Predicting the Orlando Magic's 5 Biggest Potential Stock-Risers This Season

Due to the nature of their youth and situation, the Orlando Magic have several young players who could take the next step in the 2024-25 NBA season. Who of the bunch has the best chance to increase their stock?

Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (4) drives for a shot against Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Orlando Magic enter the 2024-25 NBA season in a unique spot, occupying the space of a young, still-developing team that also figures to be competitive in the landscape of the playoffs.

While not alone (teams like Oklahoma City and Indiana come to mind as similar comparisons), should the Magic put together a season worthy of playoff consideration, it's almost certain they'll be surrounded by more experienced teams that are closer to their physical peak. That was the case in 2023-24, when the Magic entered the playoffs with just five players on the roster with six or more seasons at the NBA level.

The inexperience may have played a factor in the first-round exit to Cleveland, the positive aspect going forward is that youth is still abundant throughout the Orlando roster heading into the upcoming year.

That means there is still plenty of on-court development to be discovered as the Magic make another run at it in 2024-25. But with so many hungry up-and-comers and only so many minutes or opportunities to go around, some players are bound to capitalize on their chances moreso than others.

This raises the question, naturally, of who could make the best use of their situation to increase their stock this year for the Magic. Not only who individually could benefit from a bump, but who could best impact Orlando's chances to improve upon a 47-win total and 5th-seed finish a season ago. It's often the case, but the two are not always correlated.

Here are five Magic players who could have this season circled as one of monumental gain.

Anthony Black, guard

Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black (0) warms up before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Orlando Magic at the American Airlines Center. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Black was one of two lottery picks the Magic utilized in the 2023 NBA Draft, selecting the former Arkansas Razorback guard with the 6th overall choice.

If the Magic had their way, he and Jett Howard, the Magic's No. 11 pick in the same class, would be the last lottery picks Orlando makes utilizing their own picks for a while. That, of course, requires winning and earning playoff spots, which is what Black aims to contribute toward.

His rookie season wasn't anything to write home about, averaging 4.6 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists. What's important, however, is that Black saw 16.9 minutes a game, making 69 appearances and starting 33 games. That shows head coach Jamahl Mosley has trust banked in Black to fill roles when needed, such as spot starting when the player ahead of him goes down with an injury.

With the Magic letting Markelle Fultz walk in free agency this summer (who remains unsigned), 21.2 backup guard minutes a night remain to be fulfilled in his absence. There's reason to believe Cole Anthony could see a share of them himself, but Black, 20, possesses a 6-foot-7 frame that gives him great positional size off the bench.

Small sample size accounted for, Black's shooting percentages suggest that a higher usage rate could bring more impact this season. He shot 46.6% from the field and 39.4% from three with a 54.0 eFG% and 56.0% – all either right above or right below league average. He's also instinctive as a cutter off the ball, which off-ball movement is a trait the Magic love to find in their guards.

Anthony Black is a tremendous cutter pic.twitter.com/O60u31TUNN

— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) June 26, 2024

Defensively Black was a plus on the floor last season. If an increase in time on the floor results in a boost from his offensive output, Black could very well play himself into a more solidified role on the floor this year.

Jalen Suggs, guard

Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (4) warms up before the game against the Chicago Bulls at KIA Center. / Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Last season, Suggs' third NBA circuit, was his best to date. He improved as a shooter, nearing 40% from three, and was a viable catch-and-shoot threat off passes from Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. The former Gonzaga product and No. 5 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft staked his claim as the third true piece of the Magic's core.

At 23 years old, he's already one of the league's best perimeter on-ball defenders at the point of attack. His identity on the court is interchangeable with that of the defense-first nature the Magic has made its own.

As for what's next, Suggs has room to grow as an off-the-bounce creator and playmaker. He occupies the Magic's lead guard spot, but has seen a decrease in his assists per game each year he's been in the league. Granted, his role in the offense has seen variation too, so it's not quite the greatest indicator of his playmaking capabilities.

As a rookie, Suggs was taking 11.4 shots a game and making only 36.1% of them. While he averaged 4.4 assists during his first campaign, he also was good for three turnovers a night. In year three, Suggs averaged just 2.7 assists but only committed 1.8 turnovers a game. He shot the ball 11% better from the field and 18% better from three over the two years, becoming more efficient and effective on less volume. His usage rate dipped from 25.3 to 19.7 over that same span.

He's been moldable to fulfill whatever role asked of him thus far, and without Fultz to handle some of the ball-handling duties with the main offensive hubs on the floor, Suggs could find himself as the offensive engine a bit more often this season. Last season was his first in the league as a net-positive on both ends of the floor, and he earned Most Improved Player consideration alongside an All-Defensive Second Team nod.

More playmaking chops could turn Suggs into a well-rounded NBA combo guard with game-changing defensive habits on a team comfortable without a true pass-first initiator at the top of the lineup.

Franz Wagner, wing

Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) attempts a free throw against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first quarter during game four of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Kia Center. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The three-point dropoff suffered by Wagner, the former Michigan Wolverine and No. 8 draft pick in the 2021 class, is mystifying considering his past success with the shot.

In college, Wagner was a decent shooter from distance – at 31% and 34% over his two years, he wasn't by any means spectacular, but he was a respectable option. That carried over into his first two seasons in the NBA, where he shot 35.4% and 36.1% from three respectively. But that changed in 2023-24, when he was accurate on just 28.1% of his attempts from distance.

The Summer Olympics weren't any better from distance either, where he shot just 20% from three on 35 attempts with Germany. Of his many bright performances, it was one of the only downsides to his game.

It's not any sort of secret that the Magic will hope the phenomenon is just a blip in the radar and Wagner recaptures some of his shooting form in 2024-25. But what's overlooked in the eye-catching low numbers is the context behind it.

Wagner was in the 96th percentile in defensive EPM a season ago at +2.3, which was 21st in the entire league a season ago. He's 6-foot-10, 225 pounds and a capable playmaker while taking on tough defensive assignments every evening. That expends energy out of his game, which could contribute to the lower shooting percentages.

Besides his defensive impact, the Magic rely on Wagner to keep the ball moving, but the lack of floor spacing Orlando's woeful shooting numbers presented don't necessarily reflect it. With the additions of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and some improvements from others, Wagner could combine his scoring prowess, a return to form in his own distance shooting and his defensive capabilities to piece together his best season yet.

The most promising factor involved is that Wagner has been a solid shooter before. A proficient three-ball would not be a new discovery to his arsenal, but rather the welcoming of it back into the fold. He's a more complete player this time around, too.

The front office put a pretty significant vote of confidence in him this summer, awarding him a five-year rookie scale max extension this summer to secure him as the running mate to Banchero for seasons to come. According to Spotrac, the total value of his new contract, which kicks in next year, is tied for the 8th-richest in the entire NBA at the time of writing. Should the above elements culminate and allow him to turn in a year at or near All-Star caliber, he'll be well worth the investment.

Jonathan Isaac, forward

Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac (1) during warmups before the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The moniker "Minister of Defense" isn't just handed out to anyone. Still, as Isaac is regarded as perhaps the best multi-positional defensive specialist in the NBA right now, it's well-deserved in this instance.

No player in the league finished with a higher defensive EPM than Isaac in 2023-24, as his +4.1 was tops in the Association. It was just the second season of his seven years since being drafted in which he played more than half the games available, appearing in 58 games for 15.8 minutes a game.

Since returning from ACL injuries that caused him to miss two consecutive seasons, Isaac's playing time has been reduced, which may be partly due to his health history. His first three seasons in the league, Isaac averaged 19.9, 26.6 and 28.8 minutes a game in seasons that saw him play 27, 75 and 34 games respectively.

But Isaac has come back in a big way, earning Sixth Man of the Year consideration in 2023-24. The former Florida State product will be 27 at the time of the season's tip-off, finally feeling like he's healthy and ready to commit his 6-foot-10, 230-pound frame to whatever defensive assignment is tasked to him.

2023-24 was not only one of Isaac's healthiest, but it was his most efficient and impactful. After never eclipsing the 30th percentile or higher of points per 100 shot attempts, Isaac's 123.0 points per 100 attempts last season was in the 79th percentile among qualified players (Cleaning the Glass). With a +9.6 efficiency differential with him on the floor, which is in the 91st percentile in the NBA, he's certified as one of the most valuable role players across the league for his defense alone.

Coming off the first season in his career with positive offensive metrics on his side, if those numbers were to replicate or improve in the season ahead, Isaac could be a catalyst to success in the upcoming campaign.

The question remains: how comfortable is Orlando with bumping his minutes load, or are they happy with what they get as long as Isaac can stay on the floor?

Wendell Carter Jr., center

Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) dunks in the second quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. / David Richard-Imagn Images

At just 25 years old, Carter Jr. will enter his seventh NBA season in 2024-25 in search of a full 82-game season. The former Duke Blue Devil told reporters it's "the last straw" he feels he needs to prove himself with in the upcoming campaign, just a week after confirming he's healthy and working out after offseason hand surgery.

"I think I've done the right things this offseason, hired the right people to make sure my body and my mind is good, so I'm excited," Carter Jr. said.

Last season could be viewed as a slight regression in the scope of his career, averaging 11.0 points and 6.9 rebounds directly following after seasons of 15.0 points and 10.5 rebounds in '21-'22 and 15.2 points and 8.7 rebounds in '22-'23.

A closer glance at his offensive percentages displays that besides a smaller share of minutes, Carter Jr. posted either similar or better shooting numbers from the field, plus a career-best 3PT%. While his usage rate dipped three percentage points, his +2.0 EPM was in the NBA's 88th percentile.

Carter Jr.'s relative youth and team-friendly contract make him an attractive trade piece to teams eyeing an upgrade at the center position. But if Carter Jr. plays a larger share of minutes and can return to the level of production he's already achieved in a Magic uniform, his value may be so much that Orlando can't afford to give away the man who's held down the center spot for the Magic's up-and-coming core.

Related Stories on the Orlando Magic

• ATLANTIC DIVISION PREVIEW: Three heavy-hitters pose a threat to the Magic's chances at a top spot in the East. CLICK HERE
• DWIGHT ON DWTS: The Orlando Magic legend is set to take part in Season 33 of America's favorite celebrity dancing competition. CLICK HERE
• MAGIC WON'T LISTEN TO OUTSIDE NOISE: Why the up-and-coming Magic are keeping their goals in their own regard as another season at the top of a tightly contested Eastern Conference nears. CLICK HERE

Want more Orlando Magic coverage on Sports Illustrated?

Follow 'Orlando Magic on SI' on Facebook and like our page. Follow Magic beat reporter Mason Williams on Twitter/X @mvsonwilliams. Also, bookmark our homepage so you never miss a story.