Alex Morales didn’t fill up the box score Wednesday night, but he may have shown exactly why the Orlando Magic like him in a two-way role.
With the Magic clinging to a two-point lead in the final minute against the Memphis Grizzlies, Morales kept finding ways to extend possessions. He spent the game battling bigger bodies, slipping into space and hauling in offensive rebounds. The payoff came on his fifth offensive board, when he cleaned up a miss and pushed Orlando ahead by four with 12 seconds left, nearly putting the game away before Walter Clayton’s 3-point shooting heroics made things interesting again.
That sequence felt like a snapshot of Morales’ game. It wasn’t flashy. It was relentless.
“We talked to Alex about part of his role being doing the dirty work,” coach Sean Sweeney said after Wednesday's game. “He did that throughout the course of the night.
He had a lot of winning plays. He made a lot of invisible plays throughout, doing things to help the team win that didn't show up the way that did.
It's nice that he did get that opportunity to capitalize on something. He was working hard, going to the boards throughout the night.”
Morales finished with four points, 10 rebounds and five offensive rebounds, shooting 2-for-5 and missing both of his 3-point attempts. On paper, it was a modest line. On the floor, he kept popping up in the middle of the action.
That kind of production is the point for a player in his spot.
Morales joined the Magic as a two-way player last year after the team converted Jamal Cain to a full contract. He played in four games, logged 24 minutes and scored eight points, adding four assists, four turnovers and seven fouls. It was a small sample, and not one that left a lasting impression.
His work with the Osceola Magic last season was more substantial. He averaged 17.5 points per game and shot 39.4 percent from three. In Summer League, he put up 8.3 points per game and shot 12 for 28, or 42.9 percent, from the floor.
He’s not the kind of player who grabs attention with volume scoring, and even in the G League, last year was the first time he averaged more than 10.0 points per game in four years with the Magic’s G-League team. But Morales knows what he’s there to do.
“I don't have too many individual goals. Just to showcase that all the intangible stuff that I contribute at Osceola, I'm able to do the same thing at this level,” Morales said at Media Day. “Just to be the support to the team that we have wherever we need it.”
That’s the job description for a two-way player. You fill gaps.
You bring energy. You make yourself useful whenever the coaches need you.
Morales also sees the path clearly.
“I’m just looking to add team success,” Morales said at Media Day. “I'm looking to be a part of something special team-wise.
And then being able to fill in and support the team whenever they need it. Doing all the intangible stuff, all the dirty work.
I'm just looking to be part of something special and making a run.”
That mindset fits what Orlando has already gotten from two-way players like Trevelin Queen and Jamal Cain, both of whom made an impact by simply bringing energy and making plays. Morales looks built to follow that same script.
He may not get many minutes. If he’s on the floor, it probably means the Magic are dealing with a pile of injuries. And the questions about his shooting and overall offense are fair ones.
Still, the role doesn’t ask him to be a featured scorer. It asks him to compete, rebound and do the stuff that doesn’t always show up right away.
Wednesday was a reminder that Morales can do that. It was also a reminder of why Orlando gave him the opportunity in the first place.
In Other News...
Grizzlies Preseason Loss Exposed A New Problem Memphis Needs To Watch
The preseason opener in Memphis gave the Magic an early look at how their offense may be shaped without a full lineup on the floor. Orlando handled a 122-118 win over the Grizzlies, and the game plan leaned heavily on Franz Wagner, who helped steer the attack in his 14 minutes while also contributing on the defensive end. With Anthony Black and Jalen Suggs unavailable, the rotation opened up for players such as Richardson, Alex Morales and Jamal Cain, creating a useful first snapshot of how the bench pieces fit when the ball is moving through different hands.
For Orlando, the broader takeaway was less about the final score and more about the shape of the offense when the usual guard options are missing. Wagners role was clearly central, but the game also offered extended run for lesser-used pieces who had to absorb real minutes in a competitive setting. How much of that distribution sticks once the roster gets closer to full strength is the part worth watching next, because the preseason can quickly reveal which lineup combinations are sustainable and which ones are only temporary fixes. [Read more 🡒]
Magics New Look Already Gives Fans Something To Watch
Sean Sweeneys first game on the Orlando sideline gave fans an early look at how different this preseason can feel, and the 122-118 win over Memphis had plenty of small details worth tracking. Jase Richardson got the start because Jalen Suggs was ill, Paolo Banchero was already up to 11 points by halftime, and Tristan da Silva brought scoring punch off the bench as the Magic leaned on a mix of established talent and new possibilities.
Desmond Banes first game back at FedExForum since being traded to Orlando added another layer to a matchup that already carried a little extra edge. Preseason results rarely mean much on their own, but this one offered the kind of lineup twists and personnel changes that can keep a fan base engaged, especially when the group looks a little different and the rotation questions are still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]
Zach Edey Reaches A Big Grizzlies Checkpoint After Long Absence
Zach Edey is set to rejoin the Memphis Grizzlies for their upcoming preseason game against the Orlando Magic, a notable step after he missed time following two left ankle procedures. For the Grizzlies, getting the center back on the floor even in a preseason setting offers another chance to gauge where he stands physically and how quickly he can fit back into the rotation work the team wants to sort out before the games start to count.
Orlando will be dealing with a different kind of preseason challenge, with several players sidelined because of illness, injury or personal reasons. The matchup also comes as Memphis continues to use the exhibition slate to build rhythm, and point guard Ty Jerome said preseason is a chance for the team to evaluate performance and keep sharpening details, even if the results themselves are not the main point yet. [Read more 🡒]