Orlando, FL – Getting the opportunity to attend Orlando Magic Media Day never gets old. It truly feels like the first day of school. You get to see everyone again after a long summer, catch up for a few minutes, and get to meet some of the new media members and players who have joined the team. The energy at the practice facility this year could be felt from the moment you walked in and started walking around and hearing the players talk to one another and hearing them speak in their individual media sessions. The 2023-24 season has been a highly anticipated one by Magic fans and Magic players seem to be equally as eager to get things started in just a few weeks.
There were three main takeaways from Media Day for me: Competition will be key in determining playing time, Jalen Suggs seems refreshed and ready to embrace the opportunity that is ahead for him, and Jonathan Isaac is healthy and ready to contribute this season.
Competing for Playing Time
This is one of the most talented Orlando Magic rosters we have seen since the 2009-2010 season when you simply look at talent on paper. You can easily justify 12 to 14 players getting minutes every single night. However, we all know that is simply not going to happen. Most NBA teams use a 9-man or 10-man rotation on most nights, so that means that there will be some players who will have to wait for their opportunity. As we have seen in years past, that opportunity can come fast for some, as injuries are part of the game and players must maintain a “next man up” mentality and be ready to produce when their name is called upon.
Magic head coach, Jamahl Mosley, addressed this topic with the media on Monday and he had this to say regarding his players fighting for playing time this season. “We are going to compete, we are going to compete, and we are going to compete… so every day we walk into practice we are going to compete. So, how does that get guys ample opportunities? They compete for their minutes, they compete for their time, they compete to make each other better and I think that’s the great thing about the talent on this team and they all understand that.”
This is exactly what the front office envisioned when they assembled this talented young roster. They do not want coach Mosley to simply give minutes to rookies or young players who believe that they have “earned” the right to play. They must earn it. They must show up each day and produce to get on the court. This type of culture and environment can only help this young team get better and better as the season goes along and eventually, those who earn the right to play will be out on the court when it matters most.
Jalen Suggs is Reenergized and Ready to Make a Difference
When you think back to the 2021 NBA Draft, Jalen Suggs was the player who made Orlando Magic fans go into a frenzy when he fell into the Magic’s lap after the Raptors decided to draft Scottie Barnes with the 4th overall pick. Magic fans were ecstatic to have a player of Suggs’ caliber, especially after his heroic performances in the NCAA Tournament. Unfortunately, Jalen Suggs has not been able to stay healthy, which has hindered his ability to develop and showcase his incredible defensive ability consistently. He has also struggled on the offensive end, which was expected, but he has improved drastically, especially towards the end of the 2022-23 season.
At Media Day this year, Jalen Suggs seemed like a new person. He seemed more mature, calmer, more at peace with who he is, and as he explained “what a summer… my temper, my self-discipline, my mental, my spirit, my soul… that was the biggest thing for me this summer.” If you’ve talked to Jalen in the past or even if you’ve just heard him talk on TV, you can sense a different attitude from years past. “The difference that it’s made in my perspective, my outlook, how I approach each day… it’s helped me fall in love with this sport again. It’s been a great summer for me, physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, I am excited to bring it all together and let it show and get to work with the boys” said Jalen Suggs during his Media Day availability session.
If Jalen Suggs can stay healthy and if the game has slowed down for him a bit, watch out. Jalen Suggs has shown he is a game-changer on the defensive end, and he has also at times shown great promise on the offensive end. He has had several big-scoring games and has shown an ability to take the game over in clutch moments. He hit a game-winning three-point shot last year in Chicago and had a huge fourth quarter in a huge win against the Golden State Warriors at Amway Center last year. Jalen Suggs has a tremendous opportunity this season to become the long-term starting shooting guard for the Orlando Magic, but it will all depend on his health and on him continuing to work on his outside shot. We are all rooting for him.
Jonathan Isaac is Healthy and Ready for a Significant Role
The Orlando Magic have not had Jonathan Isaac as a healthy training camp participant since 2018. That was a long, long time ago. Isaac finally made his long-awaited return from a torn ACL injury on his left knee last season on January 23, 2023, in a 113-98 win against the Boston Celtics. Isaac would go on to only play in 11 games last season with a heavy minutes restriction, in which he averaged 5 points, 4 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 0.4 blocks while shooting 41.5 percent from the field and 40 percent from behind the arc. Just as he was getting back into rhythm, he suffered yet another setback. He would go on to miss the remainder of the 2022-23 season due to a torn adductor muscle.
According to Isaac, the recovery from the adductor muscle injury was rather quick. “Honestly the injury was only six weeks… for the last month and a half I’ve been playing with the guys.” said Isaac. Looking forward to the upcoming season and regarding possible minutes restrictions or restrictions of any kind, Isaac said “I honestly have no idea. Honestly, from my standpoint, I wouldn’t think that I have any, just with where I am right now, and the way my body is feeling. Coach has seen me play throughout the summer, so I don’t know what the Magic plans are or what his plans are, but from my perspective, whatever they throw at me, I am ready to go.”
To be brutally honest, I have zero expectations for Jonathan Isaac this upcoming season. He is an extra in my eyes at this point. However, it was not long ago that he was the main guy in the eyes of the front office. He was the one they were building a team around. He showed in his 11 games last season that he can still change the game on the defensive end and he also displayed a much better three-point shot as well in his short stint last season. Isaac can give this team a huge boost off the bench initially, but if he can stay healthy, who knows what his impact can be on this team? One thing is for sure, a healthy Isaac makes the Magic a much better basketball team all around. These young Magic are hoping to take a major step forward this season and without a doubt, Isaac can help the team accomplish that goal.
Final Thoughts
The 2023-24 season is without a doubt one of the most anticipated seasons for Magic fans in a long time. The talent is there, the potential is there, and the entire league was able to witness just how great this team can be after they got healthy last season. There is no question that the Magic should be able to have high aspirations for this upcoming season and anything less than a play-in appearance should be considered a failure.
There’s so much to look forward to and I have not even mentioned the two main players in the team right now: Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. That just goes to show you just how special this team can be and how special this upcoming season can be.
Magic basketball is officialy back!
Get ready for the 2023-24 Season!
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