5 Orlando Magic players who are getting too many minutes this season

The Orlando Magic got a taste of the playoffs last season and hope to make a deep run in 2025. They haven’t won a playoff series since 2010, but Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner give them a dynamic star duo. The Magic have tons of young talent around them and keep adding to it.

Orlando is third in the East after 19 games, despite two starters missing significant time. They have the depth to survive injuries and the top-end talent to challenge the best in the conference. Goga Bitadze is the perfect example of the next player up mentality that has the Magic believing they can compete with any team.

They have had 13 players appear in 11 or more of their first 19 games. Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr. do not make that list because of injury. Head coach Jamahl Mosley is leaning on his depth a bit too hard, and here is a look at five players who should have their roles scaled back moving forward.

5. Cole Anthony

The former starting guard and sixth man has tumbled down the depth chart with the emergence of Anthony Black. Cole Anthony has played in ten straight games but was under 11 minutes in eight consecutive before getting 27 minutes in the win over the Hornets on Nov. 25.

The 6’2 guard has struggled mightily in his diminished role. He averages 4.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 10.3 minutes per game on the season. Anthony is shooting 36.2 percent from the field and 26.7 percent on his 3-point attempts. It has resulted in negative value over replacement player (VORP) and win shares per 48 minutes production.

Anthony should be removed from the rotation. Anthony Black is the team’s first guard off the bench, and the Magic do not need Anthony’s scoring chops. It is time to move on.

4. Jett Howard

The 21-year-old is playing a limited role after a disastrous rookie season. Orlando reached for Howard in the lottery, which looked like a massive mistake last season. The 6’8 wing has improved in year two but is still not ready for prime time.

Howard averages 4.2 points and 1.3 rebounds in 10.2 minutes per game. He is shooting 39.7 percent from the field and 35.2 percent on his threes, but the Magic have a negative-5.5 net rating with him on the floor. That is the second-worst mark on the team behind only Caleb Houstan.

Jett Howard is a shooter but must offer more to be part of the Magic’s nightly rotation. The 21-year-old is not ready for minutes in the playoffs and should be dumped from the nightly mix, especially when Banchero and Carter Jr. return.

3. Tristan da Silva

Orlando selected the 6’8 wing with the 18th overall pick in the 2024 draft. The 23-year-old jumped into the rotation after Banchero’s injury and quickly worked his way into the starting five. Da Silva has averaged 7.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 26.8 minutes per game as a starter. He is shooting just 36.4 percent from the field and 27.5 percent on his 3-point tries.

The Magic are in a tricky position. They do not want to overextend Jonathan Isaac given his lengthy injury history. That leaves the franchise with less-than-ideal options. Da Silva is a stopgap until Banchero and Carter Jr. return. This has been a valuable experience for the rookie, but things must change.

Relying on a rookie starter is always dangerous in the playoffs. It is why teams often fail multiple times before breaking through. Postseason basketball is different and comes with an increased level of pressure. Tristan da Silva needs fewer minutes now and to be removed when the games matter most. He should max at 15 a night when the team gets healthy.

2. Gary Harris

Harris made six 3-pointers on opening night as the Magic blew out the Heat. It looked like it might be the start of a career year, but things have not gone as planned since. Over his next 16 games, Harris has made 11 total 3-pointers and scored just 51 points. He has been held scoreless seven times and is shooting just 40.0 percent from the field.

Harris plays stout defense but needs to make open looks. His struggles hurt the Magic in the 2024 playoffs and were a factor in their offense grinding to a halt. The 6’4 wing make four of every ten from the field and offer zero offense if he wants to remain in the postseason rotation.

Orlando should limit his run during this slump and try to find ways to snap him out of it. Harris is capable of being productive in more minutes but needs to offer something on both ends. His offense is not there and is the sole reason his minutes should go down until he finds it.

1. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

The Magic signed KCP to a three-year deal worth $66 million in the offseason to give the franchise a needed 3-and-D wing. The veteran helped the Lakers and Nuggets win championships. He was viewed as a key addition, but Caldwell-Pope is having the worst season since his rookie year.

The 31-year-old averages 6.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.3 steals in 29.6 minutes per game. He is shooting just 34.5 percent from the field and 22.4 percent on his threes. The Magic’s lack of ball-handling and shot creation has played a role, but KCP has shot under 34 percent from 3-point range in a season just once since 2017. His numbers should improve. Still, the Magic cannot play him 30 minutes every night when he is shooting this poorly.

Things will improve when Paolo Banchero returns. His gravity will open up shots for KCP and others. Caldwell-Pope’s minutes might rise when the team is healthy, but coach Mosley should limit his run during this slump. The Magic need every win to improve their playoff seed and increase their odds of making a run.

The Orlando Magic have talent and depth. They are quickly becoming a force in the Eastern Conference and this is with several players struggling or hurt. The Magic could quickly reach the next level when healthy, especially if they tighten their rotations and find more run for their players having success.