Magic Rumors: Paolo Banchero, Markelle Fultz, Cole Anthony, Jamahl Mosley, More
In this week’s episode of The Fast Break Podcast, Fastbreak on FanNation NBA insider and reporter Brett Siegel is joined by Khobi Price from the Orlando Sentinel to discuss all things relating to the Orlando Magic, who are still fighting to try and make the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament in the midst of a rebuild.
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Jamahl Mosley Evaluation [2:35]
When the Orlando Magic decided to part ways with Steve Clifford following the 2020-21 season, they hired Jamahl Mosley, who had not been a head coach before in this league. Serving as an assistant for the Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers and most recently the Dallas Mavericks, Mosley has always been a very well-respected assistant around the NBA and he finally got his chance to be a head coach with the Magic.
In his first season, Orlando went 22-60 in what was the start of a rebuild and this season, the organization has absolutely shown growth and development. They are still far from a finished product, but Mosley has this franchise trending in the right direction and he seems to be the right coach to lead them into a new era.
Price [3:10]: “I think that the job Jamahl Mosley and his staff have done has been great. Getting off to that 5-19 start was rough but they have a half season of playing at an above .500 pace and since the new year, they’ve gone 14-16, which is not bad at all. For a team that went 22-60 last year and that’s had a rough start like they did this year, that is a pretty significant turnaround. You can clearly see the growth and maturity of this team under Jamahl Mosley.”
Paolo Banchero's Impact & Rookie of the Year Campaign [4:22]
Drafted first overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, Paolo Banchero has been everything the Orlando Magic have wanted him to be, and then some! He’s firmly in the driver’s seat for this season’s Rookie of the Year award and he has shown flashes of the potential the Magic have as a team moving forward.
Brett and Khobi talked about Paolo’s impact in Orlando this season and why he is the face of the franchise for many years to come. [4:22]
Siegel: Paolo Banchero going to Orlando was a little bit of a surprise to many around the league, as Jabari Smith Jr. was the guy many were talking about in connection with Orlando, but the Magic kept things quiet and they were always planning on taking Banchero with this pick. While he has missed some time this year due to some ankle injuries here and there, Paolo has played great and all season long, he has led all rookies in scoring. Is he the clearcut Rookie of the Year in your mind or is there still some time for guys like Bennedict Mathurin from the Pacers and Jalen Williams from the Thunder to catch him?
Price: As of right now, I am pretty certain that Banchero will be the Rookie of the Year. He had that February where he wasn’t shooting well at all, but when you look at the way he started and even his sustained period of really good play, that’s a very substantial sample of really good play from a rookie. Mathurin has been awesome and Jalen Williams is sensational. I remember during the draft combine talking with scouts and other personnel about him and it became very clear to me that either he would rise up draft boards or whoever ends up with him later would be getting a steal. Even with that and Williams picking up his play recently though, I think Paolo is a pretty safe bet to win Rookie of the Year.
Siegel: To me, what makes Banchero such a special player is the mindset that he doesn’t back down to anyone. When he gets that ball in his hands, he has a score-first mentality, which is a good thing given how aggressive he can play. Being just 20-years-old, that kind of mindset is going to set him up for a lot of success on a team that plays off-the-ball around him. I think we are going to see him become a more well-rounded player who can not only go for 20-plus points a game, but that can also consistently average around five assists per game as well. I mean this season, he’s averaging just under four per game which is impressive in itself.
Orlando’s Backcourt: What The Future Holds For Markelle Fultz, Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs [7:09]
If there is one thing the Magic have done well over the years, it is stockpiling first-round draft picks and gathering a lot of high-potential players. 2017 first overall pick Markelle Fultz is a member of this team’s backcourt, as are Cole Anthony and Jalen Suggs, two first-round picks in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
Orlando’s backcourt depth is certainly impressive, but will they be able to keep all of their young guards long-term? Not to mention, Fultz, Anthony and Suggs all have different, unique contract situations entering the offseason.
Brett and Khobi discussed what Markelle Fultz’s future with the Magic is looking like, as well as what this team will look to do moving forward with key contract decisions looming. [7:09]
Siegel: The Magic have seen quite a few different backcourt rotations this year, but Markelle Fultz has returned from injury and he’s quietly had the best season of his young career. Heading into the offseason, Fultz will have one more year left on his contract and it will be partially-guaranteed. The Magic have a decision to make here because they do have a somewhat crammed backcourt with Fultz, Anthony, Suggs and veteran Gary Harris, even though he tends to play more out on the wing. What’s the future looking like for Fultz in Orlando since he’s the oldest compared to Cole Anthony and Jalen Suggs, plus the fact that he has had trouble throughout his career staying healthy?
Price: I think with Markelle, the questions about his future with the team will be answered over this offseason. He will be eligible for an extension over the offseason and I believe he will also be able to get an extension at some point during next season since he is already on a rookie extension deal. This team, while Fultz was out, they really wanted to see how he could gel with this group. Not only has Markelle played well this season, but the team has played well around him. His return, as well as that of Cole Anthony’s, has really sparked the growth we have seen with the Magic this season. The steadiness and calmness Fultz brings to the table has been important. He has not even played in 200 games yet, so he still has room to grow and mature, but I think the Magic really want to see how much more he can grow and contribute as the team’s lead point guard.
Siegel: If Orlando does bring back Fultz for next season and they keep him as their starting point guard, where does that leave Anthony and Suggs long-term? Cole Anthony has one more year left on his rookie deal and is extension eligible this offseason and Suggs will suddenly be in Year 3. In my opinion, I think this is a good problem to have because it gives Orlando options, especially in potential two-guard lineups with Anthony and Suggs potential being options at the shooting guard spot.
Price: Right. That’s the situation they have had to navigate this season. We have seen Gary Harris be the one to start next to Markelle Fultz when the team is healthy due to his consistent three-point shooting and spacing. Maybe going into next season though, we may see either Cole or Jalen push for a starting spot. With Gary being out recently, Jalen has been the one to start, so maybe that’s something they explore more. It is not a dilemma per se, but it is hard to envision the Magic having Cole, Jalen, Markelle and Gary all on the same roster for the long-term. These contracts are going to get expensive, especially with the possibility of extensions coming up, so from a financial reason alone, this group may not be together much longer.
Jonathan Isaac’s Injury Concerns & Future [15:32]
Drafted sixth overall in 2017, Jonathan Isaac entered the league as a raw, lengthy and high-potential forward that developed into a very talented defensive player for the Magic. He had the best season of his career during the 2019-20 season and was amongst the best defenders in the league, averaging 1.6 steals and 2.3 blocks per game.
Unfortunately for Isaac, he suffered a left PLC knee injury in the middle of that season and then he suffered a torn left ACL when play resumed in the NBA Bubble. Undergoing surgery to repair the ACL and meniscus in his left knee, Isaac missed the entire 2020-21 season and he also missed the 2021-22 season.
Returning to the floor in January this year, Jonathan Isaac looked good and was showing flashes of his former self, but then he suffered a torn left adductor muscle recently, resulting in yet another season-ending surgery.
Entering the offseason, there are a lot of questions about Isaac’s future with the Magic, especially given his injury history and the fact that his contract is not fully-guaranteed moving forward.
Price [16:43]: “As of right now, the Magic are going to just try and be patient yet again. They’ve done so up to this point and they are going to try and see this through. I know his contract situation is pretty unique going forward with about $17 million the next two seasons, however, only about $7 million of that is guaranteed for next year and then none of it is guaranteed for the following year. There are ways for the Magic to navigate different cap projections and situations, but they will not need to make a decision on him from a cap standpoint until January 2024. His 2023-24 contract doesn’t go from partially-guaranteed to fully-guaranteed until January 10, 2024. They have time to see how his rehab goes and what he’s like when he potentially gets back to practicing, so that’s how they will really evaluate him. Jonathan Isaac’s future with this franchise depends on how he looks on the floor again and when he can potentially return to the floor again.”
