The Charlotte Hornets are looking to start their five-game home stand on a good note.
Unfortunately, the matchup happens to be the Orlando Magic, who have emerged as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. On the other hand, the Magic are without Paolo Banchero, giving Charlotte one less challenge to worry about.
Of course, the Hornets have injury-related concerns themselves, missing two nominal starters (Mark Williams and (Miles Bridges) and their replacements in the starting lineup (Nick Richards and Grant Williams) along with sixth man Tre Mann.
Hornets' backcourt reserves didn't do well in first half vs. Magic
The frontcourt depth is hardly Charlotte's only problem, though, as it has been abundantly clear that the team needs playmaking help.
LaMelo Ball, coming off a career outing with 50 points and 10 assists, may very well be the best point guard in the East right now. However, playing him the entire game is certainly not an option because this isn't the old days of the NBA. Not to mention, it could increase the risk of injury, and Ball has usually found it difficult to avoid foul trouble.
Mann has helped take on playmaking duties. But as he is out of commission, Vasilije Micic is expected to get some run when Ball has to take a breather. Unfortunately, the Serb point guard hasn't appeared like a legitimate rotation player in a while.
Hornets coach Charles Lee may have already banished Micic to the end of the bench because he opted to experiment with G League standouts Nick Smith Jr. and KJ Simpson in the first quarter.
Spoiler alert: it didn't go well.
Smith Jr. missed his lone shot (a 3-pointer) but did contribute a single rebound. As for Simpson, he turned the rock over twice in five minutes.
It will probably take some time for both youngsters to be NBA-ready, although Smith Jr. has already played some meaningful minutes last season and is more of a shooting guard. Meanwhile, Simpson looks every bit like a rookie.
Unfortunately, that means a heavier responsibility for Ball, who looks on his way to another stellar evening. He finished the first half with 19 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. He has also seemed assertive offensively, seeking to drive to the paint instead of settling for outside shots.
On the flip side, the 2022 All-Star has been whistled for three fouls and has three of Charlotte's 15 turnovers.
It remains to be seen how Lee plans on addressing the lack of point guard depth. He has sometimes had Brandon Miller and Cody Martin moonlighting as floor general. That is obviously not sustainable, so the front office might have to look for solutions in the free agency or trade market.