The Orlando Magic’s duo of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jalen Suggs will terrorize opposing guards subsequent season, in response to their teammate Wendell Carter Jr.
Throughout an interview following Friday’s apply, Carter Jr. was requested how he was impressed by his new beginning backcourt from a defensive standpoint.
The Magic middle responded with a stern warning to guards on the 29 different groups.
“I really feel sorry for any 1s and 2s they’re going in opposition to these two this 12 months, Carter stated. “These guys are so locked in on the defensive finish. They’re gonna problem you. Whether or not they’re recent. Whether or not they’re drained, they take a whole lot of delight on the protection, which is uncommon to seek out on this league.
“Simply what I say, I simply really feel sorry for 1s and 2s all through the league who received to take care of that night time in and night time out,” Carter Jr. added.
Magic New Defensive Backcourt
Whereas Orlando prioritizes inside growth and chemistry constructing amongst their core gamers, the Magic entrance workplace nonetheless introduced in Caldwell-Pope (3-year, $66 to shore up their taking pictures and perimeter protection whereas contributing to the successful tradition they’re attempting to construct.
After taking part in because the 3-and-D for the championship groups in Los Angeles and Denver, Caldwell-Pope will step right into a mentor position for the Magic’s younger participant, although he’s nonetheless able to offering elite perimeter protection and three-point taking pictures that the Magic direly lacked final season.
In the meantime, the 23-year-old Suggs is anticipated to play a a lot heavier position now with the departure of Markelle Fultz.
Suggs has at all times been a stable defensive participant since his faculty days at Gonzaga, however he has gotten loads higher along with his craft over the previous years and he has established a popularity for being one of many peskiest defenders within the league.
Suggs, who averaged a career-high 1.4 steals and a defensive ration of 110, earned an All-Defensive Second Crew choice for his excellent defensive displaying final season.
The following step for Suggs to develop into a impactful participant for the Magic is to enhance his guard play and three-point taking pictures. He bumped up his three-point taking pictures proportion to a career-high 39.7 p.c final season, although his assists common continued to dip from 4.4 assists per recreation in his rookie 12 months to 2.7 apg in his third 12 months.
After making the playoffs final season the place they took the Cleveland Cavaliers to the restrict of their seven-game first-round collection, the Magic has set the bar increased for this coming season as they plan to take care of the Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, and the defending champion Boston Celtics for superiority within the Japanese Convention.
Aside from Paolo Banchero’s seemingly inevitable leap to superstardom, the Magic’s success this season will even rely upon how Caldwell-Pope and Suggs carry out within the backcourt.
