Analyzing Jase Richardson's Potential After Summer League

Between the nuclear speed outlier elite skill, the unfathomably soft touch as a shooter, and the improving decision making for when and where to break out these weapons of skillful destruction, Jase Richardson is showing legit potential as an offensive-minded NBA talent who can be a neutral or positive defender by forcing turnovers in a strong defensive unit.

"He might be the only guy with the speed to blow by anybody at any given time" – Iman Shumpert on the call describing what stands out about Jase Richardson's game.

Richardson ranks 21st among all players in Summer League Daily RAPM Estimate via David Lee's The 5th Factor site . Magic teammates Noah Penda and Au'Diese Toney rate 6th and 15th, respectively. This stat estimates their impact via a plus-minus based metric.

Where Jase Richardson's Potential can Develop on The Magic

Orlando has competitive depth in the backcourt; Richardson earning playing time won't come without a challenge.

With Desmond Bane and Jalen Suggs in the fold, the starting spots are secured for the foreseeable future. After that, however, Jase is fighting out wings who can play guard like Anthony Black and Jamal Cain for minutes in the backcourt, where his biggest competition is probably the recently re-signed veteran flamethrower, Jevon Carter.

When Jevon was brought in off waivers after the trade deadline last season, he immediately provided a needed veteran voice for the locker room and a offensive sparkplug who wasn't afraid to let it rain from deep. While the results were sporadic, the high-volume 3pt shooting confidence alone was something this offense desperately needed, anything to stretch the defense out of the paint to create space for Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane. Carter offered Coach Mosley a steady hand point guard connector type who fit right into next to the other strong burly athletic defensive menace guards who weren't afraid to launch from deep while still generally looking to find the open man.

Now, it could be Jase's turn to step into the backup point guard spotlight.

Richardson's offense is clearly ready for more touches, usage, and opportunity to see how high Orlando can push Jase's volume of shots and creation while maintaining this absurd efficiency. The defense is a question mark when left on an island, or when switched onto bigger opponents, which is really the only thing holding this idea back from fully blossoming. If Richardson can use his next-level feel for the game to continue to force turnovers via steals without overdoing the fouling, he will earn the trust of this defense-focused coaching staff and will earn more minutes to do what he does best.

Orlando didn't make too many moves this summer because it is once again betting on internal player development and better injury luck – how will the young core of Jalen Suggs, Desmond Bane, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr., Jase Richardson, Anthony Black, Tristan da Silva, Noah Penda, and Goga Bitadze look with another year under their belt, with new motivation after a devastating playoff series loss, and with a new coaching hire to mix up the message?

Rookies like Richardson and Penda making a leap, along with the other key players simply staying healthy for an extended period of time, are the pathways to Orlando finally seeing what they have in this roster with the best version of this era's team.

If this team stays relatively healthy, Orlando will be right back in the race for a Top-4 seed as they were expected to do last season, and there's no reason Jase can't be a vital part of that rotation, especially to lean on for offensive scoring, playmaking, and shot creation in the regular season.

It's Richardson's turn to show them not only why he belongs in this rotation, but why this burgeoning playoff team should give him the keys to the second unit.