1 worst case, 1 realistic, 1 dream scenario for each Orlando Magic rookie

1 worst case, 1 realistic, 1 dream scenario for Orlando Magic rookies

Jett Howard

Worst Case: Doug McDermott

Jett Howard’s bread and butter is shooting. At Michigan, he shot 7.0 threes per game and was top three in both long-range makes and percentage. That is a skill that is valuable no matter what in the NBA.

Shooting is what has kept Doug McDermott in the NBA. The only difference in the comparison is that Howard just so happens to be a few inches taller.

Further similarities stem from each player’s lack of playmaking ability, less than stellar defense, and questions of his ceiling (all of which were concerns for McDermott when entering the 2014 NBA Draft).

For his career, McDermott averages 9.3 points per game on 41-percent shooting from three and that is something the Magic would take in a heartbeat — something they did with Joe Ingles this past offseason.

But even though Orlando might be content with this outcome, McDermott has become a trade piece for NBA teams all over the league and expectations are higher for a lottery pick.

Howard comes in closer to a stretch-4 than a small forward and in today’s NBA is even more valuable, which might give him more time to develop.

If he does not develop much passed his shooting this is his floor.

Realistic: Saddiq Bey

Saddi Bey was top 20 in three-point field goals attempted and made in his first two seasons in the NBA. But Jett Howard may already be a step above Saddiq Bey in the shooting department.

Projected to be one of the best shooters from the 2023 NBA Draft, Howard shot 40 percent from three in his stint in summer league and is currently shooting 44.4 percent from three in the preseason.

Bey has a career three-point shooting mark of 36 percent from three and 40 percent from the field (a low mark from two-point land that Howard also shares).

If Howard turned into Bey, the Orlando Magic might feel similar to how they would if he was McDermott, where they might hope for more.

But with shooting being such a big need for the Magic, there are not many scenarios where Howard is not at least a rotational player on the current roster.

And the Bey comparison is an upgrade because he has sustained the splits with greater volume, something Howard would look to do if he reaches this level.

Dream Scenario: Kris Middleton

Khris Middleton is an NBA champion. He was arguably the second- or third-best player on that Milwaukee Bucks title team and has three all-star appearances under his belt. Certainly, his absence in 2022 cost the Bucks a shot to defend their title and his injuries slowed down Milwaukee’s title hopes again in 2023.

If the Orlando Magic do not mind Howard turning into Doug McDermott or Saddiq Bey, they would be over the moon about him turning into Khris Middleton.

Sharing all of the similarities from the previous comparisons, Middleton is a tough shot-maker and a better creator than Howard is. That is where the dream part of the scenario enters.

Howard would need to take leaps in his ability to create off the dribble if he were to reach the status of Middleton. But that is also one of the reasons the Magic took him. They liked the idea of Howard’s size and his ability to shoot some off the dribble, even if he is not much of an attacker or creator quite yet. That is what differentiates Howard.

Howard’s shooting ability will always give him a place in the league so he will have time to develop those skills. It was not until Middleton’s sixth year in the NBA that he broke the 20-points-per-game mark.

There could be a late-bloomer situation that occurs with Howard if he were to reach the dream scenario.