1 question for every Orlando Magic player entering training camp

1 Question for each Orlando Magic player

The Rest of the Roster

Devin Cannady — Can Devin Cannady expand beyond being a shooter?

Devin Cannady is a player the Orlando Magic want in their camp. They stuck with him through a major leg injury and brought him back last year, signing him to a two-year deal. That was rewarding a lot of faith the two had in each other.

Cannady provides a really important skill for the Magic. He is an excellent shooter and the Magic are short on shooting. Very short on shooting.

Cannady though has to keep improving and expand his game beyond this one skill, as important as that skill is. He is not quite a point guard as he is not a great playmaker and he lacks size to be visually a plus defender. He will have to find something else to contribute to make the Magic’s roster.

Either that or become an elite shooter.

Kevon Harris — Can Harris continue making an impression?

Kevon Harris is really the only newcomer to the entire Orlando Magic program. Everyone else on the roster had some relationship to the franchise and the organization before training camp begins.

Harris though played for the Minnesota Timberwolves in Summer League. He said he was in contact with the Magic throughout the offseason before finally signing that two-way contract. Harris clearly made an impression after a strong run with the Wolves’ Summer League team.

He now has to continue making that impression by being a solid scorer and attacker and especially by growing his defensive ability. He is a good swing guard and should be a great addition in Lakeland.

Admiral Schofield — Can he increase his versatility

The one thing Admiral Schofield says he prides himself on is his versatility. He said during Media Day his goal for this season was to become better defending point guards so he could truly switch 1 through 5.

That is a great admiration and Schofield’s size is his big advantage. He is good enough defensively that he can guard forwards on the wing, although he is a bit undersized to spend too much time in the paint.

Schofield’s versatility is his value right now. But there is still a lot of skill work he needs to continue adding to bust down the NBA door more permanently.

Zavier Simpson — Can Simpson add a jumper to his hook shot?

Zavier Simpson is best known right now as the point guard who mastered the hook shot. He runs what is essentially a sky hook like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. And it somehow works.

That is one way to stand out. Do something unique and do it well. He is great at attacking the basket, using his size to take hits and find space to get his shot off.

But hook shots are not the most efficient shots in the world. And Simpson has to become a more consistent perimeter shooter to take his next steps.

Aleem Ford — Can Ford continue expanding to the perimeter?

Aleem Ford was one of the pleasant surprises from the Orlando Magic’s bout with COVID last December. He was an energy big who did a good job defending the paint and running the floor. Those were all really good signs and plenty to keep him on the team’s radar.

But he got a different look at Summer League. The Magic gave him the green light to shoot threes and Ford embraced the opportunity, even if he was not an effective shooter quite yet.

Ford went 3 for 14 from beyond the arc. But even the experiment was worth it to see the potential of it. The question for camp is whether Ford has taken that green light and gone for it.