Wendell Carter did not have the season he hoped for in 2025.
Carter averaged a career-low in points (9.1 per game) and a career-low in field goal attempts per game (7.2 per game). He shot a lowly 23.4 percent from three, taking away one of his key weapons.
While there is a lot of rightful focus on the guard position entering this offseason, there are at least a few calls to consider upgrading Carter's position. Even though he is still a year away from starting his three-year, $58.7 million (do not worry, there is a team option for the final year in 2029), there are those who want to see the Magic shop Carter around or more meaningfully upgrade the center position.
They may be right. Carter did not have a good season in 2025. But he did do one thing that is immensely valuable: He was a stout defender and fed perfectly into the versatile identity, even if he did not put up the counting stats that match that.
Carter's defense remains valuable and among the best on the team that was the second-best defense in the league this season.
"I think there's not a stat on here that says what his presence was on that floor," coach Jamahl Mosley said after the April win over the Atlanta Hawks that essentially clinched their postseason spot. "When he plays with that level of dominance and aggression and focus and selflessness, he brings our whole team to a different level."
That game was a hallmark for Carter. He had 17 points and nine rebounds (five offensive) with six steals and three blocks. He stepped up in a major way in that game.
Carter proved himself a strong defender throughout the season. Orlando valued him for his ability to guard the perimeter and switch onto opposing players. That became essential to their Playoff gameplan against the Boston Celtics.
While Carter did not post a ton of defensive counting numbers -- averaging a meager 7.2 rebounds per game and 0.9 blocks per game -- the team had a 107.8 defensive rating with Carter on the floor. Opponents shot 46.2 percent with Carter as the main defender, according to tracking data from NBA.com. That was 2.7 percentage points better than expected.
He had a career-best 3.0 defensive win shares and +0.9 defensive box plus-minus. Only Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Franz Wagner had more defensive win shares this season.
For a player who is not known as a rim protector and shot blocker, Wendell Carter gave up 57.2 percent shooting at the rim, a mark that trailed only Jonathan Isaac on the team and was 13th in the league among centers who averaged at least 25.0 minutes per game.
Carter continued to prove his worth with that versatility. He may not make the highlights, but he did the job for the second-best defense in the league.
"That's the beauty of the game, continuing to challenge yourself," Carter said in early April. "Switching out on guards and forwards, I love the challenge. Whether I succeed or fail, I love being out there going up against the best athletes in the world. It does take a little bit of practice, watching film, and understanding tendencies. Understanding your opposition is really huge, especially when I'm switching onto these guys and guarding all five guys throughout the game."
During the team's big run to finish the season, Carter's defensive numbers greatly improved. Opponents shot 55.6 percent at the rim against him, according to Second Spectrum, from March 8 to the end of the season.
In the Playoffs, Carter still gave up 68.2 percent shooting at the rim. He had a lot of defensive responsibilities and, while he performed well, he got picked on a bunch, too. The whole team struggled for long stretches in that series. But Carter was essential to setting a physical tone and sticking to the gameplan to eliminate Boston's 3-point shooting.
Carter became a scapegoat for many of the team's ills. He was unable to contribute much offensively. His lack of athleticism kept him from playing above the rim.
There was some life in the Playoffs when Carter averaged 10.2 points per game and 10.4 rebounds per game. But it was still clearly not enough as the Boston Celtics were comfortable isolating him on the perimeter, hitting the mid-range shots they missed against the New York Knicks.
Carter admitted he was often harsh on himself and would get into his head a lot, especially after some early misses. The Magic, an already-poor offensive team, had a 107.8 offensive rating with Carter on the floor, 1.1 points per 100 possessions worse than the team's overall average and the worst among the team's starters.
"It could have been better," Carter said during exit interviews. "As a competitor, you always feel like you can be better. I battled through some injuries that a lot of people don't even know about. I just wanted to be here for this team and my teammates and this organization. There is definitely room for improvement. I go into an offseason where I don't have to worry about getting surgeries. It will definitely take some time to get my mind, my body and my spirit back on track."
Getting healthy and having the entire offseason to train will be big for Carter to reclaim his lost offense.
Those offensive shortcomings last year remained a drain. Carter is seeking redemption next year despite achieving his goal of staying healthy throughout the entire season -- he played a career-high 68 games and played 61 consecutive games before sitting out a meaningless game at the end of the season.
But even in a season where Carter struggled to find his shot, he found a way to contribute and make an impact. He made that impact on defense, the team's unshakable backbone.
Orlando needs its offense to get into shape. The Magic are not winning in the playoffs without a dramatic offensive improvement. Carter has to find a way to contribute consistently and be a bigger offensive threat.
But Carter's defense will be the thing that carries him and this Magic team. And they have a lot to build on together.