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The Orlando Magic will give fans a first glimpse of the team under the direction of first-year head coach Sean Sweeney when they take on the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday.
While the majority of the Magic's rotation appears set for the upcoming season, there are still players who have something to prove over the next two weeks.
Which players stand to benefit the most from this preseason? Here are three candidates:
Jase Richardson
Richardson, selected No. 25 overall by the Magic last year, evidently did not fully earn the trust of former head coach Jamahl Mosley during his rookie campaign. He appeared in 54 games but averaged only 10.9 minutes per contest. For much of last season, he was on the outside looking in, competing with Tyus Jones—whose play was disastrous—and Jevon Carter, who joined the Magic in February. Following an encouraging summer, the 6-foot-1 guard now has a prime opportunity to earn Sean Sweeney's confidence. Richardson is a gifted shooter and an excellent off-ball threat. It remains to be seen how Sweeney will create more spacing, but Richardson's knockdown shooting ability could seamlessly fit into a scheme where he curls off screens and creates off secondary actions.
Noah Penda
Penda had a quietly solid rookie season, though he was mostly a spectator like his fellow rookie. In 59 games, he averaged just 3.8 points and 3.2 rebounds on 40.4/32.3/68.8 shooting splits in 12.8 minutes per game. Unfortunately, Penda missed some time in training camp with a hamstring injury. However, he could be poised for a breakout season due to his winning intangibles—especially on the defensive end. He also looked far more comfortable during Summer League as a floor spacer and secondary creator. That said, Summer League success does not always translate to the regular season; there are countless examples of players who thrive in Summer League but struggle when the real games begin. For Penda—a wild card in the Magic's rotation—the preseason is the first real test of whether he has taken that leap.
Jamal Cain
One play epitomized Jamal Cain's first full season with the Orlando Magic: seemingly out of nowhere, Cain rose up and dunked on Detroit's Jalen Duren in Game 4. That was indicative of his season. Cain was largely out of the rotation, appearing in only 40 regular-season games and playing less than 15 minutes in 25 of them. He spent most of the year on a two-way contract before being elevated to a standard deal in March. His averages didn't jump off the page—5.4 points and 2.0 rebounds in 12.2 minutes per game, equating to a 16-6 per-36 stat line. In the postseason, however, Cain started in three of the Magic's seven games, averaging 17.6 minutes (more than five additional minutes) and posting 4.6 points and 3.4 rebounds. His energy on defense and on the glass was infectious—and at times quite loud, highlighted by his eight-point, nine-rebound performance (three offensive rebounds) in Game 4. Now is the time for Cain to re-establish himself in the rotation.
Matt Hanifan: Born and raised in Nevada, Matt has covered the Miami Heat, NBA, and men's college basketball for various platforms since 2019. More of his work can be found at Hot Hot Hoops, Vendetta Sports Media, and Mountain West Connection. He studied journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno, where he previously served as a sports staff writer for The Nevada Sagebrush. Twitter: @Mph824.