Anthony Black, Jett Howard Offer Magic Loads Of Flexibility
The Orlando Magic came away with two more pieces for their rebuild during the 2023 NBA Draft in the form of Anthony Black and Jett Howard.
So, let's get into how each will fit with the current Magic group, starting with Black, the sixth overall pick.
I'm going to be completely honest. It's only been a few weeks since he was drafted, and I'm already getting tired of the "The Magic finally found their point guard" narrative, because that's underselling what he brings to the table in terms of positional fluidity.
Black is 6-foot-7 and can, as of right now, already play three positions. When he fills out his frame, and gets more experience, there's a chance he can add a fourth to the list. He's simply that versatile.
That all starts with his high basketball IQ, his ball-handling and his defensive impact. Black is a free-flowing, high-instinct, highly-switchable player you can pretty much plug into any type of lineup.
Want to go big and let Black run the point while setting up plays for Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner? You can do that.
Want to go small and use Black as a wing initiator, letting Cole Anthony fly off screens and channel his inner scoring? That'll work too.
Currently, the only major area for improvement for Black is his long-range shooting, and that should come in time. Black's mechanics aren't broken, but solely in need of some tuning. His release is slow, and resembles more of a set shot than a true jumper, which I heavily assume is something Orlando's coaching staff is already on top of.
Black projects as a high-end connector, not entirely dissimilar to Bruce Brown. Now, don't tell him that, because when I brought up that comparison to him during media availability the day before the draft, he wasn't exactly into it. Down the line, however, that's probably the role he's best suited for, and it's an extremely valuable one. Just look at the $45 million Brown signed for this summer with Indiana.
Does the presence of Black mean Orlando needs to make a change at guard? Not necessarily. At first glance, it does appear something has got to give. Anthony, Jalen Suggs and Markelle Fultz is already pretty crowded, but that's when you remember that none of them have the size to consistently play minutes at the wing.
If anything, the presence of Black could help all three get more easy baskets in transition and present a lineup entirely loaded with above-average passers. Wendell Carter Jr, Banchero, Wagner, Black, and Fultz (to use one example) would be a nightmare to play against, as the ball would move quickly and efficiently.
As for the implementation of Howard, he's a bit more straightforward. As of right now, Howard is a spacing wing. He'll cash in on shots from downtown, move without the ball, force defenses to stretch out and provide all the room in the world for the first unit to initiate actions.
He told me during media availability that he believes he can play three positions, presumably off-guard and the two forward spots. At 6-foot-8, and with strong levels of agility, I could see that coming to fruition down the line.
Howard also told me he's working with his father, Juwan, on post moves, which indicates his intent of expanding his game into becoming more than just a shooter.
For now, though, Howard's ability to get off clean looks is going to turn him into a release valve. He's not going to break down opponents off the dribble, but he's perfectly capable of making quick plays in sticky situations. For the Magic to have someone like him, who can be productive on the perimeter, and put the ball on the floor just enough to get a reasonable shot off late in the clock, is a gift for especially Banchero, who teams will lock onto early.
So what does this mean for the Magic this season?
Usually, rookies shouldn't be counted on to produce wins. In the case of Black and Howard, that too remains true. However, this young Magic core is already so potent, they just needed a few more weapons to become deeper and more reliable. Black and Howard most certainly made them deeper, and they now have options with those two players they didn't have before.
That's not to say Orlando will make the postseason, but we'll likely see a squad that's highly competitive and a year away from being taken extremely serious.
Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
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