5 Questions for the Second Quarter of the Orlando Magic’s Season
By Isaac Ryu
5 questions for the Orlando Magic’s second quarter
Should we be worried about Jalen Suggs?
Jalen Suggs went down with a fractured thumb and will be out for a few weeks — likely until January. But he has not been having quite the season that was expected of him during the draft.
He has shown flashes. But are these flashes enough for a top-five draft pick? Even if it is just his rookie year.
So far, Suggs is averaging 12.3 points per game while shooting just 33.9-percent from the floor and 25.5-percent from beyond the arc.
Jalen Green is similarly struggling with the Houston Rockets but he has no one ahead of him to take minutes. And eventually, rookies need to settle in and show hints of who they will become.
Suggs was starting to do that some — and he certainly showed his defensive acumen which was far advanced for a rookie — before his injury.
There will undoubtedly be some pressure for Suggs when he returns to the court whenever that is. By the time Jalen Suggs returns, Markelle Fultz will likely be back in the rotation. What does that mean for Suggs’ place in the rotation?
It seems as though opinions on Suggs are split especially now that Orlando has to consider how to bring him back after a prolonged absence. Some people like him, even more than Cole Anthony, while others are skeptical of his production.
If anything, Anthony has thrived in his second season after a shaky freshman year interrupted by a few injuries. It is way too early to pull the plug on Suggs. Better yet, the fifth overall pick has a good team around him to foster growth and mature his game.
The question then will be whether Suggs retakes a spot in the starting lineup or if the addition of some new players allows the team to bring Suggs back a bit slower and let him gain confidence with a new bench unit.