5 Young players the Orlando Magic should develop, 3 to give up on
By Tyler Watts
Give up: Cole Anthony
Seeing a drop in minutes is always a negative sign for a young player. Anthony was the 15th overall pick in 2020 and played a career-low 22.4 minutes per game last season. His run dipped further in the playoffs. Anthony is clearly a reserve guard with limited upside.
He still averaged 11.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 0.8 steals per game. The 24-year-old regressed to a 33.8 percent 3-point shooter and made just 43.5 percent from the field. Those steps back coupled with his decrease in playing time should have Orlando exploring their options.
Anthony has two years and $26 million guaranteed on his contract. The Magic also have a team option for the 2026-27 season at $13.1 million. The option will be below the mid-level exception, so there should be no issues in moving on if Orlando can find a team that believes Anthony can fill a larger role.
It is time for the Magic to prioritize other options. They know what Cole Anthony is at this stage. The 6’2 guard is a score-first player who struggles with efficiency. Anthony Black or Tristan da Silva offer more to Orlando, especially with Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero taking on additional ball-handling and creation responsibilities. The Magic should look to trade Anthony as part of a package for a starting center.