When the Orlando Magic selected Caleb Houstan with the 32nd overall pick, the reaction was fairly mixed.
On one hand, Houstan was a highly-touted high school prospect who just had a bad season at Michigan. He was still extremely young and had plenty of room to grow and reach his potential.
On the other, the critical part of the choice was that Orlando used a high-value second round pick on someone who had not proven much. He was all potential and the team could have used someone who could contribute a bit quicker to the team.
There was no doubt Houstan had clear first-round talent it was just a question of how he would get there.
Considering the Magic’s fairly full roster, it seemed uncertain whether Houstan would even get a roster spot. He seemed like the Magic might park him in the G-League for most of the season to give him the college sophomore season he had passed on to enter the NBA Draft.
Houstan may have put a lot of that to rest simply by hitting the NBA Summer League floor.
Caleb Houstan’s impressive Summer League run has helped him earn a contract with the Orlando Magic and bring up questions about the team’s roster makeup.
After two impressive games in Las Vegas, the Magic officially signed Houstan to a contract. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but this was not designated as a two-way contract.
Houstan will be fighting for a full roster spot when camp opens in September.
It has been well earned too.
In two Summer League games, Houstan is averaging 14.0 points per game and 6.0 rebounds per game while shooting 10 for 22 from the floor and 7 for 16 from deep. He hit five of those seven 3-pointers and scored 20 points in the Orlando Magic’s Summer League-opening win over the Houston Rockets.
Houstan has looked very good though beyond his stats. He does a good job cutting through the paint and putting himself in position to grab rebounds. The 6-foot-8 forward has been solid defensively too.
His best NBA skill right now is his spot-up shooting. Teams that have left him open have gotten burned. And Caleb Houstan has been one of the biggest recipients of Paolo Banchero’s passing in transition and elsewhere. Houstan knows how to get open and a great passer like Banchero knows how to find him.
Houstan is building off his year at Michigan where he did not show all of this. He averaged 10.1 points per game and shot 35.5-percent from beyond the arc. He was indeed drafted on potential.
But that potential is starting to coalesce and Houstan might have knocked down the door much quicker than anyone imagined.
It has also created a lot more pressure on the roster. Houstan’s contract brings the Magic to 16 total contracts. The team is allowed to carry 20 players through the offseason, but once the season begins the team will have to knock that down to 15 (plus two two-way contracts).
Those two-way contracts have not been locked in yet. Admiral Schofield is playing Summer League while on a two-way qualifying offer. The Magic still have some contract decisions to make.
But Houstan is a bit different. Taking him with a second-round pick suggests the Magic want to be invested in him. And if he continues playing the way he is currently playing, it is going to be hard to deny him one of those precious roster spots.
Orlando will have to cut a player come training camp or make a trade in the near future — Terrence Ross’ future is still up in the air and the Magic are no longer likely holding out for a first-round pick for him.
But there is going to be a competition when camp begins. Whether that puts Devin Cannady and his non-guaranteed contract in danger or puts R.J. Hampton, who has struggled in Summer League so far, in jeopardy or someone else is still the big question. There are only so many roster spots available and the Magic can only give so much attention around.
Cannady has been solid in Summer League, averaging 12.5 points per game but shooting just 4 for 15 from beyond the arc. No one is too worried about his shooting. But it is not clear where Cannady fits. The team still needs a third point guard and that might keep him around.
Hampton is still on his rookie contract. But he volunteered to play in Summer League and has struggled. He is averaging 12.0 points per game and 2.0 assists per game against 3.0 turnovers per game. He just has not looked like the experienced player he should be.
Fans are at least questioning Hampton and his decisions. But that may hold no bearing when training camp arrives.
That will be a debate and a question to be had when camp begins. For now, Orlando can give everyone the space to play and work. Those hard decisions will not need to come until the end of training camp.
Houstan has earned his spot. He has played well and showed that there is much more to him. Certainly much more than he showed at Michigan. Orlando saw that in him and made a good pick it would seem.
There is still more work to do including more to do in Summer League. But Orlando has seen enough to keep him around. And likely give him a full roster spot. The team would not have signed him and burned his draft rights like this if he was not going to make the roster.
Houstan is still young and fairly raw. He may still spend a good chunk of his season and his time in Lakeland this coming season to get more experience.
But Houstan has earned his way onto the Magic’s roster. He has given himself every opportunity to play and place himself on the Magic this season.