Anthony Black An 'Odd Fit' For Orlando Magic?
ORLANDO - All of the questions surrounding every team's offseason moves are just over a week away from getting answered.
But even with opening night just around the corner, it hasn't stopped people from grading the work each team did leading into the 2023-2024 season. Bleacher Report graded each team's offseason moves and gave the Orlando Magic an abysmal D+.
One of the reasons Orlando received such a low grade is because of Anthony Black's fit on the team, specifically related to when he shares the court with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
"Black has real potential as a rangy lead guard with great feel and innate playmaking instincts," Bleacher Report writes. "He's also shifty on the bounce and can guard multiple positions defensively. Unfortunately, Black struggles to generate his own offense and features shooting form that makes it hard to imagine he'll become a reliable weapon off the ball. Those weaknesses make him an odd fit in Orlando, where Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner need to be surrounded by guards who can hit open shots."
Anthony Black (0) going for a reverse layup.
Ken Blaze-USA Today Sports
While it's fair to question Black's fit, it's also worth wondering if that's the role Orlando envisioned for him when it drafted him with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. It's possible Black could have the ball in his hands and allow Banchero and Wagner to play more off of the ball.
Black was a jack of all trades in his freshman season at Arkansas. He made the SEC all-freshman team and was the only player in his conference to finish in the top 25 in scoring (12.78), rebounding (5.06), assists (3.92), steals (2.06) and blocked shots (0.61).
For first-year players, it's tough to envision what their role is going to be until they finally step on the court in a meaningful game. One has to imagine Orlando would want Black to show off her versatility to add another dimension to the team on both sides of the ball. Drafting Black to be something he hasn't proven to be would be a recipe for disaster for the Magic.
If Black can be a playmaker and impact the game on both sides of the ball, Orlando's offseason grade will look much different from how Bleacher Report has currently graded it.
