Magic Report Cards: Joe Ingles Provides Necessary Experience

Orlando Magic guard Joe Ingles played a key role on and off the court this season.

Jeremy Brener | May 20, 2024

Apr 9, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Orlando Magic guard Joe Ingles (7) handles the ball against / Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

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Orlando Magic

ORLANDO — Orlando Magic guard Joe Ingles signed a two-year deal last summer with the team, and many people didn't think much of it. However, it turned out to be arguably the biggest move that translated to the team's improvement this season.

The Magic were the fourth-youngest team in the league this season, but they would have been No. 1 if Ingles, 36, wasn't on the roster. He provided a steady veteran presence that the Magic needed throughout the year.

"He is a great level of toughness for us," coach Jamahl Mosley said on "The Old Man and the Three". "Being able to be that vet that is not afraid of anybody, like he's going to talk to everybody the exact same way. He can do it with experience and he can still play. You have to make sure that when you bring in a guy like that, they can still go and he can still go."

Ingles certainly rubbed off on the Magic's younger players this year, and that was a large factor in the team's jump into the postseason.

Ingles' impact off the court trumped what he brought in the games, but his 43.5 percent shooting from distance certainly wasn't a bad thing.

The Magic have a choice to make with Ingles' $11 million team option this summer. While his on-court stats suggest that the Magic should let him walk, his presence in other areas makes him valuable for Orlando.

Grade: B

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Published May 20, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.