Although the Orlando Magic continue to find ways to lose games, January has seemed like something of a turning point for them this season. The fans are now fully on board with playing well for a few quarters, before taking the foot off the gas and allowing the opponent to win the game.
If all goes well, this will pay dividends by the time the NBA Draft rolls around this summer, and it will also give the younger players on the roster the necessary experience playing in these close games. You have to walk before you can run, and in the case of the Magic, by and large, they are still crawling.
The most promising development in all of this, however, is that Orlando Magic rookie Jalen Suggs is finding some consistency in his output for the team.
Jalen Suggs has endured a frustrating first campaign for a number of reasons. Heralded as somebody who could be the guy for the Orlando Magic when he fell to the fifth spot, he watched on as Franz Wagner, the eighth pick, took that potential role almost immediately with his play and general swagger.
Then there was the thumb injury that had to be nursed on the sidelines, while Toronto Raptors fans regularly took to social media to proclaim that Scottie Barnes, taken with the fourth pick, was the steal of the draft and the unequivocal best choice with that pick. In amongst all of this, there were a number of games when Suggs struggled badly as well.
But in January, we have started to see a real change that points to a brighter future. Suggs hasn’t scored less than 10 points in a game in the month and hit 22 in a recent loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. On the month, he is averaging 14.8 points and 5.5 assists, although he is a disappointing 20 percent from deep.
Compare that with the much more fancied Wagner, who in January is averaging 14.3 points and 3.4 assists, coupled with a somehow even worse 18.8 percent from three-point range. We don’t highlight these things to criticize Wagner, but rather to show how quickly Suggs has been able to match the output of his teammate.
This should be taken with a pinch of salt, though, as Suggs has only appeared in six games in January since returning from injury. Wagner on the other hand, has played twice as many games in that time frame. As pointed out by NBA.com, however, Suggs currently leads the team in fourth-quarter scoring at 5.8 points in that timeframe.
This is encouraging data, and it will become even more critical when the Magic need a closer in future contests when there is more on the line. For now, having a rookie who can make over 70 percent of his shots when the game is coming to a close is a very encouraging sign. Having Wagner and Cole Anthony alongside him bodes even better for the future.
They say that gaining plaudits from your peers in the league is a sign that real success can come down the road, and to that end, Suggs recently got high props as well.
After a highlight dunk, and then some questionable slander from Stacey King, against the Chicago Bulls, DeMar DeRozan was quick to give Suggs praise in the Magic’s ninth win of the year. As per USA Today;
"“I’ve been a fan of his since he went to school in Minnesota. I always watched him, even when he went to Gonzaga. He is a hell of a talent. I’m a fan of his. I have been a fan of his without him even knowing. (I just told him) to keep going: ‘You’re a hell of a talent. You can be very successful in this league.’ I’m rooting for him.”"
That is some high praise from a guy who is in the MVP conversation, and Jalen Suggs should enjoy hearing quotes like that. Although recent developments have been really encouraging, Suggs has still only played in 27 NBA games because of injury, and his raw numbers leave a ton of room for improvement.
Luckily, he is part of a group that has the time to do so and is learning on the job just how tough the league can be. Don’t be surprised if, by year’s end, Suggs ends up being one of the top three performers for the organization.
He is extremely quick, athletic, and is exhibiting some of that infectious personality that Anthony possesses. There is no reason this form cannot continue for the rest of the season.