It was only slightly notable when Jett Howard came driving through the lane for a thunderous dunk in the first half of the Orlando Magic's preseason opener.
The Magic used him as a catch-and-shoot specialist, leaning on the 3-point shooting that helped him get on NBA radars. More than 80 percent of his shots were jumpers, and two-thirds of those were catch-and-shoot threes. Nearly 90 percent of his jumpers were 3-pointers, and more than 70 percent of his field goal attempts per 3-pointers.
The only problem was that he did not hit those threes. He made only 29.6 percent of his threes overall last season.
Howard got lost in the shuffle. Even with all the injuries the Magic had, he struggled to get playing time. His spurts of consistent playing time were short-lived. Either his shot did not fall or he struggled to maintain the team's defense.
Howard's burst to the basket in Saturday's game, where he took the ball in the corner and attacked a closeout toward the middle for a jam, was a statement of what he can still be. A 3-point shooting threat who can leverage that attention to find gaps. A plus-sized driver who might still be a better playmaker.
All Howard needs is a chance. And once again, preseason is his chance.
Ahead of a critical third season, Howard is still trying to prove he belongs and prove his spot. By all accounts, he has turned in a good training camp. But his preseason play matters more than most as he tries to crack an established rotation and team again.
Another strong preseason
Jett Howard was quietly one of the stars of the Orlando Magic's preseason opener against the Miami Heat.
He scored 10 points and had two assists, shooting 4 for 8 for the game. In the first half, he was the only player off the Magic's bench to record a field goal. In a stretch where the Magic seemed to struggle, Howard was the lone player finding much room on offense.
The potential from Howard has been pretty obvious in that game against the Heat. But he has also stood out in training camp. He is one of the young players the Magic have noted who has taken a step up.
"I think Jett made a big jump over the offseason," Franz Wagner said after a practice this week. "It wasn't always easy for him here with a lot of guys playing his position. I thought he had a great game and a great camp as well."
Howard has had his share of big preseason moments before.
He shined in last year's preseason, averaging 11.7 points per game and shooting 41.2 percent from three. That scoring average trailed only Paolo Banchero last year. It felt like, even though Howard surely got more playing time because of the nature of the preseason, the second-year forward was going to give the Magic some boost.
Instead, Howard struggled to break through. He only averaged 11.7 minutes per game in 60 games last year.
He played in 20 minutes in only eight games last year. He averaged 11.0 points per game and shot 16 for 57 (28.1 percent) from three. The Magic went 3-5 in those games.
It is hard to pinpoint when Howard got his most consistent playing time. He could not establish a rhythm and had a quick hook when he struggled on defense. That is certainly part of his story. He did not get much time to establish a rhythm before he was out of the rotation.
But it is also fair to say he has done little with his opportunity to cement his playing time.
And that is the challenge ahead of him in the preseason. This is his opportunity to show growth and demand playing time. He has to be ready to take his chance when it comes.
A long road ahead
But Franz Wagner is right too. Jett Howard came to a roster with veterans at his position. Without a consistent 3-point shot, ostensibly what got Howard drafted, it has been hard for him to breakthrough.
Even with several of those players gone, it is still an uphill battle for minutes. Jett Howard must battle Anthony Black and Tristan da Silva for minutes on the wings. They are also young players, but players who have made a clearer impact on the team.
Howard has to prove he cannot be ignored on a team that is still seeking shooting options, but still values defense over all else.
It is a critical season for Howard. The Magic have until Oct. 31 to decide whether to pick up his fourth-year team option on his rookie contract. If he has no shot at playing time or a rotation role, the Magic may cut bait and make this a lame-duck season for him.
Even if he gets that option picked up, the Magic are under pressure to win more immediately. Every player has to play their role. And Howard would enter the final season of his rookie contract without potentially being a consistent rotation contributor.
It is unclear what the Magic will do.
But that is also an opportunity. It is a chance for Howard to use this preseason and the early part of the season to prove why the Magic invested so much in him. It is a chance for him to prove himself.
No player may have more to play for in the preseason and in these exhibition games than Howard. There is a lot of opporutnity and plenty to prove.
He has at least made some impression. It is clear to see he has improved, even if it is just a little bit. The question will be whether he has shown enough to crack the opening rotation or be ready when his number is inevitably called again.