5 young players Orlando Magic should develop, 4 to give up on
By Tyler Watts
5 Players the Orlando Magic should develop, 4 they shouldn’t
Develop: Wendell Carter
Wendell Carter was the seventh overall draft pick in 2018 that came to Orlando in the Nikola Vucevic trade. The deal was a massive win for the Orlando Magic as they selected Franz Wagner and Jett Horward with the two draft choices they acquired, and Wendell Carter took a significant step forward as the Magic’s starting center.
In his two-plus seasons in Orlando, Carter averages 14.6 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 0.7 blocks per game in 29.3 minutes per game. He has improved his jumper and rated as one of the top-70 players in the NBA by win shares per 48 minutes.
The 6-foot-10 big man has proven he is worth building around as the team’s starting center entering his sixth NBA season.
Carter is a better defender than Vucevic, and he has a versatile offensive game that continues to improve. That makes no mention of the three years and $35.8 million left on his declining contract.
Carter will be one of the biggest bargain contracts in the league in the 2026 season and should just be entering his prime.
The Magic must continue building around him. Some minor tweaks to his shooting, defense, and playmaking could take his game to another level and make that Vucevic trade look even better for the Magic.