Questions about Jalen Suggs have persisted since the Magic insisted on using him as the lead guard. Anthony Black as the backup has not exactly inspired loads of confidence.<\/p>\n
The Magic have had their most success with solid veteran stabilizers at point guard. Guys like Markelle Fultz, D.J. Augustin and Cory Joseph are not players who pop off the page. But they were stable. They ran and managed the team, scored when it came time to, and kept the team organized.<\/p>\n
The Magic were at their best in this run when they had a veteran guard to keep the boat steady. Even if he was not the most impressive scorer.<\/p>\n
It seemed like finding this was the biggest splash the Magic needed to make this offseason.<\/p>\n
Finding the right point guard is still the biggest challenge facing the Magic. They are still looking for the right player to manage and stabilize the team.<\/p>\n
They are also not making a big splash.<\/p>\n
Orlando is set to retain Jevon Carter on a minimum contract, bringing back the point guard the team came to rely on last year after trading Tyus Jones at the deadline. <\/p>\n
In Carter, the Magic get someone they are familiar with who is willing to shoot and play the tough defense the Magic like.<\/p>\n
But they also leave a lot of questions, considering Carter did not crack the Magic’s Playoff rotation. Orlando really did not touch the position that has the most questions on this roster. Leaving improvements, and perhaps bigger questions, for the future rather than the present.<\/p>\n
Carter helped give offense some force<\/p>\n
No one will pretend Jevon Carter is some gamechanger. With the Orlando Magic’s limited cap space and tools, they were likely not going to make a big splash.<\/p>\n
As things turn out, the Magic have spent only minimum contracts during this offseason free agency period.<\/p>\n
Getting someone they know in Carter is at least some assurance. Orlando knows what Carter brings to the table, and it was mostly successful in his short stint with the team last season.<\/p>\n
Carter appeared in 30 games for the Magic last season, averaging 7.2 points per game and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 33.6 percent from three and 40.2 percent overall.<\/p>\n
Carter has made his name mostly as a tough, hard-nosed defender. That is really what the Magic were after. <\/p>\n
But what stood out most about Carter was his aggressiveness. He was not afraid to shoot it.<\/p>\n
In 30 games with the Magic, he took 10 or more field goals in six games. His willingness to just let it fly, and his ability to get shots off the dribble, were vital to a team missing in creators and players who wanted to shoot.<\/p>\n
Carter sometimes got a little too much freedom. He would take shots and get out of the offensive flow. But that is part of a team that wanted everyone to make decisions with the ball. It is that by-committee, read-and-react approach of Jamahl Mosley’s offense.<\/p>\n
Carter is not a traditional point guard. He is not a passer by nature. But that is still something the Magic need.<\/p>\n
Still questions at point guard<\/p>\n
The fear about the Orlando Magic’s offseason is that they would mostly run back the same roster<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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