Wendell Carter Jr.'s Three-Year Extension is Par for the Magic's Course

The Orlando Magic center, still just 25 years old, has become one of the integral parts of the Magic's core. With a new three-year, $59 million contract extension, Orlando plans to keep another core piece around.

Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) poses for a photo during Media Day at AdventHealth Training Center. / Mike Watters-Imagn Images

ORLANDO, Fla. –– Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. agreed to terms on a three-year, $59 million contract extension with the team, ESPN reported on Monday night. The team later confirmed the signing of the extension as official.

Carter Jr.'s current deal has two remaining seasons on it – this year and next – after signing a four-year, $50 million extension in 2021 following the Magic's trade for him from Chicago. Now, Carter Jr. is signed through the end of the 2028-29 season and is set to earn $82 million in that span. The final year of the deal includes a team option, ESPN reported.

Here’s the breakdown of the extension for Carter Jr.

He becomes the 16th player since July 6 to sign an extension (not including rookie or super max). https://t.co/qTc902HfKM pic.twitter.com/C9dc2TP484

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) October 8, 2024

The Magic had until Oct. 10 to sign Carter Jr. to an extension. By signing on Oct. 7, he's ineligible to be traded anytime in the next six months, which will surpass the Feb. 6, 2025 trade deadline for this season.

By extending Carter Jr., the Magic continue two trends in one swift motion: 1) retaining members of the core that has experienced success by growing together as a group, and 2) doing so in a fashion that is team-friendly financially and still allows for flexibility.

Orlando's been busy bringing back members of last year's 47-win team that netted the Magic its first postseason trip in four seasons. Franz Wagner was extended to the tune of a five-year rookie max contract; backup bigs Moritz Wagner and Goga Bitadze each returned on new deals, and so too did Gary Harris. Jonathan Isaac also saw a bump in his pay with a renegotiation-and-extend deal.

Just recently, the Magic also picked up the team options of Anthony Black, Jett Howard and Paolo Banchero for their third and fourth years on their contract.

Orlando has placed a measurable amount of value in roster continuity over the course of constructing this roster. It's shaped the way the Magic decision-makers handle business and how they seek to add to it externally. As Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said at media day, such aspect only makes sense if there's a feeling success can come from that continuity.

"These guys, we've given them the opportunity and they've shown that we can with them," Weltman said. "So why wouldn't we keep them together?"

Carter Jr.'s time in Orlando has given the front office the impression that he's important to that. In his three-and-a-half seasons with the Magic, the former Duke center has averaged 13.6 points and 8.8 rebounds a game. His production slipped in 2023-24 after prior consecutive seasons saw Carter Jr. average 15.0 or more points, but the previous campaign saw him shoot a career-best percentage from three and post the best eFG% of his seven years in the league.

Yet, the 25-year-old big wages a war against his injury history constantly. Just one of his three complete seasons has seen him eclipse 60-plus games in a single season. Carter Jr.'s summer was spent prioritizing his mental and physical health in ways he hadn't before, hoping to prepare himself for tackling the goal of playing 82 games. For Orlando's starting center, that's "the last straw."

Just Monday, in the Magic's preseason opener versus the New Orleans Pelicans, Carter Jr. left the contest with a left ankle sprain after landing on Daniel Theis' foot while contesting a jumpshot. That's more bad luck than anything, as accidents are still bound to happen in the league, but another unfortunate add to his list of injuries dealt with.

Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said postgame that he'll have imaging done, and the team will assess his status before Orlando's second preseason game versus the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday evening. But Mosley and Carter Jr.'s teammate Paolo Banchero had best wishes for him, and it's clear from their comments that he's appreciated and well-respected among his teammates.

Mosley said what Carter Jr. has been able to accomplish in his time for the Magic has been "huge," and the face of the Magic's franchise echoes that same sentiment.

"You hate to see anybody get hurt, especially a starter, a big part of the team," Banchero said. "I told him, 'Sit out the rest of the preseason. We're going to need you Game 1.'"

"They have an amazing relationship with each other," Weltman said. "You can't predict chemistry. You can just bring good people in and hope that they develop it themselves. These guys, that takes work on their part, and they've really put a lot of time into that."

Because of the knowledge of what Carter Jr. can do in a Magic jersey when he's healthy, Orlando was able to facilitate a new deal with it's 6-10 center. But in order to uphold the value in continuity that he spoke so highly of on media day, some significant paydays are going to come as well.

Orlando and guard Jalen Suggs, another key piece who has risen to significance in the Magic system, are eying a potential contract extension as well. Their deadline to come to terms is Oct. 21, as Suggs is up for a rookie scale extension. Paolo Banchero becomes extension eligible next summer, and should likely be another max deal akin to Wagner's extension this past summer.

The Magic must be mindful of how they choose to utilize the money they have to spend, considering how it affects both now and the future.

"This CBA is going to put financial constraints on every single team, and you know, we're no different," Weltman said. "So that will be one of our challenges going forward is to keep the train on the same tracks."

Orlando knows it isn't being conventional about how its assembling what it believes can be the roster of its future, but Weltman's comments paint the picture clear: They aren't trying to fit the mold others are.

With Carter Jr., the Magic now have 59 million more reasons to trust in the continuity that serves as this roster's bedrock.

Related Stories on the Orlando Magic

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• CARTER JR. FEELS. 'REALLY GOOD' AFTER FIRST PRACTICES: Coming off surgery this summer with his left hand, Wendell Carter Jr. is full speed ahead as the season ramp-up begins. CLICK HERE
• ORLANDO MAGIC'S PRESEASON TV INFO: The Magic have released the broadcast information for each of the four preseason basketball games. Here's how to watch: CLICK HERE

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