Orlando Magic Daily
Fansided

3 reasonable expectations for the Orlando Magic next season

By Patrick Previty

facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 4
Next
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 09: Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic goes to high-five a teammate after a play against the Sacramento Kings during the 2022 NBA Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 09, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 09: Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic goes to high-five a teammate after a play against the Sacramento Kings during the 2022 NBA Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 09, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

3 reasonable expectations for the Orlando Magic

3. The Paolo & Franz show

In 2021, Franz Wagner was brought along slowly and used sparingly.

And it made sense. While he was the eight overall pick, he was the team’s second choice in the draft and there were questions about how he would translate to the NBA.

Ironically he averaged 15.2 points per game which was more than his senior season at Michigan where he averaged 12.5 points per game. So bringing him along slowly was not all that necessary.

But not to worry, that should not, and will not, be the case this upcoming season.

Especially after he made the All-Rookie First Team. Wagner is now one of the most promising young players on this roster and will get more usage this upcoming season.

The same goes for Paolo Banchero.

As the number one overall pick, he should be in the starting lineup from day one and should be one of the go-to guys immediately. If you need to bring a top pick in slowly, then maybe you made the wrong decision.

Luckily Banchero is NBA-ready at 6-foot-10, 250 pounds so that should not even be considered.

And with a stellar performance at the summer league where he averaged 20.0 points, 6.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game, the Magic and coach Jamahl Mosley do not need to give it a second thought.

To keep things blunt, fans should expect the Magic to roll out their young players with little restriction. It is time to see them grow and develop the way everybody (including the organization) knows they can.

If not having enough minutes to go around turns into a problem, then so be it, that’s a good problem to have.

Next. Playbook: Wendell Carter's passing key to Orlando Magic. dark

And not one that should cause you to bring guys along slowly, especially not Wagner or Banchero.