5 Ways The Magic Improved 3pt Shooting this Summer

5 Ways The Magic Improved 3pt Shooting This Offseason

1. Deep Coaching Staff – Sweeney, Bakker, Udofia, Beilein

Orlando building its new coaching staff around Sean Sweeney is arguably the biggest adjustment the Magic made this summer to address its 3pt shooting and shot selection, only further emphasized by beefing out that coaching staff by keeping Joe Prunty and adding DJ Bakker and John Beilein.

Udofia instills a gritty toughness in his players, a quick decision making read-and-react offense, with a long history of winning as Head Coach of the Long Island Nets and experience heading up the Nigeria National Team.

Between his extensive basketball resume highlighted by coaching at Michigan, sharing a history with Franz Wagner's family, and his offensive player development focus, Beilein looks to assist this team in a handful of ways such as adjusting the team's shooting form, finding ways to improve 3pt shooting, and establishing staple halfcourt sets like 2-guard actions to help build out a new offensive system.

Fresh off leading the Greensboro Swarm to a G League Championship, Bakker could bring a little bit of that impressive Charlotte Hornets offensive system from last season to Orlando this year. Bakker has experience with Sweeney dating back to their days in Detroit, where they worked with another brawling high-flying pull-up shooting point forward in Blake Griffin; could any lessons translate to Paolo Banchero's development this season, who fits a similar archetype description?

2. Signing Nikola Vucevic

In his final years in Orlando, Vooch finally stretched that midrange jump shot out to beyond the arc, pairing well with the table-setting of Markelle Fultz in transition and pick-and-pops under Coach Steve Clifford. Instead of his impact being entirely reliant on rebounding effort and outscoring the opponent with postups, Vucevic was finding higher positive two-way impact because he was taking and making threes and being used as effectively as possible on the defensive end, staying tall in drop coverage as Jonathan Isaac and Aaron Gordon wreaked havoc on the perimeter.

Sweeney finding a way to effectively use Vucevic defensively while revitalizing his 3pt shot as a pick-and-pop floor-spacing center will be a huge key in whether or not Vooch can be a legit swing factor for this ball club; the wide open looks playing off Franz, Paolo, and Bane should help.

3. Retaining Jevon Carter

When the Magic's front office renegotiated Jonathan Isaac's salary, they didn't just create enough space to add a potential stretch five and familiar face in Vucevic in free agency; they also generated enough space to hold onto a veteran locker room voice, a sparkplug 3pt connecter and plus-defender in Jevon Carter who fits in perfectly as a fill-in role player in this backcourt.

While Magic fans are rightfully excited to see what Sophomore guard Jase Richardson can handle with the second unit, it's always good to have extra hands who can handle the rock and run the show, and Carter can step right in to do just that. Ideally, Orlando always has stars on the floor to maximize Carter's streaky shooting impact in more of a 3&D connector role, and if Richardson did prove to be the better player at some point, the transition to take the torch of the second unit is clean.

4. Paolo Banchero & Wendell Carter Jr. Offseason Workouts

Reports have leaked through social media of Magic players getting summer workouts in, as all NBA players tend to do, but it's reassuring to fans seeing players like Wendell Carter Jr. practice his C&S 3pt shooting and Paolo Banchero working on his functional mobility for the upcoming season.

Carter is already a jack of all trades who does so many things well, doing the dirty work often for this team; asking him to add yet another skill to his game is tough, but so is keeping up with the rest of the league. Wendell has always been able to splash the open 3pt shot, but there's one last frontier to reach as a shooter to intimidate opponents from deep. Improving his shot confidence from downtown to help Carter add a consistent quick trigger to his already versatile defense, connective playmaking, smart feel and strong play-finishing would truly maximize Wendell's two-way impact.

Banchero is a one man 3pt hub, a paint-and-spray machine; when he's moving at his most dynamic mix of speed and strength, he's as unstoppable as any downhill force in the league. Flank that force with 3pt shooting and quick decision makers, and get out of the way.

5. Noah Penda & Jase Richardson Summer League

Both Magic Rookies Jase Richardson and Noah Penda aced their summer league test, playing lights out as scorers, shooters, decision makers and defenders. These two Year 2 players were drafted to this Orlando squad after much of its key rotation players was already in place, meaning the front office was hoping they would develop into role players here who would complement those stars.

Now is their chance, as they look to take a second-year leap. Both are proving to be 3pt shooters who attack closeouts, but they each do it differently, with Jase using his speed advantage and Penda often relying on his power, though now Noah is looking as mobile and graceful as ever in his movements.

Richardson has a position battle to win out against Jevon Carter for point guard of the 2nd unit, assuming Anthony Black is used more as a wing or point forward. Penda must battle Tristan da Silva for minutes as a reserve wing behind two star forwards; but in the NBA, all it takes is one opportunity to stick.

3pt volume and efficiency are numbers that can be promising indicators to take away from Summer League when done right, and both shot the lights out of the gym, with Penda splashing 47% 3P% on nearly 6 3PA and Jase knocking down 50% 3P% on just under 5 3PA.

The Magic finding the right offensive balance is the answer to the test. Will they find it?