Orlando Magic set to work out Dennis Smith, Jr. on Monday

The Orlando Magic are set to host their first individual workout of the Draft season as Dennis Smith, Jr., of the NC State Wolfpack comes to town.

The Orlando Magic will conduct their first individual workout of the Draft season on Monday when NC State Wolfpack point guard Dennis Smith, Jr., visits the Amway Center.

Smith is one of the most sought-after prospects in the Draft. He is expected to go within the top-10 and is among the top point guards available in this point-guard heavy draft at the top. He is in the conversation next to De’Aaron Fox and Frank Ntilikina behind Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball.

Smith was one of the most dynamic guards in the NCAA last year, averaging 18.1 points and 6.2 assists per game. He played point guard and showed himself more than willing to put the ball on the floor and score. Smith has gained comparisons more to shooting guards than point guards at times.

He has gained comparisons more to shooting guards than point guards at times. Smith is one of the best pure scorers in this draft. He posted a 52.0 percent effective field goal percentage despite his 27.2 percent usage rate.

The Wolfpack put the ball in his hands a lot as a freshman and asked the promising young player to deliver. Individually he certainly did.

It was a risky plan for NC State and the team certainly suffered some for it. The Wolfpack had a frustrating season finishing 15-17 and 4-14 in the ACC. It ended with the team firing its coach, Mark Gottfried, midseason. The team underachieved.

It is hard to say how much blame should fall on Smith for this. He was a freshman, after all. He still has to grow into leadership as every young player does.

But his individual skills are undeniable.

Smith’s freshman year was his first true year back from an injury. He tore his ACL his junior year of high school and missed his senior year entirely. It allowed him to work on his game and enroll early to get used to his surroundings at NC State.

It made him a better individual player for sure. He burst onto the scene and had a stellar year last year. It makes perfect sense for the Magic to be looking at him.

DraftExpress has Smith going ninth in its latest mock draft. He could certainly go as high as fourth to the Philadelphia 76ers (assuming there are no changes to the Lottery order).

Smith will have his chance to show what he can do in front of the Magic’s current crop of decision makers on the court. The interview portion where he sits down with that same group will also be vitally important for him and the team as they make their decision.

Smith will be the first of what can be expected to be many prospects to come through Orlando in the next month as the team prepares for the June 22 NBA Draft.

The Magic will hold at least three picks in the first 35 picks. Their top pick — the pick they would use to select Smith if that is the direction they go — has the fifth-best odds at winning Tuesday’s NBA Draft Lottery (8.8 percent).

The team also holds the 25th pick, acquired from the Toronto Raptors in the Serge Ibaka deal, and the 35th pick. The team may also acquire the 33rd pick if the Los Angeles Lakers land in the top three in Tuesday’s Lottery.

Orlando will likely hold individual workouts for the top prospects the team will review. The Magic will also likely hold several group workouts for prospects they are considering for the late first and early second rounds.

Not to mention consideration for Summer League.

Next: 2016-17 Orlando Magic Player Evaluations

With the Draft Lottery on Tuesday, the draft process is well under way. Smith gets his turn in front of the Magic brass first.