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When looking back on Jalen Suggs’ 2021-22 season, one needs to break the year up into halves to properly evaluate the rookie campaign he had with the Orlando Magic.
It was clear Suggs, like most rookies, was adjusting to the NBA’s pace. The playmaking and defensive skills were evident, but he struggled to find his rhythm in a multitude of areas in his first 21 games — from his 3-point shot to his finishing at the rim.
Then, Suggs fractured his right thumb (shooting hand) in a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 29, 2021. He was sidelined for the next six weeks, which the Magic believe helped set him up for a stronger second half.
“He used that time really productively, which says a lot about him, our performance staff and our coaching staff,” Jeff Weltman, Orlando’s president of basketball operations, said during a recent appearance on FM 96.9 The Game’s Open Mike with the Orlando Sentinel’s Mike Bianchi. “Our analytics crew almost looks at our season like pre-Jalen injury and post-Jalen injury for the way that he looked and the way that our team looked.”
Suggs, the No. 5 pick in last year’s draft, came back from the injury a better player.
His finishing at the rim was better because of improved footwork and patience that he learned after being in “finishing school” with assistant coach Nate Tibbetts and assistant video coordinator Randy Gregory. Suggs shot 62.4% in the restricted area in his 27 games after the thumb injury compared to 54.3% before the injury.
His assist to turnover ratio went from barely over 1 pre-injury (1.12) to closer to 2 (1.76) post-injury because he improved at reading defenses.
Suggs remained an irritant defensively, leading the Magic in deflections (2.5) and regularly being matched up against the opposing team’s best ball handler.
Although he continued to struggle with his outside shot (17% on 3s after the injury) and turnovers (2.8 post-injury) it’s clear the time off benefited Suggs.
“It was big time for me growing because when you’re playing you see things differently,” Suggs said. “It’s harder to lock in and do certain things when you’re playing every day, every other day. When I had to sit out, I got to see it from the coach’s perspective and got to hear what they were talking about. That made a big impact on me and made me feel that much more comfortable when I came back.”
With a long offseason ahead, Suggs plans to come back for his second season as a significantly improved player.
He mentioned his shooting (21.4% on 3s) as an aspect of the game he was going to work on. Suggs’ improved finishing and 77.3% free throw percentage suggest he can become a much better outside shooter.
An improved handle and better ball security would also help.
Suggs’ 11.9% turnover percentage on drives was the league’s fifth-worst mark among players who played at least 30 games and averaged at least 3 drives. He would often get stripped on drives or his timing would be off on passes.
“The biggest thing for me I’ve talked about with the coaching staff is my handle to where I feel comfortable in every situation in any spot on the court: pick and roll, isolation, mid-post, on the block — to be able to get to my spots and get a shot up,” Suggs said. “All of that corresponds with each other. The ball handling makes it easier to get the ball in the shooting pocket, [which] makes it easier to get to certain spots and get guys open.
“The more reps the better. I know the improvements I made while I was out with my finger and how much confidence that helped me gain. After a full summer, it’s going to be crazy to look back and see how much different of a player I am.”
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Khobi Price at khprice@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @khobi_price.
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