Orlando Magic Daily
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2017 NBA Lottery can bring much needed stability to Orlando Magic

By Patrick Flynn

Feb 1, 2017; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies guard Markelle Fultz (20) shoots a layup against the USC Trojans during the first half at Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 1, 2017; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies guard Markelle Fultz (20) shoots a layup against the USC Trojans during the first half at Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jayson Tatum, Duke blue Devils, Pittsburgh, Panthers
Feb 4, 2017; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Jayson Tatum (0) shoots against Pittsburgh Panthers guard Cameron Johnson (23) in the second half of their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports /

Scenario: The Magic land the #2 pick; Fultz off the board (9.7% chance of getting #2 pick)

Magic should draft: Jayson Tatum, SF, Duke

Why Jayson Tatum?

Tatum is arguably the second-best scorer in the draft behind Fultz. During his senior season at Chaminade Prep, Tatum passed Bradley Beal as the school’s all-time leading scorer. Tatum also averaged just less than 17 points per game (45 percent field goal shooting and 85 percent free throw shooting) during his lone season with the Duke Blue Devils.

The Magic, who scored 101.1 points per game last year and were 27th in the NBA this past season, desperately need help on offense. Tatum may be able to give the Magic a jolt of life on offense as a go-to scorer and fill a need as the small forward of the future.

Pass on Lonzo Ball?

Yes. While admittedly, Ball is a great talent, there is too much surrounding him for the Magic to take a chance on him in this draft.

This is not the 2016 Draft where the first two picks are viewed as head and shoulders above the rest. The Magic have options.

They can fill a need with a solid player without having to risk a jack-in-the-box type of surprise with Ball.

LaVar Ball has screamed from the mountain tops he wants his son to play for the Lakers. No one really knows the level of influence LaVar has over his son. And the last thing the Magic want to deal with is potentially losing another player to the Lakers. Or alienating a potential franchise centerpiece from the very start of their relationship.

However, from strictly a basketball standpoint Lonzo has the potential to be a great foundation moving forward.

At 6-foot-6, he has great size. Orlando has seen plenty of bigger ball-handlers (big baller handlers?) from Anfernee Hardaway to Hedo Turkoglu running point forward. Perhaps Ball would be able to use his size to his advantage in pick and roll situations similar to the Turkoglu-to-Howard combination.

Unlike Fultz, I do not see Ball being an effective 2-guard in the NBA even with his size. He does not have a score-first mentality and he would require a Robin to his Batman in order to get the most out of his game.

That lack of versatility and his poor defense should give the Magic pause as they try to rebuild their defense and turn that more fully into their identity.