The anticipation for the next NBA season is growing. The Magic are coming off their first playoff run in four years and a strong offseason, adding Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Tristan da Silva to be contributors next season. Next season is going to be a measuring stick for the long-term future of the team, but there are still a few questions the Magic need to answer before the season begins.
Orlando's roster is set, and preparations for the next season have begun. Still, there are issues and ideas the Magic have to work out before training camp begins and the outcomes will have a big impact on the season.
Issue #3: The rotation and bench players
The rotation will be a puzzle Jamahl Mosley has to solve from day one. The starters are likely going to be Jalen Suggs, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, and Wendell Carter Jr. The question mostly surrounds the bench unit. Several combinations would make sense at every position.
Mo Wagner, Jonathan Isaac, and Cole Anthony are likely going to retain their positions off the bench to at least start the season. However, the final wing spots are up for grabs. There are two more spots for Gary Harris, Anthony Black, Jett Howard, and Tristan da Silva to fight for.
Every one of those four players provides something different for those last two spots. Harris, who was a starter last season, provides a veteran presence on the floor and the ability to space the floor, shooting 37.1 percent from three.
Anthony Black is the best defender of the four, can hopefully grow his point guard skills—which is something the team will need down the road—and has the potential to be a solid 3-point shooter. Black shot 39.4 percent from three last season but only averaged 1.4 3-point attempts per game.
Jett Howard will provide the most on the offensive side of the ball out of this group, shooting 37.7 percent from three on 9.5 attempts last season in Osceola and showing the same skill in Summer League. Howard has the size for the defensive side of the ball, but his growth on that side of the ball will determine the amount of minutes he will earn.
Da Silva is a rookie, and Summer League has to be taken with a grain of salt, but he averaged 17.7 points per game and 58.8 percent shooting from three. He also was solid on the defensive end, drawing comparisons to Franz Wagner.
It feels there is no wrong answer here, as coach Mosley has his work cut out to make that decision to start the season. Each player provides a skill set that would help the team, and each player will get an opportunity during the year for one reason or another, but there will have to be a decision made for opening night.
Issue #2: Jalen Suggs’ role
The Magic have doubled down on Jalen Suggs being the team's starting point guard this season despite the initial expectation that Orlando would go after a more traditional point guard this offseason. Suggs was the team's lead guard to close out the season but didn't have many point guard responsibilities. This season, Suggs will likely have an increased role in the team's offense in terms of creation.
Last season was a career year for Suggs in many ways. Suggs made an All-Defensive Team and had a career year in points per game and efficiency across the board. However, last season was also a career low in assists at 2.7 per game and tied a career low in turnovers per game with 1.8. This was by design as the Magic played him off the ball, turning him into an elite 3-and-D player.
This season, the Magic will need Suggs to increase his role as a creator while limiting his turnovers. The question is by how much? The Magic will still put the ball in Wagner's and Banchero's hands, but the playoffs showed the Magic need to find spots where the Magic's young stars can work off of the ball.
To credit Suggs, he has grown as a player and has cut down the times where he attacks the rim recklessly. At the same time, he didn't get the reps as a point guard last season, so there is little gauge to guess whether or not this will work.
Suggs and Mosley will work together to make this work as well as possible. There is no true point guard on this roster, and Suggs needs to step up his game. He has improved every offseason thus far and this could be the area that sees the biggest improvement.
Issue #1: Jonathan Isaac’s workload
Last season was a success for Jonathan Isaac simply based on the number of games he played. Isaac played 58 games, which is the most since the 2018-2019 season. While up from the previous season, Isaac only played 15.8 minutes per game and 21 during the playoffs. Most importantly, Isaac left the season healthy with no setbacks.
Last season, Isaac was not playing in back-to-backs and his minutes were limited. The level that this team can reach hinges largely on how many minutes Isaac will be able to play per game and how many games he will be available for. This will fall on the team's medical staff and the plan they make for Isaac this season.
Jonathan Isaac should be unleashed this season, barring any injuries. Before mentioning stats, Isaac is one of the best defenders in the world and allows the team to play its physical brand of defense. This past season saw growth on the offensive end, as it marked his second straight season shooting at least 37 percent from three.
If Isaac can get to 65-plus games and be able to play 20 minutes per game, the Magic will likely be headed for a top-three defense next season. It would pay dividends to be able to play Jonathan Isaac without restrictions and be able to play him through the feel of the game.
Jonathan Isaac’s health may go under the radar for this coming season, but it will still be an important factor in how successful the Magic can be.