Jase Richardson’s second year in Orlando is starting to show real signs of traction, and the Magic are seeing it in the places that matter most: command, pace and defense.
The 6-foot-1 guard turned 21 on Friday, and teammate Noah Penda summed up the early read on him in two words: “Poise and maturity.”
That confidence has been backed up by what Richardson has done in preseason. Through three games, including two starts while Jalen Suggs was out ill, he averaged 8.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 23.8 minutes per game. Once he slid back into the second unit, Penda said Richardson kept the group organized.
“He adjusted pretty well to that temporary role of a starter and then after he got back in the second unit, he’s organizing us pretty well,” Penda also said about Richardson. “Jase is always going to be Jase. So, you know that offensively you can always count on him.”
For Richardson, though, this season is going to come down to one basic question: can he get on the floor? Orlando’s backcourt is crowded, with Desmond Bane, Anthony Black and Jevon Carter joining Suggs and Richardson in the mix.
Richardson’s rookie year gave the Magic a small sample. He played in 54 games and averaged 4.4 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 10.9 minutes a night, a role that didn’t ask for much more than spot duty.
His Summer League performance in Las Vegas hinted at more. In three games there, he put up 18.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.7 steals while logging 30.1 minutes per game.
This preseason, Wendell Carter Jr. has seen a much different player.
So far, the Magic center said Richardson has shown “extreme growth” at both ends of the floor.
“Point guard is not an easy position having to command the floor and tell everybody where to be at,” Carter said Friday morning. “He’s been doing a really good job of that.
Defensively, he’s taking on that challenge every time down the court. He’s a very high IQ guy who plays with a sense of speed, but he’s definitely under control whenever he goes and does anything.
“He’s just one of those guys who’s going to continue to grow and blossom into a really good NBA player.”
Before Friday’s preseason finale against the Heat, Orlando coach Sean Sweeney had Richardson focused on a clear set of tasks: push the pace, make quick decisions and defend hard. Sweeney said Richardson has handled multiple roles, on and off the ball, and has brought the kind of effort the team wants.
“Jase has done a really good job,” Sweeney said. “He’s been in different spots, probably, than he’s been in his short career thus far, in terms of on and off the ball (and) screen setting. But just in general, I like the way he’s been attacking.
“And defensively, he’s done a really good job of communicating and giving great effort, and shown a level of toughness that we appreciate.”
After hosting Miami, the Magic open the regular season Wednesday against the Atlanta Hawks at Kia Center.
Friday also brought a different kind of spotlight for Orlando, as the team and AdventHealth partnered for the seventh time on “Pink in the Paint Night” to raise breast cancer awareness. The Magic donated tickets to local breast cancer survivors who were honored at the game, and the night was also set to raise money for AdventHealth Foundation’s Breast Care Fund while encouraging fans to wear pink.
Teleties donated breast cancer awareness hair tie packs to 10,000 fans as they exited Kia Center, and the first 5,000 fans through the doors received rally towels from AdventHealth and Teleties.
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