3 Undeniable concerns the Magic’s core must address to start the season

2. Jalen Suggs’ growth as a playmaker

The playoffs made it clear that the Magic did not only need more three-point shooting but also more playmaking. Paolo Banchero even said that he would like to play with a table-setter. So, naturally, many of us thought that the Magic would go out and get a point guard this summer. 

Instead, they got a championship-level 3-and-D wing and handed Jalen Suggs the starting point guard spot. That means the Magic’s core will be under immense pressure. Last season, the Magic’s top-five playmakers were Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Joe Ingles, Cole Anthony, and Markelle Fultz. Fultz and Ingles are not on the roster anymore and no notable playmaker was brought in to replace their production. 

So, much of the offense will continue to run through Banchero and Wagner while Suggs will have to work to improve as a playmaker. The Magic will need him to step up in that department, especially if defenses are shutting down Banchero or Wagner or one of them is out. 

In some ways, this experiment is a great way to figure out if Suggs is ready to take the next step offensively and become more of a traditional point guard. If he can it would allow the Magic to not sacrifice any of the team’s defensive identity and that would go a long way. At the same time, this could really backfire. 

The Magic’s offense needs to be better than it was last season. Otherwise, we may see the team take a step backward rather than forward.