3 Roster uncertainties the Magic must still work out in training camp
By Elaine Blum
1. Who will get back up forward minutes?
The Orlando Magic have a deep team, but not much of that depth is at the forward spots. Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero will start at the three and four, and Jonathan Isaac will get the majority of the backup power forward minutes if he is healthy.
That is set, but the question is who will get backup small forward minutes or slide to the four when Isaac misses games. The obvious answer would be Tristan da Silva. Orlando drafted him to be a role player at the forward spots, and he seems ready to contribute. Plus, he has great size and should be able to space the floor. That’s exactly what the Magic need off the bench.
And yet, the rookie has not proven that he can be a contributor at the NBA level right away. Early in the season, opponents will likely even be okay with letting him shoot and helping off of him instead.
The Magic have other options. Gary Harris, Caleb Houstan, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope could also play the three. None of them is a perfect option, though. Playing Harris or Caldwell-Pope at the small forward spots would mean giving up a lot of size and Houstan has not been a very impactful player over his two-year career.
Training camp will be the first step to figuring this out, as Tristan da Silva will get a chance to get used to his new situation and teammates.