Is the Orlando Magic Guard Rotation Sustainable?

Will the Orlando Magic trade away some of its backcourt players, such as Jalen Suggs or Cole Anthony, or can the team make the minutes work?

ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic has a deep guard rotation heading into this season, featuring five first-round picks out of the six players, but what will its rotation look like?

Through four preseason games, the Magic only had one game where all six guards on the depth chart played, which was on Oct. 17 against the New Orleans Pelicans. 

Markelle Fultz started at point guard in that game and played 20 minutes, while Jalen Suggs started and played 19 minutes.

Should the Orlando Magic continue to split minutes amongst their guards like the team has shown in the preseason? / © Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Fultz and Suggs are former top-five selections who experienced slow starts to their careers but have seemingly found a role to excel in with Orlando last season. 

Fultz may not be the score-first point guard that he was projected to be coming out of Washington, but he looked like a great fit as a facilitator last season when he averaged 5.7 assists and helped lead the Magic to wins. 

On the other hand, Suggs has established himself as a defensive anchor in Orlando, but if the team needs offense, it doesn't seem like they'll lean on him, considering he's only under 40 percent for his career. 

Cole Anthony has just signed a new contract for three years worth 39 million dollars, making him the veteran sixth man on the Magic and an established bucket-getter who's proven he can put up over 14 points per game for his career. In his 16 minutes against the Pelicans, he shot 2-2 and scored six points with a positive plus-minus. 

Before signing an extension, Anthony was someone many thought could be traded this season, but now it appears as if he's there to stay. 

Backup shooting guard Gary Harris may now be the preferred veteran for Orlando to trade. Although he shot over 43 percent from three last season, with the additions of shooters like Joe Ingles and Jett Howard this offseason onto the wing, Harris may not have as clear a defined role in the future. However, he did receive 18 minutes worth of playing time against New Orleans and scored 10 points.

Where things get interesting is the third-stringers. 

While Caleb Houstan may not receive significant minutes as the lone guard of the group to be a second-round pick, he received 11 minutes and had a negative court presence (-11) against the Pelicans. Rookie Anthony Black has higher expectations. 

Black played 13 minutes in the game and didn't impact it much in his time out there, but he is the future. The Magic invested the sixth overall pick into the 6-7 point guard, and his size, athleticism, defense, and playmaking were already showcased in the NBA Summer League. However, his shot leaves more to be desired. 

Rather than have two facilitating guards in Fultz and Black, it would make sense for Orlando to give Black playing time to hone his scoring to earn a more prominent role in the franchise's future. 

On paper, the Magic has proven that it can find ways to get all six guards minutes, but with a top-six pick currently sitting at third on the depth chart, the team's rotation remains one to monitor as they balance developing their blue-chip youth.