The Orlando Magic entered their season with high hopes.
The talk throughout training camp centered on the team's goal of getting homecourt advantage—indeed that was the opening message from coach Jamahl Mosley before the team's media day in October.
The Magic have a clear goal for what they want to get out of their season.
Things could have gotten derailed fairly quickly with Paolo Banchero's injury throwing the team for a loop and sending them to a five-game losing streak on the road. The Magic got home and steadied the ship. They have won 11 of their last 12 games as they round the season's quarter mark.
In a forgiving Eastern Conference, Orlando is still third in the standings. All of their goals are still in front of them. The Magic can still earn homecourt advantage and position themselves well for the Playoffs, their ultimate goal for the season and something that is still in the back of their minds this season.
And that does not even mention the Magic being in the driver's seat to win East Group A in the NBA Cup.
Franz Wagner was a terror during the five-game homestand, earning Eastern Conference Player of the Week. He seems destined to make the All-Star Game as the Magic's representative.
And Orlando seems like it will come through the Banchero injury in a good position in the Playoff chase -- a tough stretch in the schedule looms in December before Banchero's anticipated return around Christmas.
Orlando will still need several players to step up and fill in. And now that roles have settled in, the Magic know who they can rely on. The season is still long and there is plenty of development to come.
That was always part of the plan. The Magic's season rested on several players stepping into bigger roles and contributing in more meaningful ways. They were betting on a lot of young players to make some major improvements.
Whether the Magic could achieve those goals of launching into the upper tier in the Eastern Conference depended on several players taking some major steps forward this season. And already all three players have given a preview of what they can bring to this Magic team as the season marches on.
3. Anthony Black
The Orlando Magic were probably not betting on any player more this season than Anthony Black (maybe Jalen Suggs, but the team already had a good idea of who he was even if he could not fill the point guard role they gave him).
Black had a sporadic rookie year, starting in the starting lineup as a fill-in for Markelle Fultz who had very little usage throughout the season. When the team was healthy, he was relegated to the bench to watch and learn as the team made the Playoffs.
The decision to let Fultz go was at least a tacit endorsement of Black and his development. They were ready to turn the keys over to him.
Almost immediately this season, Black has gained notice. He was the player everyone talked about the most in training camp. And he has been a game-changing player throughout the season.
Entering Friday's game against the Brooklyn Nets, Black is averaging 8.7 points per game and 4.3 assists per game. He poured in an impressive 20 points and nine assists in the Orlando Magic's win over the Phoenix Suns, including hitting 3 of 5 3-pointers, and then followed it up with 17 points and eight assists against the LA Clippers.
Black's improvements have made an impression.
“Not just recently, I feel like this whole year even in training camp everyone could see the strides he made in the offseason,” Franz Wagner said after the win over the Suns. “Obviously, he is really good at getting to the paint and he knows how to play. Some of the plays he makes off the dribble. It's really tough to guard him. He's 6-7, 6-8 almost moving like that, it's really hard to defend.”
He has increased his usage and role offensively too.
Last year, he was an afterthought offensively, posting a 12.6 percent usage rate and averaging 2.1 drives per game, shooting 36.8 percent from the floor.
Black is still not the center of the offense with an 18.9 percent usage rate. But his 6.7 drives per game and shooting 42.6 percent on those drives, according to data from Second Spectrum.
Black was expected to push the pace for this team too. Black is excellent at attacking off the dribble in transition. He gives them that element as someone who can get out in transition off the dribble.
He has been stellar on defense too, adding to the Magic's cadre of guards.
Black has been up an down with his shooting, struggling especially during the five-game losing streak. But his highs have been really high and the Magic believe fully in his development.
“He was great,” Jamahl Mosley said after the Magic's win over the Suns. “He puts in so much work. Between ups and downs, but he just continues to work and stay the course. His ability to get out on the break, to stay confident in his shot, his ability to guard as well. I'm just happy for him because of the amount of work he has continued to put in.”
He has been a gamechanger off the bench—whether that is from making the big three to defeat the Indiana Pacers in Paolo Banchero's 50-point game or pushing the pace at the right moment to flip momentum, as he did in the win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Magic made a big bet that Black would be able to jump into the rotation and contribute meaningfully to the team. He has delivered so far.
2. Jonathan Isaac
Excuse Orlando Magic fans for always having a bit of skepticism about Jonathan Isaac still. It feels like anything the Magic can get from Isaac is a bonus after the years of injuries he fought through in his career.
Last year was certainly a bonus as Isaac played in 58 games and made it through his first full season without a major injury since 2019. That was a step in the right direction.
And on top of that, Isaac still was a dominant defensive force when he played. The question is: Could he scale up to play more minutes when the time comes?
Not to mention, this was Isaac's first healthy offseason since the summer of 2019. Everyone was eager to see how Isaac would improve.
Isaac said the team asked him not to go too hard this offseason. He has admitted several times he is still getting into game shape and rhythm, especially considering he is playing at a heavier weight having gotten up to 240 or 250 pounds depending on who you ask.
"It's been great," Isaac said during training camp. "I just feel more solid. I definitely need to continue to get my butt in shape. I feel solid, I feel strong. Rebounding the ball, defending, everything feels better just feeling more solid."
Offensively, Isaac has had some rough moments, shooting 28.0 percent from three and 41.5 percent from the floor overall. At least he is willing to shoot and get shots up even if they are not the best shots. There is still work for this now-veteran player.
Isaac's real value remains on defense. And he is just as valuable as ever on that end.
He is averaging 1.5 blocks and 0.8 steals per game and opponents shoot 42.9 percent at the rim on 2.5 attempts per game according to data from Second Spectrum. Orlando has a rotation-player-best 97.8 defensive rating with Isaac on the floor.
It is still uncontroverted that Isaac is a game-changer on defense. And seeing the Magic deploy him in different ways shows he still has a ton of promise to give to this team.
Jonathan Isaac got the call to defend Joel Embiid late in a close game and held his own against the former MVP, although Embiid was only in his second game back from the knee injury that slowed him early in the season.
Isaac is still the Swiss Army Knife the Magic can deploy anywhere. And he will play a major role for the team throughout the season.
1. Jett Howard
The Orlando Magic drafted Jett Howard with the 11th pick last year with the intent of letting him develop in the G-League for a year. He was not quite ready for the NBA and needed to be ingrained in the team's culture.
Howard had a skill the Magic desperately needed with his shooting and his willingness to be a volume shooter. But he exited college with very little in the way of a defensive reputation.
Orlando fans were hopeful Howard would push his way into the rotation. So far this season, he has gotten plenty of opportunities but has not established himself in the rotation yet.
Howard is averaging only 3.9 points per game in 9.8 minutes per game. He is shooting 34.5 percent from three. Many of his makes have come with the game decided and the deep bench in the game. He went scoreless in a season-high 23 minutes in the NBA Cup win over the Charlotte Hornets, missing all four of his 3-pointers.
Howard has needed more time to get up to speed. That can be a difficult thing for a young player to accept. Howard has had to be very patient waiting his turn. He remains a player in reserve and out of the rotation, hungry to get going.
"It's a team full of dogs," Howard said during training camp. "I was super happy to be drafted by this team and be around this culture every day. They push you. If you want to go faster, you run with faster dogs. I'm trying to go faster."
But there is still no denying Howard has a skill that could swing the Magic this season. At some point, they will need a spark from their shooting and Howard is best situated to deliver that spark and deliver that for the Magic.
Considering Orlando still has the worst 3-point field goal percentage in the league, anyone who can shoot or theoretically shoot could be vital at some point in the season.
Howard's defensive effort has greatly improved. That has not gone without notice. And that is ultimately how he will get another look and more playing time for this team.
His shot though is something that could swing the team as the season progresses.