5 Players the Orlando Magic should develop, 4 they shouldn’t
Don’t Develop: Caleb Houstan
Caleb Houstan was the 32nd pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, and he struggled mightily during his only extended stretch in the rotation as a rookie. The 6-foot-8 wing has promise, but he failed to dominate in Summer League heading into year two.
The crunch for minutes is real.
With Anthony Black and Jett Howard joining the roster, there is just no room to play Caleb Houstan. Not unless he moves up to power forward, as he did and struggled with in Las Vegas last week.
He even struggled with his shooting efficiency and playmaking during his stint in the G-League last season. Caleb Houstan is behind Franz Wagner, Joe Ingles, Gary Harris and Jett Howard in the wing pecking order. That makes him strictly a G-League option next season.
The 20-year-old has potential, and he should be better in year two. But the Orlando Magic must focus on developing more NBA-ready talent. It does not hurt to keep Houstan at the end of their bench, but he will never fully blossom without playing time.
Expect to see him getting run with the Osceola Magic this season. And the 6-foot-8 wing needs to dominate if he wants to get any shot at minutes in Orlando.
There have been flashes, but the overall production has not been there. It would not be surprising to see the Magic move on if Houstan does not take a significant step forward this year.