At 2-9 in 2024-25, the Sixers are poised to embark on a crucial three-game road trip that could go either way. First, they will face the third seed, 7-6 Orlando Magic. Orlando will be without All-Star forward Paolo Banchero, but they have enough depth to make things difficult for the Sixers. — not to mention another young star on the rise.

Here to discuss Orlando’s other rising star — and other members of the Magic roster worth keeping an eye on — is Jason Beedethe Orlando Sentinel’s Magic reporter. Let’s talk to Jason:

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Adam Aaronson: Paolo Banchero’s early season injury forced Franz Wagner into even more of a spotlight. What is the next step in the development of Wagner, who was given a maximum contract extension in the summer?

JB: Well, we are seeing the next step in its development right before our eyes. Wagner is starting to pull more mid-range jump shots in just the last week as he has taken on a bigger role on offense for the Magic. Known for his crafty finishing at the rim and long-range accuracy (he bounced back from three-point range after a career-low last year), Wagner hasn’t been one to shoot a lot of mid-range attempts.

But since he’s seen an increase in usage rate and defenses no longer have to focus on Banchero, Wagner is starting to score at all three levels for Orlando. In the past, teams have had success loading the paint and forcing the Magic to shoot threes (an area where they’ve struggled recently), so Wagner even attempting mid-range shots helps open up the floor a bit and should at least to keep the defense longer. sincere. Of course, his bread and butter will be scoring the paint, and that’s where Orlando thrives as a whole.

Beyond his offense, Wagner is arguably an underrated defender despite his length and size as a 6-foot-10 wing. At the end of the day, though, if you want to play for Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley, you’re going to have to defend at a high level, and Wagner has consistently helped at that end of the pitch. Through the first 12 games of the season, he was one of only seven players in the NBA to average at least 20 points, five rebounds, four assists and 1.5 steals per game, joining Luka Dončić, De ‘Aaron Fox, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, James Harden, Nikola Jokić and Jayson Tatum.

AA: After failing to sign Paul George, the Magic moved on to sign Kentavious Caldwell-Pope — a move many believed would give them a major boost both ways. What has been Caldwell-Pope’s impact on Orlando so far?

JB: Caldwell-Pope’s impact went beyond scoring. He’s a two-time champion on a team that, for the most part, experienced its first playoff series against the Cavaliers last season (only veterans Gary Harris and Cory Joseph made postseason appearances). Giving Orlando a steady hand on the court and another veteran voice in the locker room, Caldwell-Pope has helped provide perspective for an otherwise young team still going through the growing pains of learning how to win consistently .

That said, the Magic didn’t sign Caldwell-Pope to a three-year, $66 million deal just for his presence in the locker room. They added him to produce on the floor and so far he’s lacked offensive firepower, averaging just 7.1 points, 2.1 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game.

It’s a small sample size in just 13 games and he told us he liked the shots he’s getting, but Caldwell-Pope will have to eventually find a spark on offense as Orlando continues to face the reality of not having Banchero in the near future. He made it clear that his role doesn’t change without Banchero — he’s still a strong 3-and-D option who averages 1.3 steals per game — but Caldwell-Pope needs to find his 3-point shot again points soon (shot a career- low 22.4 percent from distance to start the season).

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AA: For Sixers fans who can’t watch the Magic play regularly, who is one player they may not know much about but should keep a close eye on in this one?

AA: Anthony Black. The second-year guard from Arkansas made leaps and bounds on offense and became the backup menu for Orlando’s second unit. No longer sitting in the corner and waiting for the ball to come his way, Black has taken more control of the offense when he’s on the floor and trying to blow (both in the paint and from three-point range), but and simple would not be as good. a beginner. Some of that comes naturally with time and experience, but Black added weight over the summer, which made him more confident on both ends of the court. Through the first 13 games of the season, the 6-foot-7 guard is averaging 7.9 points, 4.2 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game, marks that are all above his rookie numbers. While Wagner and Jalen Suggs have done heavy lifting without Banchero on the court, Black has also helped and provides length off the bench.

More information about Sixers-Magic

• Date/Time: November 15th, 7pm EST

• TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia

• Spread: Sixers -3.5

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