Wendell Carter Jr. agrees to large extension with Magic

The Orlando Magic are persevering with on of their path to sustained playoff rivalry. On Monday night time, the Magic saved a member of their beginning lineup for the lengthy haul after coming to phrases to a three-year, $59 million extension with Wendell Carter Jr., per Shams Charania of ESPN.

Carter nonetheless had two years left on his current deal; he was set to make a complete of round $22.7 million till the 2025-26 season, however his new contract with the Magic now takes his complete wage to $82 million over the subsequent 5 seasons.

This was the utmost quantity that Carter might have signed in a three-year extension with the Magic as per the CBA guidelines, and now, Orlando has its beginning heart beneath contract till his age-29 season.

Nonetheless, there’s a little bit of damage concern surrounding Carter following the Magic’s newest preseason contest — a 106-104 defeat to the New Orleans Pelicans. Within the third quarter, Carter appeared to roll his ankle after contesting a shot from Daniel Theis, and he crumbled to the bottom shortly after feeling the impression.

If there may be something Carter has struggled with all through his profession, it is staying wholesome. He has missed a minimum of 20 video games in his six seasons to date within the NBA, and over the previous three campaigns, he has been absent for a mean of 24 video games. Given his shaky damage historical past, it was astute for him to safe a long-term take care of the Magic.

For the Magic, Carter is a worthwhile piece of the roster they’re constructing. From a skillset standpoint, Carter is the best frontcourt accomplice for Paolo Banchero. The 25-year-old huge man’s largest asset on offense is his skill to area the ground. Final season, he shot 37.4 p.c from past the arc on 3.1 makes an attempt per sport, a serious boon for the spacing of one of many lowest-volume three-point taking pictures groups within the NBA.

The Magic have emphasised expert dimension of their roster-building philosophy, which makes Carter’s contract a cut price if he manages to remain wholesome. That could be a main if, nonetheless.

Magic boast arguably the league’s greatest heart rotation

When wholesome, Wendell Carter Jr. figures to stay because the Magic’s beginning heart. He might not be the flashiest beginning heart within the NBA, however he’s nearly as good of a complement the Magic have on their roster to their extra ball-dominant forwards in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Even then, there isn’t a stress for the Magic to hurry Carter again after his newest ankle damage, as Orlando boasts arguably the league’s greatest heart rotation.

Behind Carter within the rotation are two facilities who could make a case for a bigger position elsewhere. Moe Wagner and Goga Bitadze can do extra than simply maintain down the fort for the Magic, and so they have them beneath contract for a number of seasons. The Magic even have the roster versatility to trout out Banchero or Jonathan Isaac on the 5 if the necessity to take action ever arises.

The very best a part of that is that the Magic’s facilities every present a special dimension to the crew every time they’re on the courtroom. Carter is a floor-spacer, Wagner has advanced into greater than a hustle man who will get beneath the opponents’ pores and skin (he’s a harmful roll-man who could make the occasional three-ball), whereas Bitadze is the perfect rim-protecting possibility among the many three.