Orlando Magic could use B.J. Johnson as a spark

The Orlando Magic are being hit by injuries, which is why they should turn to B.J. Johnson.

Although the season as a whole has not gone according to plan for the Orlando Magic, they still find themselves in the thick of the playoff race. Injuries have not helped their cause and right now it looks like Jonathan Isaac may ultimately be lost for the season, but they continue to battle on.

Defensively they have struggled to hit the heights of last season, when a late surge on that end in particular allowed them to shut down opponents and book a spot in the playoffs. Losing Isaac doesn’t help here, while Aaron Gordon’s inconsistencies because of injury in this campaign have meant he can’t be their best two-way player every game, as he was last season.

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For head coach Steve Clifford, perhaps switching up the game plan and personnel at this point in the season may not be such a bad idea. The Magic clearly can’t lean on their defensive excellence like they were able to last season, and while they try and find it again, transforming into more of an offensive unit could pay dividends. It would also make them more difficult to beat again, just like last season.

Right now they rank 26th in offensive rating, posting a number of 104.7 that simply needs to trend north. The answer to showing improvements in this area may be right under their nose however, with shooting guard B.J. Johnson currently tearing it up for their G League affiliate, the Lakeland Magic.

Johnson has been on the Magic’s book before, and has bounced around the fringes of the league for the last couple of years. At 24, however, he seems to be putting it together offensively in the G League and right now is averaging 23.5 points per game down there. He is doing this while hitting 44 percent from deep on 3-point attempts.

The G League is not the NBA, but with injuries mounting for the Magic, it makes a lot of sense to see what Johnson can do, particularly since Orlando already has him on a two-way contract.

Scoring help on the wings is something that the organization has lacked for years now and really not since some fan favorites were running up and down the court in the last decade has that truly been addressed.

To add to this, Terrence Ross has had a poor year off the bench and has rarely looked like “The Human Torch” that came to their rescue so often last season. The 34.4 percent on 6.2 attempts per game he is averaging from deep is one of the poorest numbers he’s put up in that category while in the league.

Evan Fournier has been among the Magic’s best players this season, which is really saying a lot, but he too seems to be going through a bit of a slump right now. As somebody who can create his own shot, as well as for others when he’s in the mood to move the ball, Fournier’s recent struggles, when they have come to rely on him so much offensively, have also hurt the team.

With Wesley Iwundu not the offensive player that Johnson is either (although he could make the case as the better two-way prospect) and Michael Carter-Williams still inactive through a shoulder injury, giving Johnson some run off the bench makes a lot of sense.

Johnson also has a long frame for a guard, so if he can come in and knock down a couple of shots and create space for others, while also at least sticking with his man on the defensive end and disrupting him, that would be better than what the Magic currently have to work with.

With center Nikola Vucevic being such a gifted player who acts as an offensive hub for everybody else, Johnson could benefit from being around the Montenegrin on the court as well. You might argue that this kind of conversation is not what a team who have designs on locking up a playoff spot should be having, but injuries and inconsistencies have forced their hand.

Unfortunately however, there are an equal number of reasons that we won’t see Johnson force his way into the rotation. As a player on a two-way contract, he can only spend a maximum of 45 days in the NBA before he has to return to the G League.

He has been around the organization a little bit already (appearing briefly once) and perhaps the front office want to save those days unless more injuries strike or a trade down the line changes the dynamics in place.

An even simpler fact than this is that coach Clifford trusts who he trusts and is reluctant to mix things up, even when it is clear to fans they are going stale. If Iwundu, who actually had his moments under Clifford last year, can’t become a true mainstay in the rotation, then what hope does a guy like Johnson have?

Putting up big numbers in the G League is not the way to Clifford’s heart. Defending like your life depends on it will, though Johnson is not that kind of player right now. Then again the Magic are supposed to have guys like this and instead could do with more dazzling offensive play. Something Johnson is more likely to produce.

Lastly, the injury concerns right now are across the frontcourt, ironic given that this is where the roster has been deepest for years now. But with Fournier and Ross not actually injured and point guards Markelle Fultz and D.J. Augustin able to chip in as well, Johnson doesn’t quite have the clear path to a bigger role that he would like.

Still, if the Orlando Magic want to diversify their lineups, and continue to find ways to be competitive, they absolutely should turn to B.J. Johnson for a period of time. After all, that is why they sign players like this and assign them to the G League. So that they can call upon them if needed. That time has come.