Ask any Orlando Magic fan what the biggest need for the team is, and they will tell you it has been the same for several years. And the Magic have not really found an adequate answer, even when the question has been obvious.
The Magic's point guard situation in a league that has seemingly made playmaking and creation more important than ever has been in constant flux. The team has opted for a positionless approach. But every time they grabbed a true point guard -- like Markelle Fultz or Cory Joseph -- it has greatly benefited them.
Jalen Suggs has greatly improved. He averaged a career-high in assists last year and has made strides as a passer. But there are still loads of questions about his future at the position.
Even beyond the questions that will come from the inevitable debate with Anthony Black's impending extension and the rising cost, the point guard position is in focus, from the starters to the bench.
Jase Richardson is not here to fix all of the Magic's point guard issues. The second-year guard has his own hurdles to overcome as he tries to make his way through the NBA.
He did not even enter the league as a point guard, having played off-ball at Michigan State and having been drafted for his scoring. He would seemingly add to the same issues that have plagued how the Magic have approached the point guard position for some time.
But he entered his Summer League knowing that learning to play point guard was one of the big keys to his earning more playing time when the regular season began.
His Summer League would not be judged on how many points he scored. It would be judged on how he could run the team and take on leadership. that was the consistent message to him throughout the run-up to Vegas.
At the very least, he did not look like a rookie anymore. And that is a good start as he tries to make an impact this season.
Plenty of people took note.
"Jase just looked the part in terms of the game was slow for him," Sam Vecenie said on The Game Theory Podcast. "He made good decisions constantly. He made his shots. He was able to get into the lane when required. I thought he was effective."
Richardson finished his Summer League with 18.3 points per game in three games. He shot 20 for 37 from the floor and 7 for 14 from three. He had 14 assists against seven turnovers, and four of those turnovers came in the final game, with three in the fourth quarter.
Richardson had his burst game to close Summer League, scoring 25 points against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Nobody doubted he could score. But it is how he fits in as a point guard that will determine his playing time.
The battle at point guard
Jase Richardson's path to playing time is not set in stone either.
Richardson's Summer League gets him in the conversation. But it is just Summer League. It is merely proof of concept, not something certain.
Richardson will be fighting for playing time in a crowded but flawed group of point guards.
Jalen Suggs will still be the point guard. He has done nothing to lose the job to anyone else on the roster. He is the best playmaker and creator among the Orlando Magic's guards. Anthony Black averaged a mere 3.7 assists per game last year.
Orlando's offensive system will likely still depend on everyone pulling their weight with playmaking and passing. It is fair to think Paolo Banchero will lead the team in assists this season.
Behind him, the team seems set to rely on veteran guard Jevon Carter.
Carter joined the team late last season and made his mark simply by being willing to shoot and look for his own scoring more than the team's free agent acquisition, Tyus Jones, did. He was far more willing to impact the game.
Carter averaged 7.2 points and 2.3 assists per game in 20.4 minutes per game in 30 appearances with the Magic last season. He shot 40.2 percent from the floor and 33.6 percent from three on 4.6 attempts per game.
Carter made his mark in college and in the early part of his career as a hard-nosed defender. Despite being a smaller guard, he could apply pressure full court pressure effectively.
Richardson is still growing defensively. And he is not as physically strong defensively. That is why Carter likely will hold down the starting spot. But Richardson should make an argument and pressure for minutes.
The hope, at a minimum, is that the Magic can turn to him when injuries inevitably hit. That will be Richardson's proving ground.
Richardson's versatility?
If Jase Richardson has an advantage, it is that he clearly has more offensive skills. He is a more creative finisher and can get off his own shot. His scoring instincts and potential are greater.
Richardson could even do that in his limited time on the court during his rookie year.
Richardson averaged 4.4 points per game in just 10.9 minutes per game and 54 appearances. In 21 games where he played at least 12 minutes, he averaged 7.6 points per game. He scored at least 10 points in seven of the nine games he played at least 20 minutes.
His Summer League proved he had the composure to put those skills on display while adding to the skills he will need as a young guard.
"I like that he showed the full range of being able to knock down threes off the dribble, would hit his tough stepback, but also off the ball he could hit catch and shoot threes or stampede attack for a finish and get all the way to the rim and also show the passing ability," Bryce Simon said on The Game Theory Podcast. "They also used him as a short roll player. He never actually got the touch, but I found myself watching those possessions. What could some of this stuff look like if they were playing with the starting lineup?"
That versatility to be a shooter and used in other ways is what makes him intriguing.
For as much as the Magic need a traditional point guard and game manager to relieve some pressure, they are also still a unique team with ball-handling forwards. The Magic needed to find more ways to deploy Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner on the ball and put defenders in odd scenarios.
Using a guard as a screener who can pop out to the 3-point line or even be a slasher and catch the ball on the run as a roller is something different.
Richardson still must overcome his size to make his impact on defense. But that he can be such a great scorer off the ball and fill in as a point guard is one of the reasons why the Magic drafted him last year. It is how they want to see him grow.
Richardson will not solve the Magic's point guard dilemma. But he can be part of the team's answer this season. Summer League at least provided some proof that he can step up to the plate.
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