The Sixers, who are 2-9 in the 2024-25 season, are preparing to embark on an important three-game road trip that could end in either direction. They will first face the third-seeded 7-6 Orlando Magic. Orlando will be without All-Star forward Paolo Banchero, but the Sixers have enough depth to make things difficult — not to mention another budding young star.

here to discuss Orlando’s other rising star and other members of the Magic roster worth keeping an eye on Jason BeedeMagic reporter for the Orlando Sentinel. Let’s talk to Jason:

MORE: Jared McCain explodes in best showing of his career

Adam Aaronson: Paolo Banchero’s injury at the beginning of the season brought Franz Wagner into even greater focus. What will be the next step in the development of Wagner, who was given a maximum contract extension over the summer?

: We see the next step in his development before our eyes. Wagner has started taking more mid-range jumpers in the past week alone as he has taken on a larger role offensively for the Magic. Known for his finishing ability around the rim and long-range accuracy (he bounced back from three-point range after hitting a career low last year), Wagner hasn’t been much of a mid-range shooter.

But as he sees an increase in his usage rate and defenses no longer need to focus on Banchero, Wagner is starting to score at all three levels for Orlando. In the past, teams have had success filling the paint and forcing the Magic to shoot threes (they’ve struggled in that area lately), so Wagner even trying mid-range shots helps open the floor a bit and should at least hold the defense more. honest. Of course his bread and butter will be his paint scoring and that’s where Orlando as a whole has improved.

Beyond his offense, Wagner is a defender who is perhaps underrated despite his length and 6-foot-1 wing size. But at the end of the day, if you want to play for Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley, you’re going to have to defend at a high level, and Wagner has consistently helped on that end of the floor. In the first 12 games of the season, he became one of seven players in the NBA, along with Luka Dončić, De’Aaron Fox, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, to average at least 20 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 1.5 steals per game. James Harden, Nikola Jokić and Jayson Tatum.

AA: When the Magic were unable to sign Paul George, Kentavation turned to signing Caldwell-Pope; many believed that this move would give them a huge two-way boost. What has Caldwell-Pope’s impact been on Orlando so far?

: Caldwell-Pope’s impact went beyond the box score. He’s a two-time champion on a team that largely experienced its first playoff series against the Cavaliers last season (only veterans Gary Harris and Cory Joseph had postseason appearances). Giving Orlando steady support on the field and another veteran voice in the locker room, Caldwell-Pope has helped provide perspective for a young team still going through the growing pains of learning how to win consistently.

However, the Magic did not sign Caldwell-Pope to a three-year, $66 million contract solely for his significant presence in the locker room. They added him to produce on the field, and so far he’s lacked offensive firepower; He averaged just 7.1 points, 2.1 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game.

The sample size is small at just 13 games, and he told us he liked the shots he was taking, but Caldwell-Pope will eventually need to find a spark offensively as Orlando continues to face the realities of being without Banchero for the foreseeable future. He’s made it clear his role won’t change without Banchero — he’s still a strong 3-and-D option, averaging 1.3 steals per game — but Caldwell-Pope needs to find his 3-point shot again soon (a career highlight) Low 22.4 percent from distance at the beginning of the season).

MORE: Magic offseason recap + season preview

AA: For Sixers fans who cannot watch the Magic game regularly, who is the player they don’t know much about but should follow closely this time?

AA: Anthony Black. The second-year guard from Arkansas has made major strides offensively and has become the go-to backup point guard for Orlando’s secondary. No longer standing in the corner and waiting for the ball to come to him, Black has become more dominant in the offense when he is on the floor and tries to shoot (both from the paint and from three-point range), taking shots that he simply cannot have: a rookie. Some of this comes naturally with time and experience, but Black has increased his weight over the summer, making him more confident on both ends of the court. In the first 13 games of the season, the 1.80-foot guard is averaging 7.9 points, 4.2 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game, which is above his rookie numbers. While Wagner and Jalen Suggs did the heavy lifting without Banchero on the field, Black also helped out and offered to stay on the bench.

More about Sixers-Magic

• Date/Time: November 15, 19:00 EST

• TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia

• Spread: Sixers -3.5

MORE: Jared McCain Mania continues with fury

Follow Adam on Twitter: @SixersAdam

Follow PhillyVoice on Twitter: @thephillyvoice