Orlando

Magic

There were certainly plenty of question marks when Orlando selected Howard with the 11th pick of the draft. However, they needed some shooting, and Howard can provide that. He didn’t have an efficient game, but the shots that went in looked good. He was also able to contribute some numbers in other categories. He’ll have to shoot better to be in Orlando’s rotation, and he’ll get the chance to show that ability over their next few games.

Black showcased his talent throughout this game and proved why he’ll be a valuable asset in fantasy basketball quickly. His combination of playmaking, defense and efficient shooting is hard to find. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a flawless performance, as he turned the ball over a ton. Hopefully playing with Orlando’s regular rotation will help him improve on that.

Harris was in and out of Orlando’s rotation last season, and he didn’t see a ton of minutes when he did play. However, this is a good start to the summer for him, and it’s possible he earns a role in the Magic’s deep rotation. Unfortunately, it won’t be a high volume role, so it’s unlikely that he ends up contributing in fantasy hoops next season.

Wagner proved that he could be a great backup center last season, and he was solid as a spot starter with Wendell Carter Jr. wasn’t able to play. He should be their primary backup big once again, which should allow him to be a solid option in deeper fantasy leagues.

After spending last season with a title contender in Milwaukee, Ingles will join a promising young squad in Orlando on a two-year deal. The fact that he was returning from a torn ACL limited the veteran wing’s fantasy value considerably, but that could change with the Magic. Ingles is a near 41% shooter from three for his career, and that’s an area where Orlando is in dire need of a boost. He put together two top-100 fantasy seasons during his time with the Jazz. While Ingles may not be that productive in Orlando, he’ll be worth a look in deeper leagues.

This represents a nice development for USA Basketball, as Banchero previously committed to representing Italy this summer. While born in the United States, he holds an Italian passport because his father is of Italian descent. There was hope that Banchero would play for Italy in the Tokyo Olympics, but that event was pushed back from 2020 to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Juwan Howard’s son Jett is a score-first combo guard with a strong outside shot. He can get to the basket, but his strength is in the mid-range and beyond the arc. He’ll likely be best suited for points leagues, as he doesn’t do much beyond racking up points. Howard is Orlando’s second lottery pick of this draft, as he joins Anthony Black as the newest Magic players. The team desperately needs shooting, and Howard is one of the best shooters in the draft. This is a bit earlier than he was projected to go, but he should be able to find a role as a rookie.

The long and lanky Black has great size for a point guard, and he used it to his advantage last season at Arkansas. Black has great footwork and handles, and he can drive to the basket and score in a variety of ways. He’s a floor general who knows how to control a game and get teammates involved, picking when to attack the basket and when to facilitate. He can be an impactful backup PG for Orlando and challenge for the starting job.

Banchero, who won Rookie of the Year honors, was the lone unanimous selection to the first-team roster. Williams was one first-place vote shy of a similar distinction, with Kessler racking up 95 first-place votes. Murray (88 first-place votes) and Mathurin (71) were next in line, with there being a sizable voting gap between them and second-team All-Rookie selection Jaden Ivey (43 first-place votes). Jalen Duren, Jabari Smith, Jeremy Sochan, and Tari Eason joined Ivey on the second team. Smith (one vote), Eason (two votes), and Jaylin Williams (one vote) were the only other rookies to receive at least one first-place vote.

Isaac made his long-awaited return from the ACL tear that he suffered in the bubble and other injuries on January 23. Unfortunately, his time on the court was limited to 11 games, with a torn adductor muscle being the reason for this shutdown. The good news is that it sounds like Isaac will be at full strength for the summer, which hasn’t been the case in quite some time. “This is really going to be the first summer I have to fully work,” Isaac said. “Every other summer, I’ve been rehabbing, trying to get back onto the court. So I’ll hopefully, in the next few weeks, be a full go. And doing everything I need to do to have a healthy next season.” Fantasy managers are well aware of Isaac’s potential when he’s on the court playing consistent minutes, but the inactivity makes him difficult to trust in drafts. He’s a player who could wind up being a fantasy steal, provided he stays healthy.