5 early Orlando Magic 2022 offseason storylines to watch

5 Orlando Magic offseason storylines

Summer League Progress

The next time we see the Orlando Magic on the floor will be in July for Summer League.

Every young team cares a ton about Summer League because it is at least the first public showing of their draft picks and second-year players. It is a check-up on how they are developing and where their individual improvement is at.

What happens in Summer League games are probably more important to fans than to the coaching staff. The Magic may end up treating the training camp and practices as more important in their study of whomever they draft.

But this is not just about who the Magic draft and seeing them put on an Orlando uniform and work with the coaching staff for the first time. That will be big. But rookies are rookies.

Summer League in July will be a big proving ground for second-year players. Especially for Jalen Suggs, who struggled so much during his rookie year.

Suggs was not the future All-Star guard everyone hoped for during his rookie year. He averaged 11.8 points per game and 4.4 assists per game. But he shot only 36.1-percent from the floor and 21.4-percent from beyond the arc.

He already proved himself a capable defender. And he did a fantastic job attacking the basket. He just could not finish.

Everyone suspects Suggs will improve with more experience and more comfort on the floor. The Magic are just waiting for the game to slow down for him.

Summer League will be a big proving ground. The best second-year players dominate at Summer League because they are significantly more comfortable playing at the NBA’s speed.

The Magic can expect Franz Wagner to play at a higher level. They need Suggs to join him and play well at Summer League. A lot of eyes will be on Suggs to see if he has taken those steps.

And that will be a big question when Summer League arrives.