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5 non-Orlando Magic storylines to watch during the 2023 season

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Wendell Carter has established himself as a consistent force for an Orlando Magic team finding its identity. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
Wendell Carter has established himself as a consistent force for an Orlando Magic team finding its identity. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports /
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Victor Wembanyama
Victor Wembanyama is a unicorn in every sense and the likely top pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports /

5 non-Orlando Magic storylines to watch

The Victor Wembanyama Draft

Whether anyone wants to or not, the specter of the upcoming NBA Draft is going to be hanging over every team near the bottom of the standings. Especially this year.

This is a good upcoming calss as both Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson showed in a pair of exhibition matchups between their teams in Las Vegas a few weeks ago.

This is not a typical draft where there are a few teams planning on being bad. This is a draft with a talent many believe to be generational. So much so that several teams will be angling for him early — hello San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder. Not to mention this is a fairly strong draft at the top beyond him.

For those who have not paid close attention to the draft at this point of the season, congratulations. But the widely projected top pick is French center/forward Victor Wembanyama.

The 7-foot-3 everything is all the things the Orlando Magic have been trying to experiment with this preseason. He can post up, he can handle the ball, he can shoot from three, he can shoot from off the dribble. He can do it all.

Wembanyama is a floor-warping monster that is only going to succeed more with NBA spacing. Just watch the highlights:

But he is far from alone in this draft.

Scoot Henderson was equally as impressive during the exhibition games in Las Vegas. He looks like a dynamic lead guard who can work on and off the ball, hitting shots from deep and distributing the ball exceptionally well.

The college players will get going soon too. Players to watch there include Arkansas guard Nick Smith, Overtime Elite duo Ausar and Amen Thompson, Texas forward Dillon Mithcell and Duke wing Dariq Whitehead.

They all obviously have full seasons to get themselves ready.

The  Magic should not be thinking about tanking outright. They have too many players on their roster who need development and seasoning and experience to do anything untoward aside from sitting players with injuries late in the season. It is to their benefit to play everyone and give them their chance to grow.

Next. Preseason showed how much the Orlando Magic still have to grow. dark

But . . . it is the draft. And if things go south and off the rails, March and April could and probably should feel pretty familiar.