The Orlando Magic have been a cursed franchise of late.
The last two seasons have seen the team face a series of cascading injuries that have kept the team from realizing its full potential. For a team that is focused on its youth, the most important thing they can do is play them and play them together.
The Magic had that development as part of their goals. Along with reintegrating players who entered the season with long-term injuries back into the fold. That latter part is on the horizon and getting closer.
That former goal? It is hitting roadblock after roadblock from even getting realized. The Magic are finding it impossible to see what they really have because they can barely field a working lineup because of injuries yet again.
The Orlando Magic are expected to be without Jalen Suggs for an extended period of time, creating another gaping injury hole in a young roster desperate for some stability.
The latest injury came with about four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter of Monday’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Jalen Suggs fractured his thumb when Joel Embiid reached in and raked him across the hand as he was driving through the lane. Suggs will miss an extended period of time — likely at least a month and probably longer.
It is a frustrating pause for the Magic’s promising young rookie as he was beginning to put some pieces together and string together more consistent performances.
"“The kid is a fighter,” coach Jamahl Mosley said after Monday’s loss to the 76ers. “For him to have the injury, you just love his fight, his resilience, his toughness, his competitive edge. Along with all these guys. They just showed such fight and such poise in the right times, trying to make the right play and the right decision covering for each other defensively. It’s tough for Jalen in this situation right now. But our guys will keep lifting him up and keep him engaged and keep the fight going.”"
But that is what the Magic must do for Suggs’ long-term health. They will do what they can to help him learn from the sidelines as they did with Cole Anthony when he missed time with a broken rib last year. And they will try to get what they can for their young players with the group they have.
That part will be extremely tough with the loss of another point guard. Perhaps the most important position on the floor and the one that organizes the team.
Suggs was already getting thrown into the fire with Anthony missing the last six games (of this seven-game losing streak) with a sprained ankle. Orlando is now left without a full-time point guard on the roster — the team has been reluctant to use R.J. Hampton at that position despite his entering the league as a point guard.
Losing even an inexperienced floor general like Suggs will have a trickle-down effect on everyone else.
Hampton will have to handle the ball a whole lot more. The team may have to use their centers as pivots in the offense too to create some playmaking push. Getting into the paint will be a whole lot tougher for a team already struggling to score and move the ball.
Franz Wagner will likely take on more ball-handling duties, something no one thought he would have to do at any point in his career despite his solid passing ability for a big man.
But that takes him away from other things the team wants to develop and use — such as his spot-up shooting and cutting. He may get more pick and roll practice and that may serve as an expansion of his game, but he is not a lead ball-handler or organizer long term. And playing him there would take away from developing him in areas the team plans to use him long-term.
Unfortunately, the Magic will have to find a way to fill in with so many players out. It is not clear yet when veterans E’Twaun Moore and Michael Carter-Williams are due back. Markelle Fultz is taking steps forward in his recovery but is still far away from his return.
"“It’s really tough for him obviously and for us,” Wagner said after Monday’s loss. “Hopefully it’s not too bad of an injury. He’s a fighter. Any time he has to leave the game, it’s not the best news for us. Whatever happens, we will all support him and try to put our best foot forward as a team and hope for the best for him.”"
The Magic will have to find a way to platoon their players to get through this time. The games do not stop and no one is going to feel sorry for this team.
It is still another run of rotten luck for the team.
Last year, the Magic lost the most games to injury of any team in the league. Already, Orlando is lapping the field with games lost to injury with four players now who have missed the entire first quarter of the season.
If the Orlando Magic stopped playing basketball today it would take the Oklahoma City Thunder almost 350 more games to catch them in injuries, but they've only won 2 more games https://t.co/mKZRxEkw0E pic.twitter.com/20VCET53c5
— Man Games Lost NBA (@ManGamesLostNBA) November 29, 2021
Teams have to find a way to make up for injuries. It is part of the season and part of life in the league. In the marathon of the season, not everyone is going to play 82 games. But this many long-term injuries on a team that is already depleted and lacking of depth is just killer.
Orlando already struggles to put together a functioning rotation to compete in games. This will only make it harder to remain competitive in games. And while the Magic are not expected to win many games, they still need to play close games as much as they can.
Growth still needs to happen. And players still need to be in positions where they can continue to improve and grow into the players this team ultimately wants them to be. Orlando needs to see the outlines of its future on the court as the season progresses.
Players will return from injury — whether soon or in the near future. And likely Suggs will be back on the floor at some point this season. So all is not lost.
But getting there is going to be extremely rough.
It may even feel like some lost time at certain moments. And without even a basic level of organization and role definition, the Magic are going to find it hard to accomplish their goals and learn a whole lot.
The team was already in that kind of a hole with the team’s inability to stay competitive for many of these games. The team’s depth struggles are only getting further tested now with another major injury.
But the season marches on. Orlando will have to get some value out of the time Suggs and the other players are out. They have to hope they can see the on-court growth they want. And hope their luck turns in May.