As the Orlando Magic wrapped up their offseason, they had seemingly gone overboard in acquiring guards.
The team traded away Cole Anthony, one of the team's reliable ball-handlers and point guards, to acquire Desmond Bane -- another player who had a playmaking knack. But they quickly replaced him with a young scoring guard in Jase Richardson and then signed veteran Tyus Jones.
This made some sense. The biggest need for the Magic entering this offseason was seemingly at point guard.
But that was not the priority for this offseason. Both Richardson and Jones do not fit the Magic's mold for size and versatility. They were brought in for insurance and to bolster the team's bench. They were not meant to fill that necessary point guard role.
That would turn to Jalen Suggs. The "head of the snake" of the Magic's defense. But not a natural point guard.
A lot of the season would be riding on him. Not only his ability on defense but his ability to space the floor and manage the team as its point guard in name.
There was one thing that had to happen first. Suggs had to get back to the floor after undergoing knee surgery in February.
While that procedure was described as cleaning up loose cartilage after he suffered an injury to the trochlea in his knee, it was far more complex. Complex enough that it is uncertain whether Suggs will be available for the start of training camp.
Suggs is on the court and, at least according to photos, not wearing a brace on his knee. It is unclear whether he is playing full 5-on-5 or if the Magic are simply moving slowly with him to ensure they have him for the long haul.
What is clear is that the Magic were prepared for this eventuality. Their summer, where they added some extra guard help, will come in handy for this exact scenario.
The Magic will not be at their best without Suggs. That much is clear, too. But if the Magic have to hold the boat steady, they stocked up on players who can help fulfill their vision.
The bigger question is not whether the Orlando Magic could fill in without Jalen Suggs in the lineup, but which player will they turn to?
They have options between Anthony Black and Tyus Jones with rookie Jase Richardson able to provide some depth.
Anthony Black ready to step up?
Anthony Black was drafted as a lead ball handler who could use his size and instincts to get downhill and create for others. With his size and defensive ability, he would be able to fill in and support the team's defense. There would not be as much of a dropoff on the defensive end.
Of course, Black has rarely played point guard in the traditional sense.
According to Basketball-Reference, Black played 60 percent of his minutes at point guard. But according to data from Second Spectrum, Black averaged only 49.4 touches per game, which was well behind the Magic's main four players and even Desmond Bane with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Tyus Jones in a lineup with two heavy-usage wings in Devin Booker and Kevin Durant still averaged 61.7 touches per game in only two more minutes per game.
Black was not quite used as a point guard with the Magic.
That might suit Orlando fine. The team wants the ball in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner's hands as much as possible.
The problem is that means Black would have to be a spot-up shooter. An area he was inconsistent in last year -- in Magic wins, Black shot 40.8 percent on 2.6 3-point attempts per game, and in losses, he shot 21.7 percent on 2.4 attempts per game.
Black's growth is one of the keys to the Magic's season. But this inconsistency is why the team would likely turn to Jones to fill in for Suggs.
Why the Magic chased Tyus Jones
This delay for Jalen Suggs is certainly a suggestive reason why the Orlando Magic chased Tyus Jones in free agency. Orlando saw last year how even a middling point guard could have massive effects on the team's stability and offense.
And to be clear, Tyus Jones is a much better player than Cory Joseph.
Jones last year averaged 10.2 points per game and 5.3 assists per game for the Suns. He shot 41.0 percent from three. He did that while averaging only 1.1 turnovers per game.
Jones is an excellent game manager and shooter. He would bring stability to the lineup and keep the ball moving. He would give the team the shooting it needs.
The only concern is his defense. Jones is a willing defender, but because of his size, he would be a weak link in the chain.
It is still better than the potential alternative of Jones and Richardson, two undersized guards, playing together off the bench. Black is almost necessary to give those reserve lineups more defense and size.
The Magic still need Suggs
These are both short-term fixes. The Orlando Magic's entire plan needs a player like Jalen Suggs in the lineup.
No other guard on the Magic's roster provides the potential to fill a role offensively and be a perfect fit within the team's frenetic defensive scheme. It is not merely that Suggs is one of the best defenders in the league and an energy-raiser for the team, it is that he has shown he is a threat on offense that defenses must respect.
A big part of this season and this team is betting big on Suggs' development as a 3-and-D wing. Someone who can attack off the dribble, but also stay out of the way to let Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner lead the charge.
The Magic are not a title-contending team without Suggs.
In all likelihood, Tyus Jones would start if Jalen Suggs needed to miss time. He provides offensive balance and stability without disrupting the Magic's rotations too much. That is part of the consideration too.
Suggs is not likely to miss very long. He is on the court, after all. But the Magic seem prepared if he needs to miss some time to start the season.
They just need him for the end of the year.