3 things the Orlando Magic learned in the season’s first quarter
By Jacob Warfle
What the Orlando Magic have learned
Jalen Suggs has a long way to go
This season has been a standard rookie season for Jalen Suggs.
There have been highs, like his 21-point performance against the Brooklyn Nets. And there have been lows, like his rough shooting first week.
And there has been injury. A fractured thumb will have Suggs sidelined for an extended amount of time. With no surgery needed, he will be evaluated every two weeks.
On the court so far this year, Suggs has gone through some growing pains as a young rookie. At 20 years old, he really has not been playing high-level basketball for that long and sometimes it shows.
There are plays where Suggs seems to move too quick for his own good and the ball is not quite catching up to his body. His athleticism is untenable, but sometimes he moves like a football player trying to play basketball.
This is not meant to scare fans. The same phrasing was used for Anthony Edwards in his rookie season and now he is playing at an all-star level in Minnesota.
Sometimes it just takes a year for an uber-athletic player to get his legs under him in the league.
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Thankfully, the Magic are in no rush. They are rebuilding and can afford for Suggs to take some time to find his footing.
In 21 games played, Suggs is averaging 12.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. He is shooting 33.9-percent from the field and 25.5-percent from three.
As anyone can tell, these shooting numbers are a problem. Suggs is not just missing shots. There seem to be times where he is forcing up bad ones. This is not surprising, though, as the Magic are asking a lot of the young guard.
With the second-highest usage rate on the team, the Magic placed a lot of the playmaking duties on Suggs’ shoulders early.
Some of the results were great.
Before his injury, Suggs showed flashes of brilliance. He will pick someone’s pocket and take it coast to coast for a dunk. He will beat his man off the dribble and throw a perfect lob.
The confidence is there. Suggs has all the tools and ability to meet the lofty expectations of being the fifth overall selection. What we are seeing so far is just the life of an NBA rookie.
It is a process, but Jalen Suggs is here for it.