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3 players who can help the Orlando Magic’s defensive malaise

ByLuke Duffy|
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 25: Goga Bitadze #35 of the Orlando Magic grabs a defensive rebound in the first half of a game against the Indiana Pacers at Amway Center on February 25, 2023 in Orlando, Florida. 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 Julio Aguilar/2023 Julio Aguilar)
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 25: Goga Bitadze #35 of the Orlando Magic grabs a defensive rebound in the first half of a game against the Indiana Pacers at Amway Center on February 25, 2023 in Orlando, Florida. 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 Julio Aguilar/2023 Julio Aguilar)
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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 18: Kevon Harris of the Orlando Magic defends Malcolm Brogdon of the Boston Celtics. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 18: Kevon Harris of the Orlando Magic defends Malcolm Brogdon of the Boston Celtics. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images)

3 players to help Orlando Magic out of their defensive malaise

3. Kevon Harris

Remember we are trying to find players who can help raise the intensity level on the defensive end for the Orlando Magic. This will be to the detriment of how they play offensively for some minutes these players are on the court.

Two-way player Kevon Harris seems the perfect place to start then. After beginning the season as an underrated component in some high-intensity play, he has been phased out of the rotation.

This is both because he is on that aforementioned two-way deal and has to spend time with the Lakeland Magic, and because the roster is now much healthier than it was earlier in the campaign.

With the Magic ranking 19th in defensive rating so far this season (114.0), they need all the help they can get in order to close the gap to the league average by the end of the regular season.

Harris helps simply because he is playing for his career with the Magic, and so never takes plays off. He is a big body who makes scoring as difficult as possible for opponents and moves well.

The Magic’s defensive rating when Harris is on the court is a much more impressive 110.4, which would put the team firmly in the top five in this category.

The drawback of course is that Harris is not much of an offensive weapon. But head coach Jamahl Mosley should really think about inserting him in spot minutes when the team are playing with no energy.

Something which has been happening at an annoying rate throughout the entirety of this season.