Wendell Carter Jr. has developed into a quality center who fits how the Orlando Magic want to play — an additional defenseman who can score around the rim and stretch the floor from 3 — so the Magic locked him up.
Carter and the Magic agreed to a three-year, $59 million contract extension, a story broken by ESPN’s Shams Charania and soon after made official by the Magic.
Carter has two years, $22.8 million remaining on his current four-year contract, now this $59 is set, meaning he is under contract for the next five years. Because of the six-month rule, Carter can’t be traded at the deadline this year, not that the Magic plan to do that anyway.
Orlando has now locked in their frontcourt with Franz Wager and Jonathan Isaac agreeing to contract extensions over the summer. Paolo Banchero is the only part of that front court core that has not yet signed an extension, but his maximum deal is unquestionably coming.
The Magic hope Carter can stay healthy. He played in 55 games a season ago and never appeared in more than 62 games. After last season, Carter underwent surgery on his left hand, something the team called preventive because a steel plate was inserted to support a previous fracture.
Carter averaged 11 points and 6.9 rebounds while playing 25.6 minutes a night last regular season. His minutes increased slightly in the playoffs (his first playoff appearance), and he averaged 7.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.
Orlando is betting that he will play in many more playoff games in the coming seasons.
