The Orlando Magic put on an admirable display in the 2024 NBA Playoffs. However, the team unfortunately lost their first-round matchup to the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games. To make matters worse, the Magic received a tough Wendell Carter Jr. injury update after the postseason.
Carter will undergo surgery to stabilize the third metacarpal in his left non-shooting hand, per the Orlando Sentinel. He originally suffered a fractured left hand on Nov. 2 against the Utah Jazz and had surgery that resulted in 20 missed games.
The 25-year-old is expected to make a full recovery and will be re-evaluated roughly four weeks after the procedure. Hopefully, Carter will be able to maintain his production as a key piece of the Magic core.
Wendell Carter Jr. joined the Magic via trade from the Chicago Bulls during the 2020-21 season. Since then, he has provided Orlando with great help on both sides of the ball. After his first 22-game stint with the team, Carter leapt to 15.0 points and a career-high 10.5 rebounds per game in 2021-22.
He followed the year up with a career-best 15.2 points to go with 8.7 rebounds in 2022-23. Carter's injury woes saw him play just 55 games in 2023-24. Yet, he averaged a respectable 11.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, and shot a career-high 37.4 percent on three-pointers. His floor-stretching and interior presence helped the Magic ascend for an honorable run in the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
Orlando took on a fiery Cavaliers team in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal and nearly won the series. However, Donovan Mitchell and company increased their intensity late in Game 7 to advance to the next round.
On the bright side, Wendell Carter Jr.'s injury hiatus will occur early in the offseason, so he should eventually be able to keep building alongside his talented teammates for another deep run in 2025.
Magic have a bright outlook for 2024-25
Orlando received standout contributions from several players during the 2023-24 season. For starters, Paolo Banchero took an incredible leap in his second year. Banchero averaged a team-best 22.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game. As a result, he earned his first All-Star appearance.
Banchero notably improved in several statistical categories including three-point shooting percentage, assists, and field goal percentage. The 22-year-old has a high ceiling, and if he continues to improve, Orlando will have a good chance to keep rising in the Eastern Conference standings.
Banchero's success does not come on its own. Several other Magic contributors have stepped their game up. In his third year, Franz Wagner was Orlando's second-leading regular season scorer with a career-high 19.7 points per game. His three-point percentage took a dip but he made up for it with increases in assists and rebounds.
Wagner gives Orlando an upper hand with his all-around scoring ability.
Of course, the Magic would not be successful without a good defensive effort, and that is where Jalen Suggs comes in. Suggs was arguably one of the NBA's best perimeter defenders in 2023-24. He tallied 1.4 steals per game and did a serviceable job taking on challenging matchups.
Suggs' defensive ability showed during the Cavaliers series when stayed close to Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, making it tough for the stars to score. Suggs will be an integral part of Orlando's attack going forward.
All in all, the Magic have a bright outlook for the 2024-25 season and beyond. Can they take another jump in the East?
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