Orlando Magic: 3 players facing most pressure in 2019-20

2. Markelle Fultz

Point guard Markelle Fultz is clearly the biggest enigma on the roster and will continue to be until he plays in a competitive game for the Orlando Magic.

The team’s postseason experience and improved play without Fultz was great for both organization and player last season, as it deflected the attention away from him.

That would have continued, but footage of Fultz shooting and dunking has been seen several times on social media this summer, prompting the former first overall pick’s name to come back into focus.

The pressure Fultz is under is unique to him however, as the Magic have demonstrated they can be good without him.

They also did not give up a lot to acquire him from the Philadelphia 76ers before the trade deadline either, so there is no pressure in that regard either. Instead he offers Magic fans a glimpse of the best possible version of their future.

This is a dangerous feeling to have for a franchise that has had its fair share of bad luck and a mostly forgettable decade.

So while Isaac’s growth will take the team to the next level, should Fultz come back and look like the player we saw in college, he has the potential to help the organization skip a couple of steps on the road back to contention.

People don’t expect this to happen, but the fact that he looks comfortable on a basketball court again has made it seem more possible.

An interesting undertone bubbling under the surface to the increased pressure facing Fultz is the Magic’s lack of depth at the point guard position.

This was an even bigger problem last season, but a career year from D.J. Augustin and the late season injection of defensive play from Michael Carter-Williams masked that. Even Isaiah Briscoe had his moment, which tells you where the team were at in terms of guard depth.

Augustin will be 32 in November, and is undersized even for a guard. The list of players who have aged well at that position is not long. He is unlikely to be as good again as he was last year.

Similarly there’s a reason Carter-Williams has bounced around the league and his inability to shoot consistently will grate on Magic fans over the course of 82 games.

Add to that the fact the fans are in dire need of a young player with superstar potential to get them excited again (unless Isaac or Bamba can really step up) and it is clear all eyes will be on Fultz once he returns. No pressure then.