Tristan da Silva had one request from his team and one goal in his run with the Orlando Magic at Summer League: To be aggressive.
The Magic wanted to see him be assertive and confident on a team filled with rookies and players itching to get into the league. Da Silva had his spot on the roster secured. The team wanted to see how much more he could be, in addition to seeing his efficiency improve.
Looking at the Magic's depth chart, it does feel like they will need to get something out of their second year forward. They will need more consistency from deep and the occasional attack on the basket.
Orlando is not coming out of Summer League believing da Silva is a future All-Star. But he looked like he could play a more expanded role after filling in as a starter throughout his rookie year.
That was supposed to be it for da Silva's summer. He was supposed to go back to his corner and work on his game ahead of training camp.
The surprise came earlier this week when Germany named da Silva to their training camp roster. Da Silva, it seems, will get a second summer run and a chance to show he can play a role for an established, championship-ready team.
Where Summer League was a chance to show how much da Silva has developed individually, a run with the German national team at Eurobasket would show how ready da Silva is to contribute to a championship-level team.
That could prove to be just as vital for the Magic.
Tristan da Silva's game has clearly grown
Tristan da Silva turned in a solid rookie season for the Orlando Magic, averaging 7.2 points per game and shooting 33.5 percent in 74 appearances. He made 38 starts, averaging 9.2 points per game and shooting 31.0 percent from three in those starts.
The majority of those starts came when both Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner were out. As the Magic got healthier later in the season, da Silva fell out of the rotation. He played only five total minutes in the Playoffs, appearing in two games.
That is not a sign the Magic gave up on da Silva. Rookies get squeezed out of rotations, he hit the rookie wall a bit and his shooting became a bit unreliable. There was something there to keep building on though.
Orlando's changes this offseason shifted the rotation a bit. And it cleared a path for him to find a role. The Magic just needed to see if he could step into that role.
Summer League provided a preview. Da Silva largely showed improvement in his time in Las Vegas.
He averaged 18.5 points per game and shot 14 for 28 from the floor and 5 for 13 (38.5 percent) from three in two games. He added 12 total rebounds and six assists. Even his nine total turnovers signified how aggressive he was and his determination to make things happen, even if he had to force it.
The Magic looked confident that they could get something out of da Silva this season.
Of course, da Silva took on more of a starring role with the Summer League roster. He got his share of jumpers and shots similar to his run with the main roster. But defenses had a lot more attention on him.
Orlando wanted to use Summer League to see how much da Silva has grown. And he has grown.
But that is not the big thing they need to see.
Tristan da Silva's chance at Eurobasket
The problem with analyzing Summer League stats and analyzing play in Summer League is how important context is. Tristan da Silva was essentially the best player on the Orlando Magic's Summer League roster. He got more defensive attention and more on-ball responsibility than he normally would with the main roster.
All of that will be valuable. But that is not what the Magic will ask him to do when he joins the main roster. If da Silva is going to get a rotation spot, he needs to fill gaps, space the floor with his shooting and defend well.
Da Silva showed a lot of that in his time at Summer League. The Magic should have left with more confidence.
But nothing would replace the opportunity in front of da Silva with the German national team. Playing for Germany at Eurobasket would be a chance for da Silva to fill the exact role he would play with the Magic in a high-pressure, high-stakes team.
Germany has the same ambitions as the Magic this season. They expect to win Eurobasket.
Tristan Da Silva would play a similar role, helping spread the floor and fitting in on defense while stars like Franz Wagner and Dennis Schroder set others up.
Making the German national team will not be easy. And it is just as likely that da Silva is on the roster to begin his introduction to the national team program with an eye on adding him for the 2027 World Cup. This Germany team has been together for much of the last four seasons and they all know their roles with each other, even with a new coach taking the helm.
Still, da Silva would help. And if he is ready to take on the role the Magic have in mind for him, he should be ready to step into that same role for the national team.
There is still a lot for the Magic to discover and learn about their new young player. And the Magic are certainly eager to see how much da Silva has grown within the context of their new team.
When Germany plays its first game on Aug. 8 against Slovenia, the Magic will get to see da Silva in a much better context for their team. And they will know just how deep their roster is.