Scott Skiles Hiring Affects NBA Draft’s No. 5 Pick
Justise Winslow
Lastly, Justise Winslow finishes off a tough backcourt rotation that would feature three guards capable of playing both spots defensively. Elfrid Payton would unequivocally start at the point, but Winslow would have a chance to push Victor Oladipo to a sixth man role if he became the No. 1 option type some project him to be.
NBADraft.net compares him to James Harden, but Winslow’s defensive talents are worlds beyond the Bearded Man in Space City. Winslow has the length to slide to the 3-spot in smaller lineups, but would be nowhere near as well equipped as Johnson against the bigger small forwards.
Winslow instead will focus on using his speed to disrupt plays and fill passing lanes to ignite breaks. Johnson is more of the mode of a Harrison Barnes, a talent who locks down the perimeter without necessarily lighting up the stat sheet.
To be sure, Johnson can come up with the steals, but the Magic will have no shortage of that with Payton and Oladipo running alongside him.
When a trio of Payton-Oladipo-Winslow takes the court, other teams would often be left scattering to get into offenses. We saw that when Oladipo and Payton were at their best this season.
Filling out the perimeter with either Winslow or Johnson accomplishes that, and though the early inclinations may be to draft the former Duke Blue Devil in Winslow, Johnson’s ultra athletic abilities enabled him to thrive in a much quicker offense at Arizona.
With the Magic hoping to be a disruptive, fast-breaking team, both options are wins. It is determining whether the team wants to draft big with Cauley-Stein, or fill out its perimeter with Winslow or Johnson.
To be certain, however, Skiles is going to favor one of these defensive talents.
Mario Hezonja and Kristaps Porzingis now become lesser fits, notwithstanding that Porzingis is billed to be a good defender.
Skiles may see Dewayne Dedmon as a perfect 4-man given his effort, hustle and athleticism. Skiles may even make Dedmon into a tremendous defender at that. How Skiles values Dedmon will determine whether the Magic go after Cauley-Stein or Porzingis, for that matter.
Skiles will undoubtedly share a vision of Hennigan’s in creating a pestering defensive team that frustrates backcourts. With Payton heading the snake and two premier wing defenders, it is easy to envision the Magic making the leap to being a postseason team as early as next year.