Mo Bamba running out of time to carve his place with Orlando Magic

When Mo Bamba was selected as the sixth overall pick in the 2018 draft by the Orlando Magic, many saw him as a raw but super talented big man who one day could turn into something special. His player comparisons ranged anywhere from Nerlens Noel to Rudy Gobert.

Four years later, the verdict is still out on how high the ceiling is for Bamba. The one thing he needed was a bit more freedom and opportunity. That was never coming under the more controlling Steve Clifford.

This season with a new coach and a new direction for the franchise, Bamba has gotten some of that freedom. He is averaging a career-best 10.2 points per game and 8.5 rebounds.

While his development has been steady, it is becoming clear Orlando might not be the best place for him to further his growth. The team’s future, especially at center is difficult for Bamba to see despite the team’s current willingness to fit him in.

Especially considering his upcoming contract status, it would only make sense for the Magic to gauge interest around the league for Bamba and see what they could get back in return.

Mo Bamba has had a career season with more opportunity. But the realities of his contract and the Orlando Magic’s roster will open the door to a change.

Bamba has shown enough potential this season to warrant other teams’ interest. Anytime you have a 7-foot center who can shoot the three-pointer and from inside the paint, teams will be interested. Let alone with his physical tools with a 7-foot-10 wingspan.

Defensively he is a great shot-blocker and an above-average weakside defender. This season specifically, Bamba has made significant improvements in all areas of his game.

However, with Bamba’s injury history, the limitations for his development, his impending restricted free agency and his fit on this roster, Orlando should consider moving Bamba before the trade deadline.

It is becoming increasingly clear coach Jamahl Mosleyprefers using Wendell Carter at the 5 when possible over Mo Bamba. It was Carter, after all who got the call to defend Joel Embiid in Wednesday’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers. And the Magic re-upped Carter’s contract while allowing Bamba to hit restricted free agency this offseason.

While the two have shared the court plenty this year, there is inevitably going to be some change once the team gets healthier, especially after Jonathan Isaac returns.

And there are already plenty of signs that splitting them up would benefit the team — Orlando has a -6.3 net rating including just a 102.0 offensive rating when the two share the floor this season.

Carter gives the Magic more versatility on the offensive end of the court. Upon Isaac’s impending return, Bamba could see even fewer minutes as Carter slides over to the 5.

Bamba started the season averaging more than 29 minutes per game for the first 10 games. However, his playing time has been reduced as the team has gone deeper into the season. In the last 10 games, Bamba is averaging around 24 minutes per game.

Matchups are a factor in how many minutes Bamba receives on a nightly basis. It is not a coincidence that earlier this season, Mo Bamba played 34 minutes against the 76ers and Joel Embiid, and 33 minutes against Karl-Anthony Towns and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Wednesday night, in a rematch against Embiid, Bamba played 28 minutes and probably would have received more if it were not for foul trouble. This was even with Bamba primarily defending Tobias Harris.

The point is Mosley gives Bamba more minutes when playing against elite centers. There are not enough quality centers in the league today for Bamba to consistently gain this type of playing time. And Carter still gets the call on many of them as a primary defender.

Bamba has stayed relatively healthy this season which has not been the case in the past. So far, he has played 30 out of 39 games for the Magic and many of those nine games missed were the result of Bamba being placed in the COVID health and safety protocols.

This is a change from his first three seasons in the league where he played only 155 games out of 227. Fortunately, most of the injuries that have cost him time have been fairly minor. Who knows what the future holds but his durability might continue to be a problem for Bamba throughout his career.

In either case, this is the first real playing time Bamba has gotten in his career. And it is clear he is still playing catch-up.

Bamba is far from a finished product, and even though he has cemented his place as one of the better shot-blockers in the league, he is far away from reaching his offensive potential. Bamba is a solid three-point shooter which is rare for a player his size. This season, Bamba is shooting 34-percent from 3-point range.

His offensive game inside the 3-point line is where he has the most opportunities for improvement. According to basketball-reference.com, Bamba shoots only 32-percent overall on jump shots and 39-percent on hook shots.

The hook shot would be a nice go-to move for Bamba if more efficient. For comparison, Karl-Anthony Towns is shooting 64-percent this season on hook shots, and Embiid shoots 63-percent on the same shot. Last year’s MVP Nikola Jokic is also shooting an efficient 61-percent on hook shots this year.

Bamba could make huge improvements by developing his low post-game. But he, like Carter, has seemingly avoided going to the post. It has not been a strong place for him.

Unfortunately for Bamba, Orlando might not be the best place for him to continue his development. The combination of lacking consistent minutes and touches will hinder the ability for him to develop as quickly as he could elsewhere.

Orlando’s starting five when everyone is healthy consists of all five players with less than five years in the league. With the team being so young, Bamba’s development is not going to be the main priority for the franchise. Especially once the team has to put a dollar amount to his services.

Many teams would jump at the opportunity to get their hands on a player with Bamba’s skill level if he were made available. He would be effective in an up-tempo offense as well as a slower grind-it-out style of a team as well.

Ultimately, if Orlando is going to move Bamba, he likely goes to a young, up-and-coming team who has time to wait for Bamba’s future developments as opposed to a team who are trying to win now.

Teams such as the Oklahoma City Thunder, Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Hornets or New Orleans Pelicans would be a good fit for the young center. With Bamba being in the last year of his contract, any potential suitor would need to be ready to invest in him pretty immediately even with the protections of restricted free agency.

The Magic just need to decide before the trade deadline if they want Bamba to be a part of their plans. If not, they should seek to move him to get back some type of compensation, even if it is not for equal value.

A veteran wing or front-court player could help this team take the next step in its progression.

The Magic and Mosley would greatly benefit from acquiring a talented, vocal leader to help with the development of the young talent on this team. It doesn’t make sense to seek young players or more draft picks with the roster Orlando currently has.

They need to continue building their team for the long term and that will require the addition of a veteran presence. Despite their current record, Mosley is building something special in Orlando. Trading Bamba for some key pieces to the roster could be the recipe for success down the road.