Orlando Magic see R.J. Hampton’s biggest growth on defense

The Orlando Magic turned to R.J. Hampton far earlier than they thought they would have to after a 15-game absence.

Jalen Suggs was eager to defend and get to the basket. In quick succession, he picked up three fouls — one on a charge and two on unnecessary reaches. Suddenly, R.J. Hampton was thrust into the point guard spot after a 15-game absence and spraining his ankle that very morning.

This was always a tricky situation for the Magic. They have seemingly gone out of their way to keep Hampton from running the point.

The reason for this is simple: Hampton can still be a bit out of control. He is an exceptionally fast player and plays sometimes without breaks. He can turn the ball over a lot.

His first game back showed something new: Poise.

Hampton was controlled on the ball and helped the Magic get into their offense. His energy helped flip the game and give the team the chance to win after a sluggish start.

R.J. Hampton returned after a 15-game absence and made an immediate impact for the Orlando Magic as he continues to grow his game and build his defense.

This is where the Magic envisioned Hampton this season. They have limited his role some to try to draw out this focus. Orlando wanted him to run the floor, be able to hit from beyond the arc and, more importantly, be a pesky defender.

This has been the focus every time Hampton’s name comes up. Coach Jamahl Mosley envisions R.J. Hampton as a pesky defender. He wants him to be a long wing who crawls into the ball and gives that boost of defensive energy.

Orlando was trying to channel all of Hampton’s athleticism and speed and turn it into a defensive menace. They have tried hard to limit his offensive role — especially on the ball as a lead ball-handler and initiator — and tried to put his focus and value on defense.

In some respects, the Magic seem to view Hampton’s defensive potential along the lines of the way the team used Michael Carter-Williams.

This has been a major point of growth and focus for Hampton all season.

He averages 1.29 steals per 75 possessions, placing him in the 86th percentile in the league according to Basketball Index. He also ranks highly in his ability to help turn opponents over.

Hampton is someone who uses his ball pressure and athleticism to create a bit of defensive chaos. Those are the things Orlando wants him to be about.

There is still plenty of areas he needs to improve. Hampton is still a very imperfect player looking for areas to grow.

This year, opponents are shooting 51.5-percent when Hampton is the closest defender, according to NBA.com’s tracking statistics. That is among the worst marks on the team and 7.2-percentage points better than expected.

Like with his offense, Hampton can get a bit overeager. He will over-attack and give up a bad angle to the basket or jump for steals.

His biggest area to improve is his need to slow down and play with more poise and control. Figuring out how to control athleticism and speed is always a difficult task.

That is the same thing with his offense. Still, even there the improvements are pretty clear.

Hampton has improved in a lot of areas — he is averaging 7.3 points per game and making 36.7-percent of his 3-pointers, including 42.0-percent (on 1.9 attempts per game) of his catch-and-shoot 3-pointers and 37.5-percent on his 3-pointers above the break.

The shooting improvement from Hampton has been the biggest surprise and something the Magic hope he can carry over.

It is just putting all those pieces together again.

It was just one game, but Hampton’s ability to step in during Friday’s win over the Houston Rockets was a vital step in the process. Like with Suggs as he came off his injury, Hampton seemed to return to the game with a lot better understanding of what the team was looking for.

Hampton had 11 points, five rebounds and four assists in the win. He made just three of his seven shots. But he also added two blocks. Despite largely playing point guard, he had just two turnovers in the game.

Impressive considering how much the Rockets try to speed up the pace and how much faster the Magic have been playing since Hampton went out with his knee injury.

Considering Hampton was out for 15 games before Friday, the way he played to keep the Magic stabilized was a really big boost for the team. And it is a promising place for Hampton to continue growing as the season.

Suggs returned from his injury and seemed to play with more composure and pace. He learned a lot in the time away studying and watching the game. That has helped Suggs play a lot better coming off his injury and absence.

Orlando certainly hopes the same will happen with Hampton and that the time away gave him the chance to study and take a breath. If Friday’s game was any indication, Hampton has used that time effectively too.

Hampton is still learning. Markelle Fultz’s return will put a pinch on minutes at the guard spot. Hampton is coming back at a time when minutes will be precious in the guard rotation. Hampton will have to continue proving himself more and more.

Defense is always the way to a coach’s heart. And that is where the Magic see Hampton carving his path.

That is where he has had his most success as he started to get his offense under better control. But even that seems to be coming. Hampton is certainly on the right track.

There is still plenty of clear growth to come for the second-year guard.