The Orlando Magic need a point guard.
That is the common refrain that has run through the Magic's offseason since even before Jameer Nelson was drafted. Probably since Anfernee Hardaway was the team's lead guard.
Finding a quality point guard that lasts is hard business. But is vital to a championship team's success.
Yet, it has always seemed the missing piece. Ever since Paolo Banchero said after the Magic's 2024 run that he would like to see the team add shooting and a true facilitator. The Magic have not done much of either -- cycling through Kentavious Caldwell-Pope before finding Desmond Bane to at least deliver an elite shooter.
The point guard position still remains a question mark for the Magic, even when it is filled by a player long considered a core piece. It is still the biggest focus and biggest question mark for this team.
The struggles this past season and especially in the Playoffs ultimately fell to Jalen Suggs.
It is his contract that seems to weigh the heaviest, particularly with his offensive inconsistencies and his frustrating playoff performance. It is Suggs who seems to be a fish out of water, an off-guard still developing as a catch-and-shoot threat, trying to learn and grow as a point guard.
With the stakes this high -- and the team's payroll adding up -- much of the attention and pressure is falling on Suggs to fill this important role.
The Magic will likely still depend on Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner for much of their playmaking. But while Suggs had his ups and downs this season, one thing flew under the radar that could provide hope this coming season:
Suggs greatly improved his passing. And that is at least an indicator of one of the more important skills a point guard brings.
What can happen with a healthy offseason for him -- something he did not have last season as he was not fully cleared to play until opening night?
One way or another, all eyes are on Suggs this season. He is the turning point between a Magic team that can compete at the top of the East and one that is stuck in the middle or back of the postseason pack.
Suggs' passing improvement
There are criticisms of Jalen Suggs, including his ability to run the team or his skills as a point guard. But there is no denying that Suggs improved in at least some of the indicators of a good point guard.
His passing took a major leap last year, signified by his first triple-double in a 15-11-11 game in a February win over the Brooklyn Nets and a career-best six games with at least 10 assists.
Suggs averaged a career-high 5.5 assists per game against 2.7 turnovers per game. He had an 11.5 percent assist-to-pass ratio, according to Second Spectrum. He also had 47.4 passes made per game, the second-most on the team.
That compares to 3.7 assists per game, a 7.9 percent assist-to-pass ratio and 46.8 passes made per game in 2025 and 2.7 assists per game, an 8.5 percent assist-to-pass ratio and 32.3 passes made per game in 2024.
That is quite a leap, even in terms of just pure efficiency of making his passes lead to baskets.
Still, most of the elite starting point guards are averaging much more.
The Utah Jazz's Kennedy Chandler completed the 15th-most passes per game at 53.4. LaMelo Ball was 15th in the league with 7.1 assists per game. And, among players who averaged at least 24 minutes per game, Ball averaged a 14.5-percent assist-to-pass ratio.
Suggs is not an elite point guard. He still has the passing profile of a secondary playmaker.
Still these are all encouraging numbers. And they are not the only encouraging numbers out there on Suggs' passing.
With our Player Card Tool you you can see any players top 10 metrics.
— BBall Index (@The_BBall_Index) July 8, 2026
Jalen Suggs had a great passing season. He was 25th in Playmaking Talent, thanks in part to finishing 1st in Passing Versatility pic.twitter.com/bkVB0eiMgQ
Passing versatility measures the different kinds of passes that a player makes. Passing creation quality measures the expected effective field goal percentage on potential assists generated based on shot quality.
It would make sense that the Magic might have plenty of quality passes and missed shots with their offensive struggles. Suggs averaged 8.5 potential assists per game, according to Second Spectrum, ranking second on the team behind Paolo Banchero.
Even in ESPN Analytics' NBA Player Fingerprint, Suggs rated as a positive passer. He ranked in the 84th percentile, adding 0.85 points per 100 possessions than league average with his passing.
Suggs was not leaned on to be a primary playmaker or creator. But he clearly made some strides in that category. And the hope is he can continue growing.
Still trouble and places to improve
Of course, there is still trouble. And a lot is riding on Jalen Suggs' continued development as a point guard.
The passing took a major leap. But his turnovers and composure remain a major concern.
He had five games with five or more turnovers and 12 games with four or more turnovers. They were not a runaway problem, but Suggs would have moments where he would lose his cool and try to hit home runs when he needed to make simple passes and plays.
Suggs has a constant problem of playing overzealously.
The game managing and organization are still the point guard skills Suggs can struggle with. And that is where he must grow.
That was on display in the Playoffs, where he struggled with everything after his solid Game 1 showing. He averaged 4.1 assists per game against 3.0 turnovers per game. He averaged only 7.6 potential assists per game with a 7.2 percent pass-to-assist ratio.
Suggs had a series-high seven assists in the disastrous Game 6 loss. But he also had five turnovers in that game. He only had one turnover in Game 1 and Game 5, but then at least three in every other game in the series.
The Playoffs made it clearer how much Suggs needed to be efficient. And how much he let his frustrations and struggles impact every part of his game.
A great point guard is not just a good passer. He is a metronome of composure. And that is where Suggs still needs to grow.
But like the Magic's young stars who deserve time to explore their canvas and continue to improve, the Magic clearly believe Suggs is someone they should stay invested in and allow him to respond to the frustrations from last season.
He did take a major step as a passer. Orlando is clearly betting on another major leap and that he will learn from where things went wrong this season.
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