Carter Jr.'s Extension Meets Desire to Stay with Magic: 'I Wanted to Be A Part of It'

The Orlando Magic and 25-year-old center Wendell Carter Jr. agreed to a contract extension on Monday evening. "The trust that they have in this young team, I wanted to be a part of it," he said.

Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) warms up before the game against the Detroit Pistons at KIA Center. / Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Before some other key members of the Orlando Magic's young core arrived into the team, Wendell Carter Jr. was already in the fold.

When Orlando traded for Carter Jr. from the Chicago Bulls in 2021, the Atlanta native was in his age 21 season. The deal included Otto Porter Jr. and two first-round picks that the Magic later utilized to select Franz Wagner and Jett Howard, and in dealing away Nikola Vucevic, the Magic had a young center it viewed as a foundational member of its core.

Orlando extended Carter Jr. later in 2021, giving him the runway to grow as the Magic continued acquiring young talent. Three years later, with two years remaining on that new deal, Orlando and Carter Jr. agreed to a three-year extension worth $59 million.

The deal includes a team option in the final year of the contract, which runs through the 2028-29 season.

"Just wanting to be here," Carter Jr. said Tuesday after the Magic's practice in San Antonio. "I'm just super excited from where we've came from... since the three years that I've been here to where we're at now. The growth, the trust that they have in this young team, I wanted to be a part of it.

"I give a lot of credit to my agent for getting it done for me. I told him I wanted to be here long-term, however long I can be. I told him just to make it happen and that's what he did for me. I'm just glad Orlando and I could agree on something to keep me here a long time."

“Just wanting to be here. I’m super excited about where we’ve come from three years I got here… to where we are now. The trust they have in this young team… I wanted to be a part of it.”#Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. to @Josh_Cohen_NBA on his contract extension.

🎥… pic.twitter.com/baajwsZKny

— Mason Williams (@mvsonwilliams) October 8, 2024

Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) shoots the ball during the first quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Amway Center. / Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Despite dealing with year-in and year-out injury struggles, Carter Jr. has been productive in the past for the Magic. He's averaged 13.6 points and 8.8 rebounds a game over his career in an Orlando jersey, including two years of posting 15.0 points or more a game. his totals dropped in 2023-24, but his percentages didn't – posting career-best three-point and effective field goal percentages.

Carter Jr.'s new deal is similar to other deals the Magic have signed lately: team-friendly and flexible for the future. He's the latest in a line of contributors from previous Magic teams to extend their tenure with Orlando going forward, joining the likes of Moritz Wagner, Goga Bitadze, Gary Harris, Franz Wagner, and Jonathan Isaac – all of whom earned a new deal over the summer.

Orlando's philosophy has been to emphasize continuity in roster construction so long as it makes sense to do so. Because of his contributions, the Magic felt comfortable lengthening Carter Jr.'s stay with the franchise.

"I think it's a sign of the work that he has put in, one, but just the trust and the faith that we have in him and his ability to do some great things for this team," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said after Tuesday's practice.

Asked about his impact that perhaps goes unnoticed on the floor, Mosley said: "Just his presence by itself. His ability when you talk about the roll to the rims, he draws in multiple defenders to make sure they don't allow him to get the free easy lane to the basket, which now creates openings for his teammates.

"It's just those little things. His ability to space the floor, but then his communication with his teammates. He's another guy that brings the glue together with the group."

With Carter Jr. now extended, that makes it a clean sweep of new deals for the Orlando trio of centers. As mentioned earlier, Wagner and Bitadze were brought back on new deals this summer. In times when one player goes down with injury or Orlando feels it needs a change in personnel based on matchups or game situations, the Magic are in a good position to continue doing that going forward.

In particular, Bitadze mentioned he'd felt indebted to Orlando, who took a chance on him and gave his career another breath of life in the league. The camaraderie built amongst the group is evident, ad Bitadze spoke for not only himself but the whole team about Carter Jr.'s extension.

"We are all happy [for him]. He's a great guy outside of basketball, outside the court, and we are really, really excited that he's going to be with us here."

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• WCJ EXTENSION PAR FOR MAGIC'S COURSE: With a three-year, $59 million extension Monday night, Orlando solidified Wendell Carter Jr. as another core piece they'll keep around. CLICK HERE
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