The Orlando Magic (5-16) will probably be considerably more healthy for Wednesday’s house sport vs. the Atlanta Hawks (11-10).
Guards Markelle Fultz will probably be accessible to make his season debut whereas Cole Anthony will probably be accessible to return in opposition to the Hawks, a league supply informed the Orlando Sentinel Tuesday morning.
Terrence Ross, who missed Monday’s 109-102 loss to the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center due to an sickness, may also be accessible.
The Sentinel’s reporting was confirmed when the Magic launched their harm report, itemizing Wendell Carter Jr. (strained proper plantar fascia pressure), Jonathan Isaac (left knee harm restoration), Jalen Suggs (proper ankle soreness) and Chuma Okeke (left knee soreness) as out and Mo Bamba (again spasms) as questionable for Wednesday (7 p.m., Bally Sports Florida/Bally Sports+/FM 96.9 The Game).
Fultz has but to play this season after fracturing his huge left toe late within the offseason. He informed the Sentinel on Nov. 9 that he hoped to return “within the next 3-4 weeks” — a timeframe of Wednesday-Dec. 7.
He was questionable to make his season debut in Sunday’s 133-103 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers however was dominated out pregame, with coach Jamahl Mosley saying “we’re just going to give it a couple of more days” when requested about Fultz’s standing.
A few extra days turned out to be three.
Anthony missed the final 16 video games after exiting the Oct. 26 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers with a torn proper inner indirect. He informed the Sentinel Sunday that he anticipated to be again very quickly however didn’t disclose a date. A supply informed the Sentinel earlier within the month there was optimism he’d return to play after Thanksgiving in late November/early December.
The improved participant availability, particularly with Anthony and Fultz, will probably be useful for a Magic staff that was with out almost half its roster Monday and has handled well being points all season. They’ve had at the least 5 gamers sidelined every sport and had 113 total player games missed to injury/illness — the most in the league.
The Magic have been particularly skinny at guard, with Anthony, Fultz, Suggs and Gary Harris lacking a mixed 61 video games. Harris missed the season’s first 15 video games due to left knee harm restoration after having an arthroscopic meniscectomy on his left knee in late August after tearing cartilage, which additionally compelled him to overlook coaching camp.
Fultz is coming into the second season of a 3-year, $50 million contract ($35 million assured) he signed with the Magic in December 2020.
He has a $16.5 million wage for 2022-23 that’s totally assured, whereas $2 million of his $17 million wage is assured for the 2023-24 season. Next season’s wage will turn into totally assured if he’s on the roster previous July 1.
Fultz’s harm struggles have restricted his enjoying time (131 video games in 5 seasons) since being the No. 1 general choose within the 2017 NBA draft.
“I’ve been through so much,” he mentioned. “I understand this process, be patient and listen to your body and when that time comes, just be ready for it.”
He performed in simply 33 video games from 2017-19 with the 76ers due to a nerve difficulty in his proper shoulder. He was dealt to the Magic forward of the 2019 commerce deadline.
Fultz’s healthiest season got here with the Magic in 2019-20, when he performed 72 video games (60 begins) and averaged 12.1 factors (46.5% taking pictures) and 5.1 assists in 27.7 minutes.
He missed many of the final two seasons due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee simply eight video games into the 2020-21 season.
After a 14-month absence, Fultz returned in a house win over the Indiana Pacers on Feb. 28 and averaged 10.8 factors (47.4% taking pictures), 5.5 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 20 minutes (18 video games).
He ought to present the Magic with regular on-ball playmaking and open up off-ball scoring alternatives for a number of of his teammates.
Anthony, a third-year guard who the Magic drafted at No. 15 in 2020, led the Magic in scoring (16.3) and assists (5.7) final season.
He’s within the third 12 months of a 4-year, $15.9 million rookie scale contract that has a totally assured $3.6 million wage for this season. The Magic exercised the fourth-year staff choice on Anthony’s $5.5 million wage for 2023-24.
Anthony used the offseason to bulk up and work on his taking pictures/off-ball skillset however hadn’t been in a position to showcase the work he had put in as a result of he went down with the harm early within the season and the opposite guard accidents the staff was coping with when he was accessible.
He averaged 15.5 factors, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in 4 video games (30.5 minutes) earlier than his harm.
The Magic have used the primary quarter of the season to experiment with rotations the perfect they may regardless of the inconsistent choices.
They’re one in all three groups together with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers who haven’t had a single five-man lineup play at the least 70 minutes collectively.
Rookie ahead Paolo Banchero and second-year ahead Franz Wagner have been tasked with larger on-ball duties due to the absences.
Banchero, the No. 1 choose in June’s draft, has averaged 22.9 factors (46% taking pictures), 7.1 rebounds and three.5 assists in 34.8 minutes and has a team-high utilization fee of 29.3% within the 14 video games he’s performed — the 18th-highest mark amongst all gamers who’ve performed at the least 10 video games.
Wagner, the No. 8 choose within the 2021 draft, has averaged 19.5 factors (50% taking pictures), 4.1 rebounds and 4 assists and is second in utilization fee at 24.7% after ending final season at 20.8%. He and Bol Bol are the one two gamers who’ve performed in each sport.
The returns of Anthony and Fultz ought to open up off-ball alternatives for each younger forwards as Mosley continues to check out new lineups that weren’t beforehand accessible.
“When we do get healthy, there will be a rhythm to the game and understand some of the rotations,” Mosley mentioned. “With that being said, we’re still going to have to look at different combinations, and lineups. The message to our guys is when you step on that floor, it’s about competing [and] fighting.”
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Khobi Price at [email protected] or comply with him on Twitter at @khobi_price.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com