Orlando Magic: 4 role players most likely to step up next year
By Luke Duffy
3. Wesley Iwundu
There’s no reason why Wesley Iwundu can’t build on a mildly disappointing rookie season with the team by growing into a more important role this season. After all, his 3-and-D abilities are not only in fashion right now, they are something Orlando could do with more of.
Iwundu was just okay on both ends of the court last season, but if he could become a more consistent 3-point threat (he shot a hideous 9-for-46 last season, or 19.6 percent) it would surely lead to more minutes.
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It is a lot to ask of any rookie to take a team by storm, which is why Iwundu should return a better player. Spending some time with the Lakeland Magic will have been beneficial too, both by giving Iwundu confidence by producing some eye-catching displays and also because he does not want to go back and play there again if he can help it.
The surplus of big men on this team puts an even bigger premium on what Iwundu can do, and with a new head coach like Steve Clifford being a fan of playing hard, the path to more minutes seems clear.
Of course, the margin for error is smaller for Iwundu too. The Magic are beginning to move this version of the rebuild into the next phase, and if Iwundu can’t show the kind of promise necessary, he will be left behind.
That is why Iwundu may end up being the one player on Orlando’s roster that has the potential to rise the highest and become a key part of their future. The flip side of that outlook, however, is that failure to capitalize could lead to Iwundu being moved on.