Orlando Magic's D.J. Bakker Talks Summer League Goals

ORLANDO — Summer League in the NBA is in full effect, and the Orlando Magic are gearing up for their first game in Las Vegas against the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday.

Ahead of leaving for Las Vegas, Summer League head coach D.J. Bakker and multiple players were made available to the media on Monday, and Bakker talked about what the team has been establishing in practice leading up to game action.

"I think number one, just establishing our team identity," Bakker said. "You know, what do we want it to look like? Be competitive, be connected, and be consistent each and every day. So understanding what are we trying to build from a team standpoint, and then build out our offensive and defense.

"What do we got to get done to be a great defensive team? What do we got to be done to be a great offensive team? And then build out our fundamentals and habits from there," Bakker added. "And obviously, a lot of these guys are just starting to get to know each other as well, so everybody learning each other's names and strengths and weaknesses, and finding cohesiveness and good rhythm as a team."

The Magic’s Summer League squad has new players gracing its roster, with a highlight name being 2026 second-round pick and Central Florida native, Izaiyah Nelson, but it also has returners such as Jase Richardson, Noah Penda and Colin Castleton, who have been beneficial for the group.

"Their leadership coming into this has been off the charts," Bakker said about the three aforementioned returners. "And what does that look like? Their communication, their work habits each and every day. Obviously, they were here prior to the start of camp, so they've been in the gym.

"They've been working with our staff, getting to learn, you know, what are the expectations on both sides of the ball," he added. "And so they've taken a serious approach to wanting to perform and play at a high level, both individually, but most importantly, collectively as a group. So, they've set the tone for our camp."

Bakker is one of the many new faces serving as assistants on the staff of incoming head coach Sean Sweeney, and they are working to extract different goals from the Summer League experience. 

"Yeah, I think speaking with Coach, identifying who we want to be as a team," Bakker said. "Understand what are the standards and expectations that we want to set with the players. What's the work environment that we want to create for the staff and for the players? What does it look like? What does it feel like? The energy, the competitiveness, and the daily consistency to strive to be a little bit better each and every day. 

"So, if we can establish that foundation, you know, that's our goal," he added. "And then obviously identifying what leads to a highly efficient offense and a highly efficient defense and just establishing those baseline principles and then building on those each and every day."

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