Suggs impresses in Summer League
LAS VEGAS (BVM) – The Magic have rebuilt their roster into a guard and wing-heavy composition going into the following regular season. After hitting the restart button in dealing away their three veterans of Evan Fournier, Aaron Gordon and All-Star big man Nikola Vucevic, the Magic got younger converting their draft picks into young guards and playmakers. That includes first-round pick, Jalen Suggs.
Jalen Suggs showed out in his first two Summer League games and was greatly missed by Orlando in their defeat against Boston.
Suggs led the Summer League squad in points with 24 in their first matchup against the Warriors in a 91 to 89 overtime victory. He shot a fair 41% from the field and led the team in boards with nine.
Suggs continued to lead the young core through their next contest against the Cavaliers. Despite the 94-84 loss, he displayed his well-roundedness and led in all three categories with 16 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
Although Summer League is not always a fair test of NBA readiness, Suggs outshined Hampton and Anthony, two of his competitors for the starting point guard role.
But the Magic’s most recent 71-108 loss to the red-hot Celtics was evidence of a divide in talent from their respective young cores.
The Magic fell asleep at the wheel offensively with only 26-year old Tahjere McCall reaching double figures in points with 12.
The Celtics delivered the onslaught led by undrafted Virginia sharpshooter Sam Hauser who scored 21 points while shooting six for 10 from downtown.
Suggs left in the second quarter with a sore left hand. The rookie clocked in for 28 and 26 minutes in the first two games respectively, but in the third game, Suggs did not even reach half of that logging under 12 minutes. He scored six points on six attempts and was greatly missed against Boston.
From the small three-game sample size, it seems that Suggs has what it takes to be a centerpiece in the league, but in these crucial opportunities for development, the Magic need to feed him minutes to have any real effect on games.
Suggs’ minor hand injury is a reminder of the fragility of a rookie’s career. The young prospect has the tools to have a real impact with Orlando’s first unit this season and the potential to bud into an all-star in a few years.
The Magic will have plenty of options at point guard amidst a sea of youth and potential as they rebuild from the playoff team they once were. Suggs still needs to prove that he can remain healthy and maintain consistent minutes and over a long NBA season.
Orlando will face Houston on Sunday in their final Summer League game in an effort to finish the season 2-2.
