2015 NBA Draft: Intriguing Options Outside Top-5 Beg Questions for Magic
The Orlando Magic may end up selecting fifth overall, but are there reasons to trade down further in the draft this year?
As it currently stands, the Orlando Magic have the fifth best odds at landing the No. 1 overall pick. Landing a top-three pick stands at 38 percent possibility, but if Orlando falls outside the top-three should it consider trading down further in the lottery to snag a similar prospect with assets?
The thought of trading down often elicits groans from fans because it nixes the idea of landing what most may consider a “home run” prospect.
But sometimes drafts have a different anatomy. That is to say, this specific draft is not a top-heavy draft.
Outside of Karl-Anthony Towns and Jahlil Okafor, there are no players which can be labeled franchise talents. Some dispute whether even Towns or Okafor fulfill that expectation.
What becomes clear when analyzing the draft board, however, is that the Magic could get a guy in the 8-12 range every bit as valuable as those projected to go No. 5 overall.
The argument has to begin on a per-player basis.
Justise Winslow is projected to go fifth, with international prospects Kristaps Porzingis, Mario Hezonja and Kentucky freshman Trey Lyles slotted around there too.
What gets intriguing is that the talents projected to go in the late lottery and outside the lottery. These are the guys that are great values who could end up being better than the likes of Winslow, Porzingis and Lyles in the right situation.
The disparity in talent decreases and the lines between who is pick No. 8 is not so different from who is pick No. 14. This implies that the Magic could make this the year to extract value from the pick by finding a team enamored with the likes of Winslow.
It is not the favorite path for fans, but sometimes snagging a bargain in draft position can work out, particularly if you can get a secondary asset in return too.
Kawhi Leonard was a No. 17 overall pick and just won Finals MVP and is line for a max contract to be the Spurs’ next generation star.
Getting guys early in no way indicates getting the superior talents of a given class. There are a lot of reasons to get excited about talents others overlook, and that is what this exercise is about…
Those talents are as follows (NBADraft.net projected position):
8- Stanley Johnson
10- Willie Cauley-Stein
12- Sam Dekker
14- Kevon Looney
20- Montrezl Harrell
Each of these players deserves a closer look as the Magic, or any team, begins its draft preparations.
Next: Stanley Johnson