The Magic are sitting in ninth place with a 29-35 record. The ceiling to the season is a first-round exit to either the Boston Celtics or Cleveland Cavaliers. Orlando must turn the season's purpose to deciding who will be on the roster next season.
The Magic are going to look different next season. They need to add offense to this roster to balance out the team and take the next step. The rest of the season will be about giving opportunities for the team's role players to prove they deserve to be on the team moving forward. The team has tough decisions to make moving forward.
The Magic have important decisions to make this summer and the team has a group of players that may not make it to next season as the team tries to take things to the next level. Cole Anthony, Wendell Carter Jr., and Jett Howard are seemingly on the clock and have the rest of the season to prove themselves.
The Magic‘s role players have to finish the season on a positive note
The Magic will be in the market for a point guard this offseason to play next to Jalen Suggs. The Magic have to decide on their backup point guard moving forward. For a team in need of offense, Cole Anthony fits the offensive need off the bench. As a starter, Anthony's weakness on the defensive end is on display, and the fit next to Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner is put into question.
These concerns can be minimized when he comes off the bench. The Magic need an offensive punch off the bench and Anthony provides the skill set the Magic are looking for. This season, Anthony is averaging 9.3 points per game on 42 percent shooting from the field and 34.3 percent shooting from three. Anthony can create his own shots and get into the paint at will.
Next to a defensive guard off the bench, Anthony provides the scoring and playmaking ability Orlando is looking for. The bench unit lost this punch with Suggs' injury. Once Moe Wagner returns to the line-up, spacing in the bench unit will improve. The bench unit will balance out, and allow Anthony to fill the role the Magic need them to fill.
Other than the point guard position, the center position has been in question. All signs point to Wendell Carter Jr. Carter Jr. has not had the greatest season, averaging 8.8 points per game on 45.8 percent shooting from the field and 20.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc. Since the All-Star break, Carter Jr. has played better, averaging 10.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per game on 31.3 percent shooting from three.
The biggest question surrounding Carter Jr. has been health, and he is on pace to play 69 games this season—the most with the Magic thus far. This season has seen a regression in his three-point shot, but that statement is true across the roster. In the last two seasons, Carter has shot at least 35.6 percent from three. This is reason to believe a bounce-back season (shooting-wise) is coming for Carter Jr.
Carter Jr is the perfect archetype the Magic need at the center position—someone who can switch defensively and alter shots in the paint and spread the floor and keep the ball moving on offense. The Magic have two ball-dominant stars and need to move the ball continuously to keep defenses rotating. Carter Jr. has 18 games to prove he can be the center of the future next to Wagner and Banchero in the front court.
As the season winds down, the Magic are taking an extended look at Jett Howard. The Magic need to revamp the bench unit with shooting while keeping their defensive identity.
Jonathan Isaac can keep the Magic's bench unit together defensively. In that case, the Magic need someone to spread the floor and keep defenses honest. Howard is shooting 31.2 percent from three. That isn't good enough, plain and simple. Howard is willing to shoot, which is important, but he needs to be more efficient. Howard needs to be able to knock down shots playing alongside Isaac or defenses will continue to pack the paint.
At this point of the season, Howard is getting consistent opportunities and needs to show the ability to knock down shots with a level of consistency. As long as Howard is able to be a neutral defender and shoot the three ball there is a place on this roster for the sophomore forward.