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Orlando Magic Offseason Preview: 3 going and 3 staying in the rebuild

By Patrick Previty

Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley helped build the team's foundation. But there is still work to do in what should be a busy summer. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports
Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley helped build the team's foundation. But there is still work to do in what should be a busy summer. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 28, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) drives beside Cleveland Cavaliers center Moses Brown (6) in the third quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 28, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) drives beside Cleveland Cavaliers center Moses Brown (6) in the third quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /

3 staying, 3 going for the Orlando Magic

Staying: Wendell Carter

Wendell Carter took a big step last year and was able to find a role he was most comfortable with offensively.

He was third on the team in points per game at 15.0 and grabbed 10.5 rebounds per game which was enough to lead the team. In the final half of the season, Carter further stepped his game up, averaging 17.8 points per game and 10.7 rebounds per game in the second half of the season.

With his strong defense, smart passing and poise, Carter has established himself as one of the core pieces for the Magic moving forward.

Additionally, he showed surprising versatility in coexisting with Mo Bamba on the court. He embraced his role with the team.

Carter is under contract through 2026 and has a front-loaded contract worth $14.2 million next year. By the last year of that deal he will be getting paid $10.9 million per year.

It is a steal for the Magic to wrap up a player who took this big of a step in his first full year with the team. They will look to assess what the ceiling is for Carter after he showed promise last year.

Simply put, you will see Wendell Carter playing, and likely starting front and center, for the Orlando Magic next year.

The interesting question is just how the Magic will use him.

Carter got the defensive call on most of the league’s best center last year even though he was nominally playing power forward. Will the Magic use him at power forward and re-sign Bamba to play next to him? Or will they look to move him full-time to center?

The one thing Carter has proven this year is he has the versatility to succeed no matter how the Magic try to use him. And the question for them is: How do they emphasize and highlight his skills?