The Orlando Magic's New Starting Lineup is a Cry for Help
With Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs sidelined, the Orlando Magic are rolling out a chaotic new starting five featuring Anthony Black and Josh Richardson.
HotTakes Editorial TeamUpdated 1 min read
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The Orlando Magic have officially reached the "pulling names out of a hat" phase of their season. According to Underdog NBA, Orlando is rolling out a Thursday starting five of Josh Richardson, Desmond Bane, Anthony Black, Franz Wagner, and Wendell Carter Jr.
You do not land on a lineup like this because things are going according to plan. This is the exact kind of rotation you get when your franchise cornerstone Paolo Banchero is sidelined with an ankle sprain and your defensive engine Jalen Suggs is nursing a bone bruise.
"Underdog NBA reported the lineup change, noting the start for Richardson, Bane, Black, Wagner, and Carter Jr."
The Magic are desperately searching for answers after dropping three straight games, capped off by a brutal 103-94 loss to the Washington Wizards. The coaching staff is just throwing combinations at the wall to see what sticks, and plugging Anthony Black back into the mix after his own recent ankle tweak is the latest experiment.
Seeing Richardson and Black slotted next to Wagner and Bane is the kind of sickos-only basketball reality that makes you question why you watch 82 games a year. It looks less like a cohesive NBA unit and more like a fantasy roster drafted entirely by auto-pick in the seventh round.
For anyone staring at the betting board tonight, this rotation shuffle turns Orlando player props into a total guessing game. With Banchero and Suggs out of the mix, the offensive usage is going to be completely hijacked by Wagner and Bane. Trying to project how many shots Richardson will actually take is a fast track to a headache, as you are basically banking on whether or not he happens to be standing in the right corner when Wagner gets double-teamed.
Orlando heads to Phoenix next to face the Suns, which is exactly the kind of offensive buzzsaw you want to avoid when test-driving a makeshift lineup. If this five-man group cannot find a way to generate stops and space the floor, the front office might need to start holding open tryouts.
Key stats
Key statsOrlando is on a three-game losing streak, including a 103-94 loss to Washington.
Paolo Banchero is out with an ankle sprain.
Jalen Suggs is sidelined with a bone bruise.
What's next
The Magic will test this new starting five against the Phoenix Suns, hoping to find some stability amidst their injury crisis.
