4 Orlando Magic players who definitely shouldn’t be back next season

4 Orlando Magic players who shouldn’t be back next year

Michael Carter-Williams

After not playing in the NBA for the 2022 season, the Orlando Magic signed their old guard Michael Carter-Williams to a minimum contract this past February. He appeared in just four games, scoring 17 points in 44 minutes. His on-court impact is well below replacement value at this point in his career.

Carter-Williams was brought on to reward his work away from the team to get healthy and to give the team some veteran presenceafter cutting bait from Terrence Ross late in the season. The Magic certainly appreciated the veteran voice — he acted as the team’s veteran even away from the team, staying in contact with old teammates from last year via text.

The one-time poster child for “The Process”, Michael Carter-Williams reinvented himself as a role player for the Magic a few seasons back.

He played in 88 games across three seasons, mentoring the young guards on the team and serving as a steady veteran on the court before injuries sapped away what was left of his NBA career.

There is certainly value to having a trusted veteran on a team, mentoring the younger players and helping set team culture. The Houston Rockets, as one example, have lacked that leadership and seem to have a crisis of team culture right now. The Magic want to avoid that as they grow.

However, they do have other veterans on the roster, including Gary Harris and whoever they may sign this summer.

Carter-Williams is never going to play as a non-shooting guard on a roster stuffed with them. The Magic need to use this roster slot on someone else and add veteran pieces who have a chance to help the team too.