There is a lot that gets lost in the conversation around the Orlando Magic.
They are often talked about like a team at the end of their journey. A team on its last legs.
Yes, the Magic have bowed out of the first round in the last three years. They are near the end of their journey in that they are capped out and have few ways to improve the roster without internal development. Even then, retreating from the aprons is likely a good idea.
But it is not like the Magic have to make a massive retreat. It is not like they have to make big decisions about their core players. Everyone is young enough to try again.
And that is the main point: This Magic team is still young. Very young. Among the youngest teams in the league.
The team's two stars are still entering their primes -- Franz Wagner turned 25 this summer and Paolo Banchero turns 24 in December. There is still plenty of growth on the horizon. There is no reason to rush to give this plan up.
The question for the Magic should not necessarily be about their future. It should be about how to maximize their present.
Jeff Weltman has built a team focused on its youth. He has not signed or acquired many veteran players. The kind of stabilizing players who can help a young team get by.
That was part of the role that the Magic brought Jevon Carter in to fill last year. Carter instantly became one of the oldest players on the team at 30 years old. He is now one of two players older than 30 on the team, alongside Nikola Vucevic.
That might mean that they are starting to slow down. And the Magic are expecting both Carter and Vucevic to provide a boost off a struggling bench. But it also means they come with a lot of wisdom. They come with the potential for stability.
Both Carter and Vucevic appear set to play big roles for this team.
Neither will start. But both should be coming off the bench to stabilize a bench group that struggled last year. And both should be a good voice in the locker room.
Carter had his ups and downs and never quite got his footing last year, but he still made a positive impact for the Magic. Certainly enough for the Magic to bring him back for a full year.
Even with Jase Richardson and his potential offensive boost waiting in reserve, Jevon Carter will play a key role for the Magic this season.
Carter's stability
Jevon Carter's arrival in Orlando last February felt like a breath of fresh air.
Almost immediately, Carter's willingness to hunt his own shot and aggressively shoot felt like a relief for a team that could seem stuck in the mud at times. Carter sometimes took it too far, but the Magic needed more players who were willing to go for their own scoring.
In 30 appearances with the Magic last year, Carter averaged 7.2 points per game and shot 40.2 percent from the floor, with most of his shots coming from three where he shot 33.6 percent from deep.
Carter has built his reputation as a bulldog defender. That is what he did at West Virginia. And that has been part of what has helped him have a prolonged NBA career.
Impact stats might be missing -- the Magic had a negative rating with Carter on the floor with a worse offense and defense. It was part of a bench group that struggled mightily last season. But Carter felt like a boost for the team throughout his short stint.
Carter was certainly willing to take shots too. He had six games last year, taking 10 or more field goal attempts. That aggression was refreshing. But he still must be more efficient.
Carter did not play much in the Playoffs, though, logging 11 of his 13 minutes in Game 7 and appearing in only three games. He got forgotten at the end of the season.
The Magic never really maximized him. They never put the guardrails on him to make the most of him as a spot-up shooter, his biggest offensive and shooting strength, as he played a lot more on the ball.
Carter will likely start the year as the backup guard. But he will feel pressure from Jase Richardson as he enters his second season.
But Carter's role likely goes beyond what he can give on the court, as much as the Magic need a boost and a lift there.
Veteran guidance
The Orlando Magic's de-emphasis of veterans during this rebuild has not held the team back. But the stabilizing presence of veterans in the locker room remains vital for this team.
Joe Ingles was a big factor as the team broke through to the playoffs in 2024. Moe Wagner might not be the oldest player, but he had been around the league long enough that he could speak with some authority in the locker room. The calm and experience from Markelle Fultz and Cory Joseph were valuable to the team.
Even if they could not give the Magic everything they needed, their presence was vital.
Desmond Bane took on a big chunk of that role, being a voice of calm in a chaotic season. He certainly kept it real with the media and that surely was similar with his teammates.
Orlando needs that veteran poise and calm in the locker room as much as the team needs it on the court. That was an area where Jevon Carter's addition was valuable last year. He immediately became a voice and a player the team could lean on.
The addition of Nikola Vucevic should also give this perspective and voice, too. Orlando needs that experience shared with everyone to accomplish what they want to accomplish.
Carter does not have to do anything crazy or loud to be successful. The Magic need players who understand their roles and just do their job.
That is something Carter has done throughout his career. It is what the Magic expect of the veteran guard as he prepares for another season.
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