As the Orlando Magic prepare for a season with grand ambitions, all eyes are on Jalen Suggs and a hopeful return to the 2023-24 form he displayed as a shooter. It's an expectation that may be lofty, but is founded in both need and history.
With a vastly improved depth chart and the addition of the backcourt scoring threat Orlando needed, Suggs' jump shot is the final ingredient for a true contender to emerge.
The Magic have bolstered their backcourt by acquiring Desmond Bane, Tyus Jones, and Jase Richardson. Bane is a proven commodity who has averaged 21.1 points and 5.0 assists over the past three seasons, while Jones is the king of the assist-to-turnover ratio with a career mark of 5.43.
Richardson is an incoming rookie who may require time to develop, but his elite jump shot and craftiness as a scorer offer ample reason for optimism.
In terms of returning talent, both Anthony Black and Jett Howard have shown flashes of being able to provide high-level minutes. With a top-tier frontcourt of Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr., and Franz Wagner leading the way, Orlando's guards may finally be strong enough to round a contender into form.
For as intriguing as that all may be, the Magic will be operating under a shorter ceiling than they should be if Suggs fails to reemerge as a top-tier 3-and-D guard.
Magic need Jalen Suggs to return to elite 3-and-D status to contend
It wasn't long ago that Suggs established himself as one of the best 3-and-D players in the NBA. He turned in a stellar 2023-24 campaign, averaging 12.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.4 steals, and 2.0 three-point field goals made on .471/.397/.756 shooting.
Suggs earned All-Defensive Second Team honors for his versatility and consistency in on-ball and off-ball situations, all the while shooting at an elite rate from beyond the arc.
That's the level Orlando needs Suggs to get back to in 2025-26, particularly with an opportunity to build one of the best backcourts in the NBA. Bane hasn't yet been an All-Star, but he's on the shortlist of the best players who haven't yet received that distinction.
An elite three-point shooter who can create for himself and others while defending at a more than respectable level, Bane could form the two-way backcourt of Orlando's dreams with Suggs.
Unfortunately, Suggs has shot 32.7 percent or worse from beyond the arc in three of his four NBA seasons. Injuries played a factor in each of those years, however, as he missed at least 29 games in all three of his inefficient campaigns.
When Suggs shot 39.7 percent from beyond the arc in 2023-24, however, he appeared in 75 games—thus implying that he can be relied upon as a shooter when healthy.
Considering he's still just 24 years of age, it's also important to remember that Orlando likely hasn't seen the best version of Suggs quite yet. If 2023-24 is a sign of things to come, then that's a compelling thought. That year, he shot 40.7 percent on catch-and-shoot threes and 37.8 percent on pull-up attempts.
If Suggs can emulate the volume and efficiency with which he shot in 2023-24 while continuing to defend at an elite level, he and Bane can elevate Orlando to new heights.