3 Roster uncertainties the Magic must still work out in training camp
By Elaine Blum
Training camp is finally here, and with it, the countdown to the 2024-25 NBA season. For Orlando Magic players, coaches, and fans, this is an exciting time. The team has lots of potential, lots to prove, and big goals to accomplish. Several players noted at Media Day that they are not satisfied with last season’s results and want to do better this season.
Doing better could entail a lot of things. It could mean securing homecourt advantage for the playoffs, winning a playoff series, or simply figuring out some of the team’s offensive issues. The Magic’s success cannot only be measured by how many games the team wins. After all, this is still a young team looking to grow and figure things out.
Training camp is the first chance for players and coaches to get together to accomplish just that. They have improvements to make as well as lineup decisions to make and questions to answer.
3. Where does Anthony Black fit into the rotation?
Anthony Black has not played many meaningful NBA minutes yet, but fans are itching for him to step into the rotation and get a chance to develop with his NBA teammates. Not re-signing Markelle Fultz in the offseason theoretically made room for Black in the rotation.
Everyone will have to earn their minutes, though, and Black is no exception. He will have plenty of questions to answer in training camp as well as early in the season. Can he lead the second unit as the backup point guard? Can he provide enough playmaking to help Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner? Can he be a better scorer than last season?
The Magic need the answer to all of those questions to be yes. If Black is to play rotational minutes he will need to be a factor offensively. The Magic have made it clear that they want to win, which means everyone who steps onto the court has to contribute on both ends of the floor.
There’s plenty of reason for optimism that Black can do that and play backup guard minutes. Still, he will have to prove it, or we might see Jamahl Mosley go with a more veteran option like Cory Joseph.