If you are a fan of the Orlando Magic, then this season has gone as expected so far, but with a few surprises thrown in for good measure. The team is losing more than they are winning, but the right young players are improving their game and showing that they can be long-term solutions for the franchise.
What has been more surprising is the early play of rookie Franz Wagner, who has got the bag of a veteran already by the looks of it. Second-year guard Cole Anthony has most certainly made a leap, too. A big one, at that. He may just be the solution to the organization’s search for a cornerstone. Between these two, there has been reason to smile.
However, the Magic’s other rookie, Jalen Suggs, hasn’t quite hit the ground running in the same way, but this was always going to be the case.
Orlando Magic rookie Jalen Suggs was always going to struggle
There are many reasons for this, and the great thing for the Magic is that none of them are a real cause for concern. As the fifth overall pick and a player many expected the Toronto Raptors to take instead of Scottie Barnes, there was a belief that Suggs could come in right away and make a difference. Some promising Summer League showings only reinforced this point.
But instead, Suggs has struggled to lean into these relatively lofty expectations early on. He came to Orlando pegged as somebody who would quickly become a dynamic scorer and also provide tenacity on the defensive end. So far, we’ve seen moments of this, but consistency has been the problem.
What plans do the Orlando Magic have for Jalen Suggs when Markelle Fultz returns?
Suggs had his best game (a 21 point night against the Raptors in which he shot 50 percent from deep) in an early-season matchup with Barnes. Both players showed respect to one another to shut down any talk of a budding rivalry. It looked like a platform to build on, but since then his performances have been pretty muted.
This was most evident in the surprise win over the Utah Jazz on Sunday. Suggs had six points and four turnovers. The Jazz are going to be a top team in the Western Conference again this season, so seeing Jalen Suggs struggle as he did wasn’t all that surprising. In fact, it was arguably more encouraging to see the Magic win despite his struggles.
Another factor in the stumbling start of Suggs has been the explosion of Anthony. This is a good problem for the organization to have, but one which Suggs personally has had to contend with. The consensus before the season began was that Markelle Fultz would come back from injury and assume the role of starting point guard.
Suggs would slot in next to him, but also run the show with the second unit from time to time. He has slotted into the starting lineup this year, as he has started every game so far, averaging over 28 minutes a night. Anthony could then come off the bench and be the sixth man spark that his game and personality seemed tailor-made for.
Instead, Anthony is certainly in Most Improved Player conversations early on and has put the Magic on his back as they attempt to improve. This has taken the ball out of the hands of Suggs more than we all could have anticipated, and while he is still playing lots and being allowed to make mistakes, it is an interesting development for a future conversation.
Perhaps it will be Jalen Suggs who spends some time coming off the bench when Fultz is fully fit again. If that is the case, and if Barnes (the Rookie of the Year frontrunner alongside Evan Mobley at this point) continues to make a difference for the Raptors, how will Suggs respond?
Orlando Magic rookie Jalen Suggs has no shortage of confidence
As David Steele recently pointed out during his popular “Is this anything?” segment, there haven’t been many people to be named Mr. Basketball and Mr. Football in a state in the same year. Jalen Suggs has.
He also made the NCAA championship game with Gonzaga, so he’s clearly used to being the main guy. To be averaging 12 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting an ugly 30.9 percent from the field and 22 percent from deep can’t have been the start to life in the NBA that he envisioned.
But this is exactly why we shouldn’t worry. Suggs is playing for a first-year head coach in Jamahl Mosley who is also trying to figure a lot of things out as he goes. He is being given every opportunity and is chucking up 5.4 attempts from deep per game. The willingness to shoot the ball and make winning plays has not wavered at all.
The perfect illustration of this came in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves at the start of the month. This was a homecoming for Suggs, having grown up and gone to school in the area, and he played like it. He was desperate to have himself a big game, and while his 15 points certainly helped, he did this while committing five turnovers and forcing the issue a lot.
The 5-14 he shot from the field and 1-6 from deep were a microcosm of his season as a whole so far, but that desire to get involved and his unwavering enthusiasm were brilliant. Those shots will begin to fall, and soon. Suggs already looks like a multi-level scorer, he just needs to find the consistency to do so.
The reintroduction of Fultz may complicate things, but for now, there is no reason to panic. Jalen Suggs is playing the way most rookies before him have. Even Wagner is likely to have a slump of his own after his hot start. That’s just the way it goes for youngsters. Reserve any judgment for later in the season, and be patient in waiting for the inevitable Suggs breakthrough.