The Orlando Magic have had a tough start to the NBA season.
The Magic have faced tough circumstances from injuries to players being in the COVID-19 protocols. But the fact of the matter is Orlando sits near the bottom of the Eastern Conference with a 7-26 record.
This was somewhat expected. Players have accepted that wins are going to be hard to come by and that this is a season of growth and development.
The Orlando Magic have, as expected, sunk to the bottom of the standings. Still, there are plenty of bright spots the team can grow from.
There have been a few starts and stops on that journey. And the team still waits to begin its goal of integrating players coming off long-term injuries. There is still a larger story to tell and more development to go in the second half of the season.
But even though the Magic have struggled to string wins together, Orlando has still found bright spots and that gives assurance the future is bright.
As the Magic hit a little break for the Christmas holiday, it is important to take stock of some of the progress that has been made.
Cole Anthony rewrites his narrative
Cole Anthony has rewritten the narrative the majority of people were putting on him since his time at North Carolina ended. From the sixth man that most were expecting when he entered the NBA and this season, Anthony has put himself in the position to be talked about in All-Star conversations.
Anthony is averaging 20.0 points per game with 6.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. Those are certainly All-Star numbers and the Magic have struggled to function when he is off the court for the most part.
While Anthony is playing well statistically, his impact goes beyond the stat sheet.
On the court, Anthony can get anywhere he pleases and can create for himself and his teammates. The numbers back this up as Anthony leads the team with a -2.5 on-court net rating, a decent mark for a team with only seven wins. The Magic score 108.2 points per 100 possessions with Anthony on the court compared to 95.9 points per 100 possessions when he is off the court.
Anthony has also been a strong player in the clutch.
He ranks 10th in the NBA in points per game in the clutch, which is a telling point that Anthony continues to deliver even when the game is on the line. Anthony is quietly checking off the boxes that go with being a star in this league.
Building a team that will eventually compete for a championship needs to find its star. There is no way to know if anyone currently on the Magic will become that star.
But Anthony has shown the potential of being the man. And the only conclusion that can be drawn from Antony thus far is that we do not know his ceiling.
He has certainly blown past any ideas about it we had before.
5 bright spots from the Orlando Magic’s season
The rise of Sweet Franz
Through draft night and Summer League, there were question marks around Franz Wagner. He was constantly overlooked as people seemed to believe he was a “safe” pick or already pretty figured out.
The expectations for Franz Wagner were simple. He would do the little things and play strong defense.
However, Wagner has flipped the script and has put his name in the rookie-of-the-year conversations.
Wagner has been a surprise that has caught Orlando Magic fans off guard and adjusted the outlook of the team’s rebuild.
Wagner has shown the ability to play on and off the ball offensively with the ability to shoot from beyond the arc as he has averaged 15 points per game on 44.3-percent from the field and 35-percent from three.
Wagner also continues to play a higher level of defense than was expected. He has displayed a level of defense to play on-ball defense and play help defense. He can play an aggressive style of defense that allows to get into passing lanes and to protect the rim from the weak side.
This is possible because of Franz Wagner’s high basketball IQ that coach Jamahl Mosley constantly praises.
Even with his strong start, Wagner continues to impress with an outstanding month of December that should earn him Rookie of the Month.
In December, Wagner is averaging 18.2 points, which rank first in the league among rookies. He is also averaging 5.5 rebounds (10th), 3.8 assists (4th), and 1.3 steals (2nd) per game during December.
Wagner keeps getting better and better, and as there is no telling what his ceiling is, the idea of pairing the defense of Franz Wagner and Jonathan Isaac is going to be scary for the rest of the league.
5 bright spots from the Orlando Magic’s season
Magic get big
The question of which center the Orlando Magic should go with has become has not only become a tougher question but has also revealed a new answer.
To start the season, Wendell Carter was considered to be the better player, with Mo Bamba having the higher ceiling. Thirty-three games into the season, both players have surprised in their ways. But have also shown the ability to play at the same time.
Carter has continued to play his sound style of play and limiting mistakes. But at the same time, Carter has shown his expansion in his offensive game averaging 12.6 points per game on 50.2-percent shooting and 34.5-percent from beyond the arc.
The expansion of his range has expanded the Magic’s offense and has allowed Cole Anthony and Franz Wagner space to be able to create inside the paint.
Bamba’s stats do not surprise anyone, as he has scored 10.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game with 2.2 blocks per game. Everyone figured with more playing time and a more consistent role, Bamba would begin to accumulate numbers.
Instead, Bamba’s growth on the little things across his game has Bamba growing faster than some had anticipated.
Bamba continues to improve on timing and picking his spots to go for blocks and has also improved on his positioning defensively. With the rest of the season coming and another off-season, there is no telling what Bamba’s progression will take him.
Both players still have room to improve, but both players have expanded in unexpected ways. As both players grow, Orlando will find possibilities that will lead to a more diverse team.
The Magic have already made a contract decision on Carter, inking him to a four-year extension. Bamba’s free agency looms and he should become a hot name on the trade market ahead of his restricted free agency. But the Magic have largely been able to count on their two big men to anchor their teams.
5 bright spots from the Orlando Magic’s season
Building in the shadows
While we have not seen Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac yet this season, both players have been working their way back while adding to their game.
Jeff Weltman has commented over time that both Isaac and Fultz’s jump shots have improved since last seen. And Fultz himself has commented he has been able to work on other parts of his games and body since he has been limited in other areas of the game.
Fultz is indeed getting closer to a return, having rejoined the team in practice and getting some work on the Amway Center floor. It is not clear how close Fultz is returning, but the Magic should be getting one of their key players and potential starter back soon.
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This time away could change the outlook of these two players on the offensive end of the court. Both players will provide their distinct elite skills.
As for Isaac that would be his defense, and Fultz will bring his ability to control the game. This time away has allowed both players to grow, which may not have been possible before.
Jalen Suggs also falls under this category.
Suggs saw steady improvement as the season went on, but with his fractured thumb, Suggs will continue to miss some time.
This is similar to Cole Anthony’s fractured ribs from last season. Even in is time off, Anthony made the most and re-entered the lineup a better player.
There was a drastic improvement in Anthony’s game from before and after his injury. For Anthony, there was an improvement in every major statistical category.
That time allowed Anthony to focus on the game, and have the game slow down for him while improving on his own game. This is an opportunity for Suggs to do the same, and once all three players return, the Magic will have major weapons that are unknowns.
5 bright spots from the Orlando Magic’s season
Opportunities
Finally, while the Orlando Magic have seen players in and out of the lineup, it has allowed for opportunities for other players to step up and grow their skill sets. This allowed for a duo of Wendell Carter and Mo Bamba as well as Franz Wagner getting a look as a starter.
This also has helped players such as R.J. Hampton and Chuma Okeke.
For Hampton, this time has allowed Hampton to play out of his role and grow his skill-set. Hampton has been forced to play point guard, and although once the team if fully healthy Hampton is unlikely to play the point guard position, it has allowed Hampton to be more diverse at the forward position.
Hampton has also displayed his three-point shooting ability as he has shot 41.7-percent from three on 2.5 attempts per game.
Okeke has seen this in his last four games. He has averaged 12.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while averaging 3.8 steals per game.
Okeke looks closer to what he looked like as a rookie in this time. He is getting back his rhythm, and this extra playing time has allowed Okeke to find his game. Once the team gets healthy, Okeke will play his role more effectively.
Overall, these opportunities have allowed players to either find their rhythm, expand their skill-set or showcase new possibilities. These setbacks may end up being blessings in disguise, and as the team becomes whole, the team will find new dimensions that were not previously present and will brighten their future.