34 articles

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
4 days ago
WCJ will be back after missing Tuesday’s game against Washington. Goga Bitadze started that game in his place, but he’ll likely be pushed back out of the rotation entirely with Carter returning.
Source: Orlando Magic PR

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
5 days ago
Carter was a late scratch against Washington on Tuesday and could remain out for another game. Goga Bitadze started in his place, but he wasn’t productive during his 21 minutes on the floor. Bitadze’s streaming upside will be limited if Carter remains out.
Source: NBA Injury Report

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
6 days ago
Carter was a very late addition to the injury report and will now officially be unavailable. Goga Bitadze and Moritz Wagner should fill out the center minutes for this game.
Source: Magic PR

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
13 days ago
Carter got off to an excellent start, scoring 15 points in the first half. While he did not factor into the Magic offense as much after halftime, he was responsible for the game’s most important shot. Carter’s putback with 6.7 seconds remaining gave Orlando a 110-109 lead that it wouldn’t relinquish, and it was his first 20-point game since January 30. WCJ has reached double digits in rebounds in three straight and four of his last five games, important production for a player who does not bring much to the table defensively.

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
15 days ago
The good news for those who have Carter rostered is that he recorded his first double-double since January 4 and seventh of the season. The bad news is that he didn’t provide value beyond points, rebounds and assists, and the Magic center was also responsible for five of Orlando’s 12 turnovers. The lack of defensive production makes Carter difficult to trust in 12-team leagues, even with his status as the starting center in Orlando.

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
28 days ago
A late addition to the injury report, Carter is good to go for Monday’s game. Despite Franz Wagner returning from an ankle injury, Anthony Black will remain in the Magic starting lineup.
Source: NBA Injury Report

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
28 days ago
Due to a sore left ankle, Carter was added to the Magic injury report following pregame shootaround. If he’s unable to play against the Bucks, Orlando could go one of two ways. Starting Goga Bitadze would ensure that a true center is in the lineup. However, with Franz Wagner (ankle) available and Milwaukee’s Myles Turner spending more time on the perimeter than in the post, Orlando could also go small with its starting lineup.
Source: NBA Injury Report

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
about 2 months ago
WCJ is good to go for Thursday’s game in Berlin, and he could slot back into the starting lineup. His return should mean fewer minutes for Goga Bitadze and Moritz Wagner.
Source: NBA Injury Report

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
about 2 months ago
Carter was listed as questionable Sunday morning and subsequently ruled out with a hip injury. Goga Bitadze will fill in for Carter, though Mortiz Wagner will play in his season debut against the Pelicans.

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
about 2 months ago
Carter was downgraded to questionable with a hip injury on Sunday morning. If the 26-year-old center is ultimately ruled out, Goga Bitadze would be the primary backup center while Moritz Wagner could also see minutes in what’s supposed to be his season debut.

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
2 months ago
Carter Jr. was one of only two Orlando players to finish with 20 or more points on the evening. None of the big man’s scoring production came from the three-point line versus Brooklyn, which marks the second consecutive game that he’s gone without a three-pointer. He also wasn’t involved much as a rebounder or passer, and his two stocks weren’t anything fantasy managers should be excited about. Still, his scoring was important to his team’s success tonight. He’ll have an opportunity to put up another solid effort on Friday against the 76ers.

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
3 months ago
For the first time in over a month, Carter has reached double figures in three straight games. His performance against the Nuggets was his most productive of the season, with the Magic center recording his first 20-point game. Over the past two weeks, Carter has been close to a top-75 player in eight-cat formats. Unfortunately, his inconsistent offensive output makes ECJ challenging to trust outside of deep leagues.

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
3 months ago
For just the fourth time this season, Carter was able to record a double-double, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. He helped Orlando outrebound Miami 47-39, which allowed them to secure the win and advance to the semifinals of the NBA Cup. Carter has improved his points, rebounds, three-pointers and field goal percentage from last season, and while he isn’t a great fantasy option, he is a reliable starter.

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
3 months ago
Rostered in 33 percent of Yahoo! leagues, Carter has provided top-100 value in nine-cat formats over the past two weeks. Of course, it would be good to get more consistent defensive production out of the Magic center, but the top-100 may be his ceiling at this stage in his career. That isn’t elite, but it isn’t a bad spot to be in, either. The 17 points he scored on Monday were the most in a game for Carter since November 18, when he hit that number in a win over the Warriors.

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
3 months ago
Carter is back after an ankle injury sidelined him for Sunday’s loss to the Celtics. Orlando Robinson, an emergency starter on Sunday as the Magic were also without Goga Bitadze, may fall out of the rotation entirely since the team’s top two centers are available. The other change is Suggs, whose return means Anthony Black will come off the bench. Da Silva continues to start in place of the injured Paolo Banchero and should be rostered in deep leagues.
Source: NBA Lineups

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
4 months ago
Carter will sit out Sunday’s game, which is Orlando’s second in as many nights. His absence opens up a spot in the starting lineup, with Goga Bitadze being the player most likely to fill the void. Due to the opportunity, Bitadze is worth streaming in deep leagues.
Source: Jason Beede

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
4 months ago
Carter is dealing with a left ankle sprain, hence his inclusion on Orlando’s injury report for Sunday. If he’s unable to play after logging 22 minutes in Saturday’s win over the Knicks, Goga Bitadze would be the next man up. Also, Jonathan Isaac may be able to take on a few more minutes, which would enhance his fantasy value.
Source: NBA Injury Report

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
4 months ago
For the third time this season, WCJ was able to record a double-double. He was the leading rebounder in this game, and the Magic outrebounded the Warriors, which contributed to the win. Carter’s minutes are up this year, which has led to him averaging more rebounds than he did in each of the last two seasons. He’ll continue to play a large role for Orlando as the starting center, which should lead to more double-doubles moving forward.

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
4 months ago
Carter recorded his second double-double of the season on Saturday, finishing one rebound shy of his season-high. Over his last two games, the Magic center has scored 34 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the field. Rostered in 27 percent of Yahoo! leagues, Carter’s limited offensive production gives him a low ceiling. And with Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane at the top of the pecking order, that’s unlikely to change anytime soon.

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
4 months ago
While Carter has grabbed at least eight rebounds in five of his six games played, the offensive production has been limited. Having scored between eight and 10 points in Orlando’s first five games, WCJ had his best night of the season against the Hornets. He established season-highs in points and three-pointers while shooting 66.7 percent from the field. However, while this was a solid effort, Carter’s production before Thursday suggests that this won’t become the norm. Especially with Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane ahead of him in the pecking order. Carter remains a deep-league option only.

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
5 months ago
Carter Jr. was one of four Magic starters to score in double figures on Thursday, mostly using efficiency inside the arc to find his scoring production. Yet, the veteran center made splashes in several other areas, as well. His most noteworthy contributions arguably came as a facilitator, notching a preseason-high in assists and leading Orlando’s starters in that category on Thursday. Carter Jr. also found production in the defensive end and ultimately logged a strong game overall to wrap up what was a solid preseason for him.

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
5 months ago
After playing 13 minutes in Orlando’s preseason opener, Carter’s workload increased to 21 minutes on Friday. And he was excellent against the 76ers, shooting efficiently while commanding the glass on both ends of the floor. Six of Carter’s game-high 13 rebounds were of the offensive variety, a highly productive effort from a player who’s averaged at least three offensive boards per game once in his NBA career (2019-20 in Chicago). Of course, the concern regarding Carter in fantasy basketball is his availability, as he’s surpassed 60 games twice in his first seven seasons. The 2024-25 campaign was one of those, as Carter played a career-high 68 games. Fantasy managers should reap the rewards if he can match or exceed that number.

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
10 months ago
Carter reached double digits in rebounds in four of the five games, recording two double-doubles. While he certainly wasn’t elite, the Magic center had a decent finish to his fourth full season with the franchise. Appearing in 68 regular-season games, Carter’s scoring output decreased, but he was more productive in rebounds, assists, steals and blocked shots. Unfortunately, the starting role has not made WCJ a significant fantasy asset, as he finished the season ranked outside the top-175 in category leagues and outside the top-150 in points leagues. With three guaranteed seasons remaining on his contract, Carter will likely go into training camp locked into the starting center role.

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
11 months ago
Carter Jr.'s 10 points may not seem like much, but he was the only Magic player in double figures outside of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. The 26-year-old center also added 12 rebounds to earn himself a double-double. He’ll continue to be a crucial piece of the Magic’s supporting cast as they look to even the series in Game 4 Sunday.

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
11 months ago
After scoring just four points in Game 1, Carter was more impactful on that end of the floor Wednesday night. He shot 75 percent from the field and made all three of his three-point attempts. The eight rebounds were also solid, but, as was the case in Game 1, Carter did not record any defensive stats. During the regular season, he averaged 0.8 steals and 0.6 blocks per game, so that is not a huge surprise. However, given Orlando’s offensive struggles outside of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, Carter’s play and production are critical if the Magic are to have any chance of winning this series. Trailing two games to none, Orlando hosts Game 3 on Friday.

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
11 months ago
Give Carter credit for his work on the boards and for being Kristaps Porzingis’ primary defender for most of Game 1. However, the offensive production was lackluster, a trend that also persisted during the regular season. Carter’s average of 9.1 per game was the lowest of his NBA career; this was the first season in which he failed to average double figures. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner will do most of the heavy lifting offensively, but they’re going to need help in this series. Fellow starters Carter, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (6/4/2/3 with two three-pointers) and Cory Joseph (zero points, two assists) combining to score 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting isn’t good enough. Game 2 is on Wednesday night.

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
11 months ago
Carter was excellent on Tuesday, and the time off that comes with earning the seventh seed should benefit him. The Magic center rolled his right ankle during the first half and banged knees with a Hawks defender during the third quarter. The good news is that neither injury forced Carter out of Tuesday’s game immediately, and Orlando pulling away during the fourth quarter got him a little more time on the bench late. The Magic don’t play Boston in Game 1 of their first-round series until Sunday, which should help Carter regain strength.

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
11 months ago
Carter was excellent on Tuesday, and the time off that comes with earning the seventh seed should benefit him. The Magic center rolled his right ankle during the first half and banged knees with a Hawks defender during the third quarter. The good news is that neither injury forced Carter out of Tuesday’s game immediately, and Orlando pulling away during the fourth quarter got him a little more time on the bench late. The Magic don’t play Boston in Game 1 of their first-round series until Sunday, which should help Carter regain strength.

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
11 months ago
WCJ and KCP will return from one-game absences against Atlanta. Gary Harris and Goga Bitadze will likely be relegated to bench roles on Sunday.

ORL • Center and Power Forward • #34
11 months ago
Both WCJ and KCP sat out against Indiana on Friday, and it would be surprising if they played on Sunday since Orlando has already clinched the seventh seed in the East. Gary Harris and Goga Bitadze should start once again, with Jett Howard playing a significant role off the bench.
Source: NBA Injury Report