Last season, Anthony Black started 33 games for the Magic and played in 69. It was the rookie’s first chance to show what he could do on an NBA court. And yet, when the team’s guard rotation was healthy again, Black found himself back on the bench. In the playoffs, he played just 11 minutes of garbage time.
Hopefully next season will be different. Despite being sparsely used, Black has become something of a favorite among Magic fans. Considering the team decided not to re-sign Markelle Fultz as a free agent and didn’t add another top-tier guard, it seems like the Magic are willing to give Black a chance.
The Magic want to win, though, and if Black can’t contribute quickly, perhaps some more experienced players will get the nod. Still, there are plenty of reasons why the young player deserves to be in the rotation.
The Orlando Magic are a defensive team. Their defense is what got them to the playoffs, and Anthony Black fits that identity well. He’s big for a guard and has already shown his potential as an elite defender. All of this makes Black the perfect fit for the Magic’s defensive strategy.
Even after a solid offseason, there are still concerns about this Magic team’s offense, so their defense will once again need to be elite, and giving Black a chance to play will only strengthen the defense.
A guard rotation of Jalen Suggs, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Gary Harris and Anthony Black would be terrifying defensively and would cause problems for opposing perimeter players.
The Magic already have two guards in Suggs and Caldwell-Pope who are well-positioned defensively. Black has the potential to follow in their footsteps. While he’s not ready to make a big difference in the playoffs, his defensive skills could help the team in the regular season.