So far, it seems that the Orlando Magic will be entering the 2024-25 season without a traditional point guard. They spent their cap space on wings and big men, most of which were already on the team last season. A trade or sign-and-trade for a point guard would still be an option, but only for a backup. ESPN's Chris Herring suggested the Magic should get Tyus Jones in a sign-and-trade from the Wizards to add some playmaking to the bench.
The Magic appear determined to run with Jalen Suggs as their starting point guard and continue to rely heavily on Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner to make plays for their teammates.
Even if he might have the ball in his hands a whole lot, Suggs will be a big part of any future success for this Magic team. So, let's look at three things he must bring to the starting point guard spot in 2024-25.
3. 3-point shooting
If there is one thing the Magic lack, it is reliable 3-point shooters. Even with the addition of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, the Magic do not have many proven volume shooters. Caldwell-Pope is one, and Gary Harris has shown over his career that he is a good shooter as well, even if he does not take a crazy number of threes per game.
Other than that, Jett Howard and Tristan da Silva have potential as outside threats, but neither one has shown they can do it at the NBA level. Opponents will not be overly concerned about their shooting for a while.
Suggs has shown that he can shoot the three. Last season, he shot 39.7 percent on 5.1 3-point attempts per game. Now, he has to prove that he can replicate that kind of production. He was by far the Magic's best volume shooter in the 2023-24 season.
Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are both not incredible outside shooters, especially since Wagner's shooting dropped off last season, and they need to be surrounded by players who can stretch the floor. If Suggs can do that alongside Caldwell-Pope, the Magic might be able to get away with not having a traditional point guard. Asking Banchero to create most of the offense is a lot easier when he actually has room to work with.
2. His usual pesky defense
Jalen Suggs' biggest strength is his defense, and he embodies what the Magic are all about. Last season, Orlando established itself as a gritty and strong defensive team, finishing the season with one of the best defensive ratings in the league.
Suggs is the heart and soul of that defense. He fights over every screen he possibly can, never gives up on a possession, and does all the little things. Without him, the Magic likely wouldn't be the same defensively.
Defense also seems to be one of the reasons the Magic didn't go out and get a traditional point guard. None of the players available would have fit the team's defensive identity, and the front office seems set to not move away from what made them so good last season.
So, Suggs has to keep doing what he did so well last season. The Magic might still struggle to score, but that is much less of a problem if they can keep opponents from putting up big numbers as well.
Adding Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the mix should only make the Magic better defensively. He and Suggs could very well be one of the best defensive backcourts in the league, and The Ringer's Michael Pina predicted that the Magic might take over as the league's best defensive team next season.
That all starts with Suggs at the point of attack.
1. Improved playmaking
Fortunately, being the starting point guard shouldn't be surprising for Suggs when the 2024-25 season tips off. Thus, he will have an entire offseason to prepare for the role and work on his playmaking skills.
In the past two seasons, Suggs only averaged 2.7 and 2.9 assists per game, but he was also not asked to make many plays. Ever since Paolo Banchero arrived in Orlando, he has had the ball in his hands a lot more because the Magic wanted to see what he could do as a point forward. None of that has changed much. Banchero will still have the ball in his hands a lot and make plays for his teammates.
Still, the Magic will need some kind of injury insurance. Last season, Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Joe Ingles were the Magic's three leaders in assists. Ingles is now a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and no additional playmaking has come in yet.
Last season, Banchero and Wagner were very healthy—they played 80 and 72 regular season games respectively—but there is no guarantee that they will be so lucky again. So, someone needs to be able to offer some additional playmaking, and Suggs could be that player.