Orlando, FL – This week marks the official end of the offseason, a period in the NBA that’s never short of chaos. While some teams have drastically changed their roster outlooks, the Orlando Magic are part of the crowd that’s maintained confidence with the majority of its previous roster. As the season creeps in and rosters are becoming concrete, the sportsbooks are already considering who’s in the running for yearly accolades.
A big year is on the horizon for the Orlando Magic. After closing out the season with a .500 post-All-Star break record, expectations are starting to rise for this young core. Nobody in the fanbase is planning on attending another watch party relying on ping-pong balls to improve our team. The time to push is now, and the guys know it. Let’s see who we think is going to contribute to a possible playoff season and earn some (hypothetical) hardware.
CLUTCH PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Franz Wagner
Runner Up: Cole Anthony
In Wagner’s two short calendar years as a member of the Orlando Magic, he impressed the city on levels fans did not deem possible. We could go on and on about the countless big moments he displayed during this year’s FIBA World Cup— where Germany and Wagner came out victorious—but even if we strictly talk NBA basketball, he’s got more than enough reason to earn our prediction for the team’s CPOTY winner.
Franz Wagner scored an impressive 5.8 points per game in the 4th quarter last season, a higher average than the likes of Durant (PHX), Jokic (DEN), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC).
Cole Anthony earns the runner-up, strictly off of reputation. In Anthony’s early career, he’s put up some of the most memorable game-winners in Orlando’s recent history. A guy who can catch fire and put up 3 straight threes in overtime against Philadelphia is certainly a safe bet as your runner-up.
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: Cole Anthony
Runner Up: Jonathan Isaac
When Markelle Fultz recovered from a series of setbacks and began to comfortably secure minutes in the starter rotation, Cole Anthony’s status as a roster staple began to enter question. A veteran Gary Harris and a hungry Jalen Suggs began to battle Anthony for the minutes at the shooting guard position, eventually placing Cole Anthony in a spark plug, Tyler Herro-esque role. Nevertheless, Anthony shined as the captain of the Magic’s 2nd unit last season. No doubt assuming no setbacks and consistent progression, Cole Anthony can earn recognition and even a nomination for the 6 Man of the Year award.
When coming off the bench last season, Anthony averaged 13 PPG, 4.6 RPG, and 3.8 APG while shooting 38% from three.
With some confidence that all long-term injury concerns are history for Jonathan Isaac, no question would provide the most overall impact on one side of the game when comparing Magic bench players. Isaac has made it clear he possesses All-Defense Team qualities, it’s simply the availability and conditioning that could stand in his way. During the preseason, Isaac showed us flashes of being the same defensive juggernaut we once knew.
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER: Franz Wagner
Runner Up: Markelle Fultz
Countless media outlets and personnel across the league have labeled Wagner as the next guy primed to take that leap into the spotlight. This award’s winners are usually required to check off a few boxes before even being considered— winning, increased opportunity, and a large statistical jump. This year, it seems all the stars have aligned in his favor to earn serious consideration for the league’s most-improved player. Wagner and Banchero have solidified themselves as the team cornerstones, however, it’s been noted that following Wagner’s offseason success, the team expects a much heavier responsibility to fall on his shoulders to be the star.
Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero earned a combined 20% (Franz 13% Paolo 7%) of votes from NBA GMs in the poll question “Which player is most likely to have a breakout season in 2023-24?”
Entering his 7th season, Markelle Fultz has only played a combined 191 games. For context, 2-year player Franz Wagner has played 159, just 32 less than the veteran point guard. It’s safe to say the fans are enamored to see Fultz finally come off of a healthy off-season and start the year without any minute restrictions in question. For a player who’s only shown progress in any problem areas with his game, it makes perfect sense to bet on Fultz to leap in year 7.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Jett Howard
Runner Up: Anthony Black
Selecting twice in the lottery is something Orlando fans have gotten used to in recent years. Jett Howard, the Magic’s 11th pick, arguably outshined fellow draft pick Anthony Black in both Summer League and preseason, showing off elite 3-point shooting and sneaky good playmaking chops. And yes, it’s never smart to make generalized assumptions based on exhibition play, this comes off more than just offseason numbers. When analyzing what the Magic need and how each rookie player’s skill set plugs into the system, Howard possesses the necessary shooting to perhaps garner a consistent bench role by day one.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jalen Suggs
Runner Up: Jonathan Isaac
Appreciation for Suggs is ambiguous relative to the Magic’s fanbase since many believe the offensive concerns may outweigh the defensive strengths. Yet with defense being the likely factor behind Suggs being labeled the Magic’s long-term starting shooting guard, it’s no hot take to say Jalen is the team’s best defensive asset. The 3rd year guard out of Gonzaga has always brought the energy on the defensive end, and with an entire offseason to train and condition under Orlando’s Arnie Kander, Suggs has mentioned in interviews a “redefined” version of himself. There’s no doubt that Suggs will enter the season as Orlando’s best perimeter defender, so it’s truly up to Jalen to see whether he will emerge as one of the league’s best.
In 3 preseason games, Jalen Suggs had a 98.6 defensive rating when on the floor, leading the entire league in DRTG. (Stats per @Rayshard07 on X)
While Wendell Carter Jr. and Franz Wagner certainly challenged Isaac for this runner-up consideration, Isaac’s defensive potential during a fully healthy season is far too tantalizing to ignore. Coming off the bench provides Isaac with ample opportunity to prove he can contribute at the same level he did pre-injuries. I do not doubt that in a healthy season, Jonathan Isaac is a top-2 defensive talent on this team.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Paolo Banchero
Runner Up: Franz Wagner
This one was tough, no doubt about it. Wagner’s flashes of superstardom are impossible to ignore, especially after being crowned a world champion of basketball a couple of months ago. What gave Banchero the slight edge in the MVP prediction relied entirely on production and offensive advantages. A criticism of Wagner is his often-passive play style, as many believe he would have averaged 20+ PPG if he prioritized self-creation. Banchero possesses the guard-in-a-center’s-body prototype that is a rarity in this league. While in my opinion, Wagner is truthfully the best all-around player on the Orlando Magic, it will ultimately be Banchero’s offensive production that decides whether Orlando will be pushed over the top or fall short of postseason appearances.
