2 Magic players who deserve a larger role this season, 2 who could lose minutes

Could lose minutes: Gary Harris

Gary Harris was one of the few veterans and proven 3-point shooters on last season’s roster. That role came with a lot of responsibility and when Harris had a bad shooting night, the Magic often struggled offensively. 

Shooting 37.1 percent from three, his percentage was fine but it was also not mind-blowing. In the playoffs, it dropped to 31.8 percent and his poor shooting when it mattered the most had many fans thinking that his time in Orlando was up. 

Instead, the Magic re-signed him to come off the bench behind Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Not being the only respected shooter on the team anymore and playing a smaller role should help Harris. 

The addition of Caldwell-Pope may not be the only reason for Harris losing minutes, though. If one of the young guys shows that they are ready for meaningful NBA minutes or the coaching staff decides that they have to develop them now, Harris might just be the one who will have to sacrifice time on the court. 

Or, if Harris’ bad shooting from the playoffs carries over, Jamahl Mosley could decide to play someone else instead. The Magic cannot afford to have too many players who cannot hit threes in the rotation. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner need to be surrounded by floor-spacers. If Wagner cannot fix his 3-point shot and Banchero does not take a step forward in that department, everyone else needs to be able to shoot. 

This is not to say that Harris should lose minutes. Playing their veterans is the Magic’s best chance to win and make some noise in the east. But if Harris does not live up to expectations or someone else exceeds expectations, we could see his minutes go down.