The Orlando Magic have a Cole Anthony problem 

Drafted 15th overall in 2020, Cole Anthony has played his entire career with the Orlando Magic. Lately, he has been the team's sixth man, playing the most minutes outside the starting five during the 2023-24 regular season. Early in the season, he even got some attention for the Sixth Man of the Year award.

Averaging 11.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists this season, he was fine. At the same time, however, those numbers are career lows all across the board, and Anthony struggled to contribute in the playoffs. His production dropped to 5.1 points on 31.7 percent shooting from the field, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. Accordingly, his minutes decreased as well. 

Now, it seems that the Magic have a Cole Anthony problem. Orlando is a young team on the rise, and they need players who can contribute to winning basketball at the highest level. In his first playoff run, Anthony struggled to do that. 

The 24-year-old has shown flashes as a playmaker, averaging 5.7 assists as a starter in the 2021-22 season, but he still doesn't really seem to fit what the Magic need from a point guard going forward. Orlando needs players who can stretch the floor, and Anthony is not that. Over his four seasons in the NBA, he has never shot better than 36.4 percent from three, and that season seems to be an outlier so far. 

The Magic could use an upgrade 

The Magic want to compete at the highest possible level. With such a young team, that likely won't be the NBA Finals yet, but going past the first round should be possible. To get to the next level, they will need to optimize the roster, and it looks like they could use an upgrade over Cole Anthony—someone who can stretch the floor and contribute reliably in the big moments. This is not to say that Anthony is not a good player. He simply doesn't seem like the type of player that will help get the Magic to the next level. 

Finding an upgrade might not be as easy as it sounds, however. Anthony still has two years left on his $39,100,000 contract plus a team option for the 2026-27 season. After a season of struggling to stretch the floor and to have a consistent, positive impact in the playoffs, Anthony is not the most attractive trade candidate out there. So, it will likely be difficult for the Magic to move him this summer and find an upgrade via trade. 

It wouldn't be a huge disaster if the Magic carried on with Anthony as one of the main guys off the bench for another season. After all, the team just came off its first playoff appearance with this core, and there is no rush to make huge changes. A certain continuity is important as well, and there's still a chance that Anthony will put together a better season. 

In the long run, the Magic need to upgrade their sixth-man spot, however. Thus, they should already try to figure out what to do with Anthony this offseason.