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Is Karl-Anthony Towns missing piece for Orlando Magic?

By Clarence Hill

Mar 21, 2015; Louisville, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Willie Cauley-Stein (left) and Kentucky Wildcats forward Karl-Anthony Towns walk to the bus after the game against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the third round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at KFC Yum! Center. Kentucky wins 64-51. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 21, 2015; Louisville, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Willie Cauley-Stein (left) and Kentucky Wildcats forward Karl-Anthony Towns walk to the bus after the game against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the third round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at KFC Yum! Center. Kentucky wins 64-51. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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Karl-Anthony Towns could be the key to helping the Orlando Magic and their poor interior defense.

The Orlando Magic have proven in year three of a long and somewhat draining rebuilding process very little. The offense has been inconsistent with all the youth leading the way, and the team has struggled to build a defensive identity, struggling to defend both the paint and the three-point line.

Orlando selected guard Victor Oladipo second overall in the 2013 NBA draft, forward Aaron Gordon fourth and Elfrid Payton 10th in the last two NBA drafts. All three young players have one thing in common and that is defense!

Surprisingly, defense has still been a struggle for this team.

The young trio has the ability to play strong one-on-one defense, making it tough on opposing teams to penetrate the lane most nights but the lack of a true paint presence and defensive scheme causes the Magic to struggle defensively.

Starting center Nikola Vucevic is a skilled big man averaging a career-best 19 points and 11 rebounds, and his offense has made him a borderline All-Star, but he lacks the paint presence needed to elevate the Magic into contention.

Some blame could be placed on general manager Rob Hennigan for using a stretch power forward to space the floor because of the shooting woes of the young and talented backcourt. The Channing Frye/Nikola Vucevic front court has been a massive defensive failure.

Mar 15, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Karl-Anthony Towns (12) talks with a reporter after the second half of the SEC Conference championship game at Bridgestone Arena. Kentucky Wildcats defeated Arkansas Razorbacks 78-63. Mandatory Credit: Joshua Lindsey-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 15, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Karl-Anthony Towns (12) talks with a reporter after the second half of the SEC Conference championship game at Bridgestone Arena. Kentucky Wildcats defeated Arkansas Razorbacks 78-63. Mandatory Credit: Joshua Lindsey-USA TODAY Sports /

Now to the player that several lottery teams hope to take with some luck from the ping-pong balls bouncing their way: Mr. Karl-Anthony Towns!

The 19-year-old, 7-foot, 250-pound power forward/center from Kentucky is averaging nine points and six rebounds on a loaded 37-0 Kentucky Wildcat team with the potential to win the 2015 NCAA National Championship.

Towns’ numbers will not blow you away simply because he is playing on a team full of first round talent that comes at you in waves.

Most 2015 NBA mock drafts have the sensational freshman going in the top-3 picks. The young big man is everything the Magic have missed this season and more.

With his combination of size and athleticism Towns is able to defend both the power forward position as well as center. Given his size and skill set the promising young Wildcat can step out and hit the mid-range jump shot, play in the pick and roll game and post up with an array of moves.

The Magic will most likely end the season with the fifth worst record in the league and the opportunity to draft the 19-year-old prospect.

General Rob Hennigan loves players that can defend and play multiple positions with exceptional work ethics.

Drafting Towns assess a need and allow the Magic to use several defensive schemes taking the pressure off the defensive-minded wing players and Vucevic. Towns would also take a lot of pressure off Channing Frye and Tobias Harris offensively as they are more perimeter-oriented power forwards on the team.

As for how Towns and Vucevic would fit offensively, you can flashback to the Tim Duncan–David Robinson era in San Antonio or Shaquill O’Neal and Horace Grant in the mid-90’s with the Magic and more recently Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph in Memphis. The duo of Vucevic and Towns would allow the Magic to play Vucevic in the high post where he is more effective with his smooth mid-range shot and pick-and-pop game.

The NBA draft is a little more than two months away but look for the Magic and Karl-Anthony Towns to be mentioned in the same conversations as the NBA season wraps up and workouts for the draft begin.

Next: Our latest scouting reports on Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow