Last year, Cole Anthony was one of the best bench players in the NBA, but this season, Anthony has not gotten off to the same hot start as he did last year. Anthony is having one of the worst starts to the season in his career, and the Magic, who are eager to compete, have almost knocked him out of the rotation completely, waiting for him to get back to his old self. What we have seen from Anthony so far this season is incredibly unlike the player Magic fans got to know over the past few years and seems rather unreal.
Cole Anthony played 22.4 minutes per game and averaged 11.6 points per game on 43.8 percent from the field and 33.8 percent from three last year. He was a huge contributor on the path to the Magic's first playoff run since 2020. This year, through 13 games, Anthony is playing just 10.1 minutes per game and averaging 3.9 points on 33.3 percent from the field and 26.1 percent from three.
It all started in the Magic’s opening game in which Anthony had 0 points on 0-7 shooting from the field, 0-5 from three, with 6 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 turnovers in 18 minutes. Anthony looked out of rhythm and like he was giving minimal effort on both sides of the ball.
Anthony seemed almost disinterested without the ball and showed no off-ball movement, and his defense was lackluster as well. Swiping at the ball instead of trying to stay in front of his guy. This bad game turned into a bad month. In the month of October Anthony averaged 2 points, 2.8 assists, and 2.3 rebounds per game on 18.8 percent from the field, and 10 percent from three in 14 minutes per game.
In November, Anthony is averaging 8.3 minutes per game, and he hasn't played more than 15 minutes in a game yet this month. Anthony has played 12 minutes over the Magic's last three games, and put up 2 points over those games. He is having a better month, averaging 4.8 points per game on 40.6 percent shooting from the field and 38.5 percent from three, but this is in a much smaller sample size, and it is still unimpressive for someone who usually averages double-digit scoring.
Anthony has been flat all around offensively. His 3-point shot is not falling, he does not shoot many mid-range shots, and he is shooting 25 percent from within 3 feet. He can not get his shot to fall at any level. Anthony has also not been a good creator, he mainly creates for himself, so with his shot not falling he has been a liability on both sides of the floor.
Anthony's poor play is definitely the main reason that he has fallen out of the rotation, but it is also because the Magic no longer rely on him to remain competitive. The Magic are looking to get back to the playoffs, and with Banchero getting injured early it is really important that they still win as many games as possible until his return.
This means that the Magic need their best players on the court at all times, and right now that is not Cole Anthony. Anthony's lack of production has opened up the door for second-year guard Anthony Black, and he is having a fantastic start to the season. Black is averaging 8.5 points, 4.3 assists, 2.9 rebounds, 1 steal, and almost 1 block in 24.8 minutes per game on 42.3 percent from the field and an improving 30.6 percent from deep.
Anthony Black has stepped up during Cole Anthony’s struggles
Although Black isn't the scorer that Anthony was last year off the bench, he is doing a little bit of everything, and he is one of the Magic's best perimeter defenders. Black is very athletic and has been a terrific finisher this year, taking good shots while still being aggressive when he needs to be. He is also third on the team in assists and is more about getting his teammates involved rather than creating for himself.
All that offensive production combined with active hands and a high IQ on defense has made him the go-to guard off the bench so far this season. Black is even coming off what might be the best game of his career with 20 points, 9 assists, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals on 5-10 from the field, 3-5 from three in 33 minutes in a win against the Suns. A game where Anthony played 3 minutes, had 0 points, missed a free throw, and recorded 1 assist.
This means that he is fighting for the other backup guard spot, and right now Gary Harris is winning that spot. Harris is another player that is struggling a little bit offensively to start the season. In just over 16 minutes per game, Harris is averaging 3.5 points and 1.5 rebounds on 35.6 percent shooting from the field and 35.3 percent from three. Although Harris is struggling slightly, he won this spot because he is still a better three-point shooting option than Anthony right now and he is way better defensively.
This leaves Anthony as the Magic’s fifth option at guard, and he is not really providing on either end. Anthony has already recorded 6 games in which he played less than 10 minutes which is a lot more than his total of one game in which he played less than 10 minutes last season. Anthony has less than 5 points in 9 of his 13 games, and he only has 2 games with more than 2 assists.
However, regardless of Anthony’s struggles his season is nowhere near over yet. There will come a time when the Magic need a spark off the bench, and they look to Anthony again. If he can start getting in rhythm, move the ball well, and get some stops, he could see his minutes go back up. He just has to stay ready and not let his disappointing play discourage him and mess up the rest of his season.
It is still early in the season and Anthony has plenty of time to rediscover the scoring and playmaking Magic fans have seen so far in his young career. This does not mean that we cannot call a spade a spade and say that Anthony is having a horrific start to the season, and not only his play needs to be better but his engagement and effort as well. He has even admitted it himself.
If the fifth-year guard does not improve his play and is still getting outworked by Black, we could see Anthony's name in trade rumors come February. He could be a piece in a bigger trade if the Magic need to acquire someone at the deadline to give them that second-half push.
Anthony only has 1 more year left on his contract, and if the Magic feel that they do not need to bring him back, they may try to acquire assets for him before it is too late. If Anthony wants to continue to play and contribute to this young Magic squad that is on the rise, his play needs to get better.
Either way the Magic have reason for optimism. Cole Anthony can still figure things out and if his time in Orlando does indeed come to an end this season, Anthony Black’s emergence is something to be excited about.