Magic projected lineup and rotations heading into 2023-24 season

Orlando Magic starting center: Wendell Carter Jr.

The Magic received Wendell Carter Jr. and multiple picks in exchange for Nikola Vucevic, a trade that has only grown more lopsided with each passing season. Vooch continues to produce admirably for a middling Chicago team, but Carter has quietly developed into one of the league’s premier modern fives. He’s a central figure in the Magic’s rebuild.

Carter is the perfect center for Orlando’s roster. He’s a versatile offensive weapon, capable of spacing the floor (35.6 percent on 3.9 three-point attempts), setting solid screens, and finishing with touch at the rim. Carter doesn’t exactly profile as a self-creator, but he displays nimble footwork in the post and he’s an advanced passer for his position. His quick processing and selfless approach make him invaluable connective tissue for the Orlando offense.

On defense, Carter is laterally mobile with the ability to cover a lot of ground in the paint. He doesn’t block a ton of shots, but he gets in the way and uses his strong 6-foot-10, 270-pound frame to stonewall drivers at the rim. He doesn’t get moved off his spot and he’s one of the few bigs who can genuinely hang with the Joel Embiids and Giannis Antetokounmpos of the world, which is important for a Magic team that eventually wants to compete in the East.

Carter filled the stat sheet last season with averages of 15.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists on 62.1 TS% in 29.6 minutes. He will continue to anchor Orlando’s long, switchable defense while filling gaps on the offensive end. Banchero is the primary media draw for the Magic, but Carter is a legitimately essential piece.

Primary backup center: Moritz Wagner

The elder brother of Franz Wagner, Mo Wagner hails from Michigan (by way of Germany) and has carved out a role with Orlando over the years. The No. 25 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, Wagner bounced around the league his first couple of seasons before finding a home with the Magic.

At 6-foot-11 and 245 pounds, Wagner is impressively versatile on the offensive end. He splashed home 31.3 percent of his 2.9 long-range attempts per game last season and averaged 10.5 points in 19.5 minutes. When chased off the 3-point line, Wagner is a surprisingly agile driver who can cook slower bigs. He can balance power and finesse at the rim and he competes hard on defense, even if it doesn’t qualify as a particular strength of his.

Other players who could receive minutes at center: Paolo Banchero, Jonathan Isaac