Magic: Wendell Carter Jr. opens up on improved 3-ball after heater in win vs. Pelicans

Wendell Carter Jr. is glad that his Magic teammates are finding him in spots where he can put that improved three-ball stroke to good use.

In a 122-105 preseason win over the New Orleans Pelicans, Wendell Carter Jr. showed that he'll be such a dangerous weapon for the Orlando Magic in the coming years as he partners with Paolo Banchero in the frontcourt. He finished with a game-high 18 points after he caught fire from beyond the arc, nailing four of his five three-point attempts for a rock-solid +14 on the night.

A career 32.1 percent shooter from deep who shot 35.6 percent last season Carter isn't exactly the best of snipers from three. But Carter has worked so hard on his outside shooting, and he's glad that his Magic teammates are finding him in spots where he can put that improved three-ball stroke to good use.

“It feels good, cause you put in all the work and then you go into a game and sometimes you have off nights and sometimes you have on nights like I did tonight. It feels good for the first game to be an on night for me and for my teammates to find me,” the Magic center said, per Dan Savage of NBA.com. “I give a lot of credit to my teammates trusting in me for taking those shots and pushing me to take those shots, miss or make. I give a lot of credit to them for sure.”

Spoke to @wendellcarter34 after the @OrlandoMagic's preseason win over the Pelicans about seeing all the hard work he's put in on his 3-point shooting translate to the court and how it can help the team.

Full interview: https://t.co/l8FFY6NGbU pic.twitter.com/4xky5WAd8M

— Dan Savage (@Dan_Savage) October 11, 2023

Given the Magic guards' lack of a consistent three-ball stroke (shooting isn't the strong suit for Markelle Fultz, Anthony Black, and Jalen Suggs), Wendell Carter Jr.'s ability to make threes will play a huge role in determining just how much success the team can achieve next season, and he knows it.

“We got a lot of talented guards and forwards that can get down to the paint in Markelle, P and Franz. With me being able to shoot more and more, it just opens up more space for them to get into the paint and make more plays,” Carter added.

For the Magic's sake, they'll be hoping that Carter becomes a much more consistent weapon from three during the 2023-24 season. And at an average salary of around $12.5 million for the next three years, he figures to be a huge bargain for the team for years to come.