Anthony Black is inching closer to game action as the Magic get ready for their first preseason test Wednesday night in Memphis, but Orlando still isn’t ready to say whether he’ll actually suit up.
Black took part in more of Monday’s practice at the AdventHealth Training Center, including additional live-action work while the team went through full-court drills. Coach Sean Sweeney said the third-year guard looked sharp.
“He looked good,” Sweeney said. “He had a good burst when he was out there, so that was good to see.”
Black has been out of training camp last week with a minor sprained ankle, and Monday marked another step in his ramp-up. He said it’s been frustrating to miss time, especially with camp only just getting going.
“It was my first time missing camp so it’s been tough,” he said. “But (the) training staff’s doing a good job helping me get back right.
Just still pretty invested in practice. (I’m) feeling better and looking to keep making strides.”
Asked whether he expects to play against the Grizzlies on Wednesday, Black didn’t have a firm answer.
“I don’t know how I’m going to feel after kind of ramping up the next couple of days, but (I’m) definitely looking forward to getting back out there as soon as possible,” he said.
The 6-foot-7 guard is also working against a bigger deadline off the floor. Black is eligible for a rookie-scale contract extension before the regular season begins, and the Magic have until Oct. 19 at 6 p.m. to get a deal done. If nothing is reached by then, he would become a restricted free agent next summer.
Even while he was sidelined, Black stayed plugged into what Orlando is building under its new coaching staff. Sweeney said assistant Ben Johnson has played a key role in keeping Black involved.
“When he’s been out keeping engaged, Ben Johnson’s done a really good job,” Sweeney said. “Johnson’s done a good job asking him questions.
And to be honest, (Anthony) has done a good job himself. He’s really trying to pay attention.
“One of the things that we’ve seen from these guys when they aren’t involved in drill work (is that) they good a great job of asking questions and being attentive, wanting to get things right when they are out there. And he’s done that.”
Black said the early part of camp has already given him a clearer sense of what Sweeney wants from the group.
“The attention to detail and just edge,” the Magic guard said. “The same edge he asks us to play with, he brings every day (and) the rest of the coaches bring every day. Just high intensity, high focus, and just being real intentional on the things that we know we need to do as a team.”
Orlando’s preseason schedule rolls on quickly after Memphis. The Magic face the Cavaliers twice later this week, first on the road Sunday and then at Kia Center next Tuesday. They close the preseason at home against the Heat on Oct. 16 before opening the regular season Oct. 21 against the Hawks.
Black said those exhibition games should help the team get comfortable with the new system, and they’ll also give him a chance to shake off the rust if he’s cleared to play.
“For the preseason, I think it would just be good for us, learning the system,” he said. “For me individually, I haven’t been practicing so I’ve just been watching. It’ll be good for me to kind of get some full live-game speed reps and just continue to know our offense better.”
Jalen Suggs was also absent from the media-viewing portion of practice Monday for the second straight day, though it wasn’t injury-related. Sweeney said Suggs has been under the weather, but the situation appears to be improving.
“Just making sure his health is prioritized,” Sweeney said about Suggs. “He can do a little bit, but not much right now.
I think he’ll get back into it (Tuesday). We’ll get him going, but he’s doing good.”
In Other News...
Magic Fringe Players Have One Early Chance To Win Sean Sweeney Over
With the preseason opener against Memphis looming, the Magic are at the point of the calendar where roster battles start to matter just as much as the score. First-year head coach Sean Sweeney is still sorting out what he has, and that gives the group of fringe players a real opening to make an impression before the games begin to count.
Rookies Jalen Richardson and Penda Sy are among the names worth watching, along with Jamal Cain, who is trying to carve out a steadier place in the picture. For Orlando, this early stretch is less about polished production than showing enough growth, energy and reliability to suggest a bigger role can be earned once the rotation tightens. [Read more 🡒]
Sean Sweeney's Defensive Vision Could Change Everything For The Magic
Sean Sweeney made it clear this week that the Magic are not building their defense around a single look. Switching will be part of the plan next season, but only as one tool among several, with the staff aiming to tailor coverages to matchups and whatever lineup combinations are available on a given night. It is a useful reminder of how much Orlando values versatility, not just in its personnel but in the way it wants to defend.
Sweeney compared the approach to a pitcher mixing pitches, and the analogy fits the challenge ahead for a roster that can be asked to do a lot of different things. The real question for Orlando is not whether switching works, but how often it should be used and what other schemes can be layered around it when the opponent or the rotation calls for something else. [Read more 🡒]
Magic Two-Way Battle Could Create An Unexpected Roster Opportunity
Colin Castleton and Alex Morales will spend this season bouncing between the NBA and Osceola as the Magic continue sorting out the back end of their roster under new head coach Sean Sweeney. Both are on two-way contracts, which means their development will be shared between Orlando and the G League, and that arrangement should give the team a closer look at two players with different paths but similar urgency. On the Osceola side, Ronnie Burrell will be the new head coach guiding that process.
Morales is entering his second season on a two-way deal and is trying to show he is ready for an NBA role when the Magic need one. Castleton, meanwhile, is back on another two-way contract and looking to stay healthy enough to make the most of whatever chances come his way. For a team trying to sharpen its depth, the competition between the two could quietly become one of the more interesting subplots of the season. [Read more 🡒]