Anthony Black’s extension talks with the Orlando Magic came and went without a deal, but the 2023 lottery pick isn’t letting that shift his approach entering the new season.
Seven players beat Monday’s 6 p.m. EST rookie-scale deadline to sign extensions, a group that included San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama, Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller and the two Thompson twins, Amen of the Rockets and Ausar of the Pistons.
Black was not among them. According to reporting, Orlando was hesitant to go anywhere near the five-year, $110 million range of Brandin Podziemski’s deal.
That leaves Black headed into the final season of his rookie contract with a $10.1 million cap hit after being selected No. 6 overall in 2023. Still, he said the lack of a new contract hasn’t changed how he sees the year ahead.
"I've still got to do what I need to do," Black said when asked if no extension changed his perspective on this upcoming season, according to the Orlando Sentinel's Jason Beede.
"(I am) still trying to help the team win. It's more important than just me. So, (I'm) looking forward to having a good season and making the most out of this year with my team."
Black’s stance is simple: control what he can control and let the rest sort itself out. He flashed enough last season to give Orlando something to think about, but now he has to back it up again and keep building from there.
The financial reality around the Magic makes the situation more complicated. The team has been described as being in a tough spot on the cap sheet, and unless president Jeff Weltman is ready to go deep into the second apron, keeping the 6-foot-7 guard on an affordable number won’t be easy.
For now, the bigger issue is health. Black will not be available for the season opener against the Atlanta Hawks after being ruled out with a right ankle sprain. He was one of four Magic players listed out, along with Izaiyah Nelson, Jonathan Isaac and Noah Penda.
The #Magic list Anthony Black (right ankle sprain), Jonathan Isaac (left knee injury management), Noah Penda (right partially torn hamstring) and Izaiyah Nelson (left ankle injury management) all as OUT for Wednesday’s season-opener vs. Atlanta. pic.twitter.com/qaV0YzgnnW
The hope is that an agreement between Black and Orlando can eventually land before free agency next July, when he becomes a restricted free agent. That route can get messy fast, as the source material points out, with cases like Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors, or Jalen Duren and the Detroit Pistons.
That is the last thing either side wants, especially with Black standing out as one of the Magic’s top young guards.
Orlando opens its season Wednesday night against Atlanta, with a new offense getting its first real test.
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Magic Open With One Early Issue Fans Can't Ignore
Franz Wagner took part fully in practice and is set to be available when the Magic open the season Wednesday against the Hawks, giving Orlando a key piece right away as it tries to start on solid footing. The workout also included Jase Richardson and Jonathan Isaac in varying capacities, a reminder that the first week of the season already has a few moving parts as the roster gets sorted out.
Anthony Blacks situation is the one that hangs over the day a little more than the rest. The guard is out Wednesday with a right ankle sprain, and his contract situation adds another layer after he and the team did not reach a rookie-scale extension before Mondays deadline, leaving his next step in Orlando uncertain as the season gets underway. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Opener Already Comes With A Rotation Concern Fans Will Notice
The season-opening injury report already gives the Magic a little more to sort through than they probably wanted heading into Wednesday. Orlando and Charlotte each released availability updates ahead of the opener, and the early list of absences is long enough to affect how the rotation pieces together in the first real game of the year.
Franz Wagner and Jase Richardson are expected to play, which helps stabilize the lineup, but the bigger question is how Orlando fills the minutes around them. Anthony Black, Jonathan Isaac, Noah Penda and Izaiyah Nelson are all listed out, so the Magic will have to open the season without several players who might normally help shape the depth chart and defensive structure. [Read more 🡒]
Franz Wagners Status Just Became A Major Magic Storyline
Franz Wagners preseason shoulder injury has quietly become one of the more important early-season storylines for Orlando, especially with the opener against Atlanta now on the calendar. Wagner addressed the media recently to talk through the injury, the recovery process and how the Magic have been handling a new system under Coach Sweeney, giving a sense of a team that is still sorting itself out while trying to build on the progress it has made.
For Wagner, there is also a personal edge to this moment after the disappointment of past seasons, and he sounded motivated by what the group has been trying to establish. The bigger question hanging over the Magic is how close he is to being available when the games start to count, and whether his shoulder will allow him to take the floor as Orlando tries to set its tone right away. [Read more 🡒]