There’s a few seven-month hole between when the Orlando Magic’s 2021-22 season ended and once they’ll begin the 2022-23 season.
Luckily, summer season league will assist fill the void.
Orlando gained’t waste time in getting again on the court docket. With a roster headlined by Paolo Banchero, the No. 1 decide within the June 23 draft, the Magic kick off the Las Vegas summer season league towards the Houston Rockets at 10 p.m. on Thursday on the Thomas & Mack Center.
The matchup would be the first of 5 video games for Orlando. The Las Vegas summer season league runs from Thursday by July 17.
The Magic have 4 video games scheduled, with a fifth foe to be decided. After all 30 groups play 4 video games by July 15, the 2 groups with the very best data will play within the championship recreation two days later. The different 28 groups will play their fifth video games on July 16 or 17.
Assistant coach Jesse Mermuys will lead the summer season league squad.
Here are 5 issues to control whereas watching the Magic:
1. Paolo Banchero’s debut
All eyes might be on Banchero Thursday, when he makes his debut in a Magic uniform, and each recreation he performs throughout summer season league.
The consideration is comprehensible. It comes with being the draft’s high decide.
“I definitely embrace it,” Banchero mentioned, including he understands opponents might attempt to go after him throughout summer season league. “I’ve kind of always had a target on my back since high school. Going to Duke, it was the same thing. Every guy I went against wanted to get the best of me. It’s going to be the same thing in summer league and the NBA. Just got to be ready for it and accept the challenge.”
How younger gamers, like Banchero, produce in summer season league isn’t the be-all and end-all.
Gaudy stat strains with pristine effectivity shouldn’t be dismissed, however the subsequent 1½ weeks of practices and video games for Banchero might be about additional understanding Orlando’s ideas on each ends of the ground.
“Just getting sharp on that and all the principles on defense,” he mentioned. “It’s a little different from college. Perfecting that and using summer league to work on it.”
2. R.J. Hampton’s growth
Entering his third season, Hampton isn’t required play summer season league.
But he requested to be. Not solely so he can get to know his new teammates higher however as a result of he’d profit from getting reps in a backcourt rotation that’s much less congested.
Hampton talked about his on-ball recreation is part of his skillset he’s seeking to showcase.
Those alternatives will come simpler than they did in comparison with this previous season when he typically shared ballhandling duties with Orlando’s younger guards (Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs and Markelle Fultz).
Hampton is an elite athlete who will get to the rim with ease however typically performs too quick or uncontrolled with the ball in his arms. His progress on this space might be one thing to observe.
“There’s a lot of summer to play basketball,” he mentioned. “I only got to play one summer league. My first year, there wasn’t a summer league. Just turned 21 a couple of months ago. It’s a great opportunity for me to get run and get extra reps.”
3. Devin Cannady’s position
Cannady made a giant step in his comeback from the open proper ankle fracture he suffered in April 2021 when he signed a three-deal 12 months with the Magic on the final day of the 2021-22 season.
There are extra steps he must take, together with displaying what he can do additional faraway from the harm earlier than it’s assured he’ll be on the opening-night roster.
“My biggest thing is my health,” Cannady mentioned about what he’s been engaged on for the reason that season ended. “The past two months since the season ended was just really focusing on my body from a nutrition standpoint, sleep and just overall healthy. This is going to be my first showcase since before my injury where I can show what I look like and how I can play when I’m healthy.”
Cannady’s $1.75 million wage for 2022-23 and $1.9 million for 2023-24 are nonguaranteed. His wage for subsequent season turns into absolutely assured if he’s on the roster previous Jan. 10, 2023.
Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley talked about utilizing Cannady, who’s 6-foot-2, in a number of roles throughout summer season league — as a degree guard, off-ball guard and at the same time as a small ahead in small lineups.
Cannady has confirmed he’s a dependable shooter (39.6% on 3s in NBA, 39% in G League). His performances in summer season league gained’t make or break his possibilities of making the roster, however they may assist present what he can convey exterior of capturing.
“I’ve taken an unconventional journey but being here on a non-guaranteed deal, I’m just trying to show what I can do,” he mentioned. “That’s leading, having good energy and making shots. It’s a great situation.”
4. Caleb Houstan’s utilization
Houstan, the Magic’s second-round decide (No. 32), has the potential to knock down 3s and defend at a excessive stage on the wings.
The Magic want it. He additionally may be greater than that.
Houstan, a former 5-star out of Montverde Academy, was projected to be a first-round decide — and at one level top-10 — earlier than his lone up-and-down season at Michigan.
He matches the “3-and-D” mildew however showcased his ballhandling expertise higher with Canada’s nationwide crew through the 2021 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup.
Houstan’s utilization throughout summer season league might present a glimpse of the place he matches.
“He can be a very capable shooter,” Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman instructed the Orlando Sentinel. “He has a very team-oriented outlook. He guards. He does a lot of little things that don’t show up in the boxscore. He’s just a very smart, sound player who quietly does winning things.”
5. Who else stands out?
For gamers with assured offers, summer season league is about growth.
For gamers with out assured offers or seeking to make coaching camp rosters, summer season league is the time to face out.
Like most summer season league groups, the Magic’s roster largely consists of gamers who ended final season enjoying within the G League, performed abroad or lately left school.
For a lot of these gamers, this might be considered one of their higher alternatives to be scouted and evaluated by all 30 groups earlier than roster choices for late September and early October are made.
2022 Magic Summer League schedule:
Thursday: vs. Houston, 10 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Saturday: vs. Sacramento, 4 (ESPN)
Monday: Oklahoma City, 9 (ESPN)
July 14: vs. New York, 7:30 (NBATV)
Fifth recreation: To be decided.
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Khobi Price at [email protected] or observe him on Twitter at @khobi_price.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com