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Early 2016 Orlando Magic NBA Draft Preview

By Brett David Roberts

Feb 27, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers forward Ben Simmons (25) moves through Florida Gators defenders in the second half of their game at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 27, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers forward Ben Simmons (25) moves through Florida Gators defenders in the second half of their game at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports /
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Ivan Rabb, California Golden Bears, USC Trojans
Feb 28, 2016; Berkeley, CA, USA; California Golden Bears forward Ivan Rabb (1) dunks the basketball against the USC Trojans in the first half at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports /

Tier 3: Ivan Rabb, Brice Johnson, Jakob Poeltl

Continuing the theme of finding a defining talent at the 4 and 5 spot, Ivan Rabb, Brice Johnson and Jakob Poetl are all big men that could help Orlando a lot in the interior.

Rabb is a 6-foot-10 power forward from Cal who looks to be a consummate 4-man. He is still pretty thin, but he has a skill set which could allow him to thrive as a quicker power forward. He finishes extremely well which would pair well with guards that can get out in transition with him.

Rabb also is a top-notch rim protector, which is what Orlando needs if it wants to make the Vucevic situation really work out.

Rabb is superb with help-side defense, and while Aaron Gordon is the starting 4 for now, the Magic could really benefit from having a strong 3-man rotation at the 4/5 spots. Most of the better clubs in the NBA have strong big men coming off the bench.

From Tristan Thompson in Cleveland to Enes Kanter in Oklahoma City to Festus Ezeli, Anderson Varejao and Marreese Speights in Golden State, the better teams are replete with talented backup bigs. The Magic need another big player at the 4/5 spots, and that is independent of what a great talent Gordon already is.

If the Magic obtained Rabb, it would get the proper talent potentially to pair with Vucevic, or at least have a capable power forward off the bench.

Brice Johnson also represents a mean to that end. He is a smart player who will likely adapt quickly to the NBA. He is a four-year player at North Carolina, so he will not come in naive and unprepared. He finishes well and could potentially be a defensive stretch-4 — the best kind.

Johnson is mobile and could maybe be a lot like one-time Magic forward Horace Grant. That is the high upside for Johnson, a power forward who seamlessly plugs into an offense from day one.

Utah’s Jakob Poeltl really only makes sense if Hennigan believes he could be the defensive 5 that would replace Nikola Vucevic. But he may think just that. Poeltl’s natural skills could render him a high pick though, which would make this option obsolete. He has great hands and moves well.

Poeltl has a strong enough skill set he will draw double teams in the post. In a lot of ways, he is just like Nikola Vucevic, but with a much stronger defensive bend.

If he fell to Orlando’s slot, he could be a high-reward project to hone behind Vucevic as a potential, but not definitive replacement.

Even if the Magic groomed him to be an impressive non-starter, he could be sold off in the fashion of Marcin Gortat (but hopefully with a much better return than that awful trade). The Magic would look really tough in the second unit if Vucevic’s backup were as gifted in the post as he is.

Next: So, where might the Magic go?