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Orlando Magic Daily Mailbag Volume 22: Drafting a dream

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Mar 24, 2017; Glendale, AZ, USA; The basketball court for the NCAA Men’s Final Four at University of Phoenix Stadium. The court is made from 397 4’ x 7’ panels of Northern Hard Maple, weighing approximately 188 pounds each. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic via USA TODAY NETWORK
Mar 24, 2017; Glendale, AZ, USA; The basketball court for the NCAA Men’s Final Four at University of Phoenix Stadium. The court is made from 397 4’ x 7’ panels of Northern Hard Maple, weighing approximately 188 pounds each. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic via USA TODAY NETWORK /
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Rob Hennigan, Orlando Magic
May 23, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic general manager Rob Hennigan talks with media as Frank Vogel is introduced as the new head coach during a press conference at Amway Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

From Jonathan Leonard via comments

"It seems like the Magic will land in the top 5 for this years draft. A few questions: (1) What is the biggest position of need? (2) Do you see us taking the best player available (3) Will Hennigan be the GM next year? I’m seeing lots of chatter about Doc Rivers becoming the GM"

All right, let’s dig into some big questions about the future here…

My general principle when any team is drafting in the top five of the Draft is to draft the best player available. That high in the draft, more likely than not a team is going to get an impact player. Or, at least, there is a better chance for an impact player. There is no sense in drafting a player with lesser talent to fill a need.

Because, and this may more fully answer the question, if a team is drafting in the top-five needs just about everything. They do not have the luxury to be picky.

That is where the Magic are at right now. They need everything. Or, at least, a talent upgrade everywhere. There really is not any player they can build around or could consider a “core” player. Aaron Gordon is the closest and he is still raw and probably projects as a solid role player and defender at this point through three years in his career.

So the Magic are going to take the best player available. Maybe they feel less of a need to get a center, but there are not any centers at the top of the Draft this year anyway.

As for who is making that pick? That part still seems very much in the air. And I will share more on this thought after the season.

But, it does appear that the Magic will move on from Rob Hennigan after the season. At the very least, it is to save face for fans whom the Magic promised they would deliver a Playoff berth this year for. On top of that, it feels like this rebuild has reached a natural end point — or dead end, depending on your perspective — it does seem like change is necessary to find a way forward.

Whether that means the Doc Rivers rumor is true — I have heard some variation of Rivers’ return to Orlando from several sources for years — is probably going to be more about timing. There is a scenario, perhaps, where the Clippers lose in the first round and they decide to move on from Rivers. But it is too early to say whether that would happen or if he would come to Orlando. The timing just has to be right with that.