so soon.
This year will be a year of growth and development. The Magic have a lot to work with and not a lot at stake. They perhaps have the most freedom that they’ve had in a long time. It remains to be seen how they capitalize on this freedom and if they are able to turn growth into wins.