There are three games left in the regular season for the Orlando Magic, meaning the playoffs are right around the corner, and the Magic have secured themselves a spot in the Play-In Tournament. This may seem like a disappointment based on last season, but with all the injuries that have plagued this team, it is really a testament to their fight that they are not only a Play-In team but a higher seed in the Play-In Tournament as well.
They are missing two key players going into the playoffs—starting point guard Jalen Suggs and premiere backup center Mo Wagner. However, besides those two the team is healthy, and with their stars playing and the resilience of the team anything can happen. The Magic have to go into the Play-In with a winning mindset and a lot of heart, but they also have to make a few changes.
The Magic are 7-3 in their last 10 games and have started to finally find a groove. Paolo Banchero is starting to get back to his dominant ways, and the rest of the team is falling in line with that. They are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, and on nights when they are scoring well, they are almost unstoppable.
The problem is there are a few players who have been getting minutes toward the end of the year but cannot continue to get minutes come playoff time. It is normal towards the end of the season for teams to give minutes to players who are not going to play as much in the playoffs, but the Magic have to make sure they are reducing the playtime of a few players.
3. Cory Joseph
First is Corey Joseph. Joseph went from being a veteran locker room guy to someone who has played 21.7 minutes per game over the last 15 games. He has played solidly, averaging 6.9 points, 1.9 assists, and 1.6 rebounds per game on 46.5 percent shooting from the field and 40.7 percent from three. These numbers are decent. However, decent is not going to fly in the playoffs, and to be frank, decent might not even get you out of the Play-In tournament.
Point guard is widely regarded as maybe the most important position on the basketball court—the point guard has to run the offense, be able to make the right plays, score when needed, and match up against other teams' point guards. If the season ended today, the Magic would play against the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the Play-In Tournament and would have the point guard matchup of four-time All-Star Trae Young vs. 33-year-old Corey Joseph.
The Magic should not be content with that matchup, and going into the actual playoffs, it is going to get even worse. Joseph has served as a suitable starting guard for the past two months, but that is where his run needs to end. The Magic are way better off starting Anthony Black or Cole Anthony and letting Banchero and Franz Wagner take the ball-handling responsibilities.
2. Gary Harris
Next is Gary Harris. Harris was once a critical 3-and-D player for the Orlando Magic, but this season, he is only averaging 2.6 points and 1.4 rebounds per game on 34.2 percent shooting from the field and 30 percent from three. He is not scoring, he is not making plays, he is not rebounding, and he is not efficient. He is playing slightly above-average defense, but not enough to make up for his offensive struggles.
Guys like Jonathan Isaac or Anthony Black can struggle on offense because they are such elite defenders, but Harris is playing just above-average defense and doing nothing else positive on the court. His 15 minutes per game need to be dispersed or given elsewhere. The Magic would even be better off giving his minutes to Tristan da Silva, who, although a rookie, did play very well in a lot of the opportunities he was given, especially when the Magic's stars were hurt.
Harris’ shot is not falling, and they just cannot have him continue his play, or he is going to play them out of the play-in. Even worse than his three-point shot, Harris is shooting 16.7 percent from the mid-range as well. He is only shooting 59.1 percent from within ten feet, and he is averaging the lowest points per game of his career, even less than in his rookie year. The Magic need to give his minutes to da Silva or Jett Howard for a spark, or just shorten the rotation come playoff time, as many teams do.
1. Wendell Carter Jr.
Last on the list is Wendell Carter. With the injury to Moritz Wagner, the Magic cannot completely cut Carter’s minutes, as they should with Joseph and Harris, but they should lessen his minutes, and frankly, he should not be the starter either. As their starting center, Carter is averaging 9.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, and two assists per game on 45.9 percent shooting from the field and 23.8 percent from three. Carter has not been able to find his shot this year after being praised for improving his jump shot before the season, and he just hasn't been effective offensively.
Goga Bitazde needs to be starting. He is a better rim protector and playmaker and just has all-around been the better player this season. Bitazde should start come playoff time and get 20+ minutes per game, and Carter should be playing 10-15 backup minutes per game. Bitazde has even been a better on-ball defender this year, and that is normally where Carter thrives and earns his minutes.
Carter cannot be the team's starting center going into the Play-In Tournament. In the playoffs, when the game is slowed down and there is a lot of half-court offense, he is going to be a liability. Teams are going to let him shoot and live with him having the ball, while also being able to out-physical him. If teams are winning the rebound battle and he is a liability on offense, Carter will single-handedly take the Magic to Cancun.