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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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Malik Monk, Kentucky Wildcats, North Carolina Tar Heels
Mar 26, 2017; Memphis, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Malik Monk (5) drives against North Carolina Tar Heels guard Stilman White (30) in the first half during the finals of the South Regional of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports /

The Best of the Rest

Now that I have gotten your hopes up the reality is the Magic are most likely to land the fifth pick (26.1 percent) or sixth pick (35.9 percent). They are also roughly just as likely to land the seventh pick (8.4 percent) as they are the first pick (8.8 percent).

Let’s take a quick look at a few players the Magic could take if they land in the 5-7 window and how they could impact the future of the Magic.

Malik Monk, SG, Kentucky

Malik Monk is another player who would be able to contribute offensively being one of the top scorers in the draft. He averaged just less than 20 points per game with the Kentucky Wildcats. A solid 3-point shooter and great athlete, he would fit nicely into the rejuvenated offense we saw the second half of last season.

Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic /

Orlando Magic

Jonathan Isaac, Forward, Florida State

Jonathan Isaac has great size at 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot wingspan. He has a natural shooting ability, but he is still raw. Isaac would be a bit of a project. But, with Aaron Gordon playing the majority of his minutes at power forward, Isaac would not be asked to carry the load immediately. He is also a potential candidate to become the small forward of the future.

De’Aaron Fox, PG, Kentucky

De’Aaron Fox put Lonzo Ball in a blender during the NCAA Tournament this year. Even though I think it may be too early to give up on Elfrid Payton, the Magic need to consider the best player available which may be Fox. Drafting Fox could make Payton expendable and open for a potential draft day trade. Fox is similar to Payton where he is an athletic driver and playmaker who has a suspect shot. But Fox may be a bigger athlete and his shot is slightly better in college than Payton.

Regardless of where the Magic fall in the Lottery on Tuesday, they will have an opportunity to move the franchise forward.

Next: Orlando Magic must seek a plan and stick to it

Each draft selection will raise questions the Magic will need to answer when factoring in the franchise’s future. But, with the 2017 Draft Class shaping up to be the best in more than a decade, the Magic will have a great chance to establish stability in Central Florida once again.