All-Star Break Report Card: Three Magic Bigs, Three Different Seasons

With 26 games left in the Orlando Magic's regular season, Magic on SI is handing out report cards for the season so far.

Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze (35) reacts in the second half against the Orlando Magic at Ball Arena. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Orlando Magic has 26 games to improve their standing in the NBA's Eastern Conference and eventual playoff seeding.

The Magic are 27-29, seventh in the East. That place would have Orlando host the No. 7-No. 8 play-in game, with the winner going on to face No. 2 Boston in a first-round playoff series.

But until April 11, much can change.

Magic on SI is handing out report cards for each player on Orlando's roster through the season's first 56 games.

Grades for the guards and forwards are complete. Here are the evaluations of Orlando's centers.

Wendell Carter Jr.

Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) controls the basketball against the Miami Heat during the third quarter at Kaseya Center. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

2024-25 stats (43 games): 8.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 45.7 FG%, 20.2 3PT%

Inconsistency is a theme for many Magic players, but perhaps no player has seen more variance in his role than Carter Jr.

There have been productive stretches, for example the eight games between Jan. 15 and Jan. 30 when he averaged a near double-double. And there have been poor stretches, such as a six-game run in December when he averaged only 4.7 points.

Overall, Carter is averaging career lows in points and field goal percentage and is shooting his lowest three-point percentage since his rookie year.

His availability has been a plus. After being sidelined for 13 games in November, he has appeared in the past 37 games. It's what the Magic are missing in those moments that's been tough to swallow.

Grade: C

Goga Bitadze

Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze (35) dunks the ball in the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. / Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

2024-25 stats (45 games): 8.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 61.4 FG%

Bitadze's sixth season is turning out to be a career best Averaging career highs across the board — points, rebounds, blocks, steals, assists, field goal percentage and so on — Bitadze has taking advcantage of more opportunities.

He's taken over as Orlando's starting center. He's turned the three-year, $25-million contract that he signed over the summer into one of the NBA's best bargains.

The Magic are 8.7 points per 100 possessions better with Bitadze on the floor, which ranks in the 90th percentile of all players.

A year filled with adversity has led Orlando to search for answers. They seem to have found one in Bitadze.

Grade: B+

Moe Wagner

Orlando Magic center Moe Wagner (21) reacts in the second quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. / Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

2024-25 stats (30 games): 12.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 56.0 FG%, 36.0 3PT%

It's hard to understate Mo Wagner's importance to the Magic.

Coach Jamahl Mosley jokes that Wagner wakes up with 10 points. His energy and demeanor earned him the nickname "Moe Swagner," or just "Swag" for short.

Wagner's season came to an end on Dec. 21 when he tore his left ACL. On top of his always reliable intensity, he had become one of the best bench weapons in the league.

Need a scoring boost? Wagner checked in. Skirmish between the two teams? Wagner was on the front line. His job was to get in opponents' heads.

Now, he's back behind the bench, taking on the role of another coach while his rehab slowly begins.

Grade: A-

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• NURKIC'S UPFRONT SUGGESTION FOR MAGIC: Hornets center Jusuf Nurkic said publicly he believes Orlando is one Portland guard away from being a really good team. CLICK HERE
• MAGIC'S DEFENSE MISSES SUGGS: Orlando is careful to not put all the onus on him, but their defense has suffered without Jalen Suggs. CLICK HERE

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