The Orlando Magic are at a crossroads, and will strongly consider two very different big men at No. 5 overall.
Willie Cauley-Stein of Kentucky and Kristaps Porzingis of Latvia present different styles of play, but perhaps are both equally great options to attempt to solve Orlando’s frontcourt’s void.
Cauley-Stein is something more of a known commodity to NBA fans. He spent three years thriving for the Kentucky Wildcats and hails from a major conference in the SEC. Fans know what Cauley-Stein brings to the table — he is a rugged, speedy defender whose defensive attributes have helped render him a (likely) lottery pick.
Cauley-Stein is far from a can’t-miss draft prospect, but whichever team selects him knows it is going to be getting a defensive standout at a minimum. He could even be the kind of talent that makes All-NBA Defensive First Team eventually .
Tentative comparisons to Tyson Chandler have been thrown around, and that seems to be a rather apt comparison. But there are hints that Cauley-Stein could be a better offensive player.
That is far from an established consensus, but Chandler has been very limited with his offensive repertoire in his NBA career. Cauley-Stein certainly feels he is going to surprise teams, saying he can be an offensive presence in the NBA.
South Bound & Down
Cauley-Stein could achieve part of this just by having the reliable mid-range jumper that scout Don MacLean believes he has. His offensive role was so restricted at Kentucky that there is a lot of uncertainty about what he really can do. He only saw about six field goal attempts per game.
The Wildcats field such tough teams that Cauley-Stein was able to thrive in a defensive role without ever being more than a finisher and opportunist on offense.
With more opportunity, perhaps he becomes an effective high post player and passer not unlike Joakim Noah. Remember, Noah came into the league with minimal offensive upside and now has become one of the better passing big men of the last two decades.
That is a lot of “what-ifs,” but the point is that no player is restricted to his initial skill set when entering the NBA. Cauley-Stein could stagnate and never be more than Chandler on the offensive end, or he could develop and become like Joakim Noah.
There is almost no way to know which will be the case.
On the opposite side of this coin is another prospect
the Magic will give ample chance to: Kristaps Porzingis.
Porzingis is believed to be a shot blocker and rim protector with NBA 3-point range. His upside has been billed very high, but the international game — particularly the Spanish ACB league — is a debatably transferable league, whereas had Porzingis been an NCAA prospect we would have a more concrete opinion of his strengths and weaknesses.
As it is, we marvel at Porzingis’ highlight tapes, but can only begin to speculate about what his weaker performances look like. We are not seeing when he blows a defensive assignment or forgets to box out in highlight reels. Instead, arcing three-pointers and athletic plays are highlighted, painting a very one-sided picture of a talent whose strengths shine far brighter than his undisclosed weaknesses.
Swarm and Sting
Also, on a surface level there is Porzingis’ lack of strength (7-foot-1, but just 220 pounds), something that is hardly an issue with the mammoth Cauley-Stein. Opinions range as to whether Kristaps can add the bulk necessary to body up with NBA big men.
Porzingis more fits the mold of a hyper-charged Channing Frye. He will knock down threes, and presumably would only have to be better on the boards. His defense seemingly would be a big upgrade too, as a player who can rotate from the weak side to make defensive plays.
While Porzinigis’ defensive talents are raw, he is said to possess the kind of instincts necessary to play NBA help-side defense on a very high level. Watching the highlights of him sweeping across for blocks harkens images of Andrei Kirilenko, but that is certainly getting ahead of ourselves.
As stated before, help-side defense is an area Orlando already struggles with, so it would be a lot to rely on Porzinigis learning NBA defensive schemes more rapidly than the Magic’s domestic talents who have struggled with it (Aaron Gordon comes to mind here).
Lastly, his “natural aptitude” must be taken lightly, as he has faced much weaker competition overseas than the elite club that is the NBA.
All things being even, the Magic are a team in need of both scoring and defense. It has to be figured Scott Skiles is going to put a major defensive imprint on the team, which would lend weight to the argument of drafting a player whose primary talents are defensive.
That certainly indicates the right pick would be Willie Cauley-Stein.
There will be other options to Orlando at No. 5 (like Justise Winslow or Mario Hezonja), even trading the pick and moving down to select Porzingis or Cauley-Stein — depending on the stock of both players on draft night (as if that can be accurately gauged, but general managers have an inside track we do not). It just has to be figured that if the primary focus is defense, Cauley-Stein takes the stage when the Magic select.
Most agree Cauley-Stein’s defensive talents appear nearly limitless, and if he commits himself to developing his offensive game, he could be the steal of this draft — whether it be going No. 4 or No. 5, or slipping later down the lottery.