3 players pushing for more minutes with the Orlando Magic

3. R.J Hampton (15.7 minutes per game)

We start with R.J. Hampton because he still seems to be on the periphery of the rotation.

Despite the aforementioned guard injuries, Hampton is yet to start a single game this season. Even worse, he has received a couple of DNP-CDs throughout that period. This is despite having a tangible contribution in that win over the Golden State Warriors and to show general improvement from his wild season last year.

Hampton had 15 points and went 3-for-5 from deep in the comeback victory. Yet two games later he didn’t see the court at all in the loss to the Houston Rockets.

This would seem to suggest Mosley does not trust him to be a factor every game. He is instead choosing when to lean into him more heavily depending on the matchup.

Hampton is a below-average defender, and players like Jalen Green and Eric Gordon of the Rockets would have targeted him repeatedly. That being said the Warriors are not small, but that was a game that called for as much offensive firepower as possible against a team that is struggling to find its feet as defending champions this season.

Hampton is only 21 years old, and it would be unfair to say Mosley has given up on him altogether. He still gets his minutes, he would just like more.

There also does not always appear to be rhyme or reason for Hampton’s appearance, but that is a roster-wide problem Mosley is trying to iron out as the season progresses.

Hampton’s path to more minutes may ironically only come when the Magic get some guards back.

Next to Markelle Fultz or Cole Anthony, the Magic can hide some of Hampton’s deficiencies. That is also true of playing next to Suggs. But Mosley has instead been addressing the frontcourt overload by starting Wendell Carter and Bol Bol together half of the time.

Time is not up for Hampton in Orlando. And more chances are going to present themselves for him.