Orlando Magic Rumors: Gonzaga power forward Zach Collins heading to Orlando for workout

The Orlando Magic are set to work out Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Zach Collins, the second Lottery prospect that will come through the Amway Center.

The Orlando Magic’s new front office staff is getting ready to go right back to work either before or after they are formally introduced to the media on Wednesday. The team’s draft preparations will continue.

Gonzaga Bulldogs power forward Zach Collins will be the next player whom the Magic may target at the sixth overall pick that will come to Orlando for a workout. He will be the first player the Magic could pick with the sixth pick that will sit in front of the Magic’s new management group.

Orlando will introduce president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman and general manager John Hammond to the media Wednesday. Then the team will work out Collins at the Amway Center. For now, interim general manager (for lack of a better title) Matt Lloyd will be involved in that process.

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Collins reports this will be his first workout of the draft season. He is an intriguing prospect with good athleticism and touch around the basket. He is a great offensive player with a lot of talent on that end and good size and length to improve as a defender.

The 7-foot freshman center averaged 10.0 points and 5.9 rebounds per game in 17.3 minutes per game for Gonzaga. He played behind senior center Przemik Karnowski, a more traditional center. Collins was a key bench player for Gonzaga in its run to the national championship game.

He is still a bit raw but has a nice jumper and good skills on the block. Even in his limited minutes, it was easy to see why NBA scouts liked him. But certainly taking Collins at six is a bit of a reach. The Magic need someone who could develop into a star player and create offense for others.

That is decisively not Collins. That is not the kind of player he was at Gonzaga and probably not who he projects to be. Collins projects as a solid secondary big — either as a traditional 4 or backup 5.

Still, the Magic have to do their homework on everyone and so they will bring him in and get their information on him.

Orlando continued to do its homework on several prospects Tuesday, even with the news breaking about the front office changes. According to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel, Matt Lloyd participated in watching the workouts of several prospects who were in town Tuesday.

Reports said the Magic worked out Purdue Boilermakers big man Caleb Swanigan against likely first round pick Ivan Rabb of the California Golden Bears. The team also worked out Florida State Seminoles guard Dwayne Bacon, according to Florida State’s basketball twitter feed.

Robbins also reports the Magic worked out South Carolina Gamecocks guard P.J. Dozier and UCLA Bruins guard Bryce Alford.

Bacon is the most intriguing of these players. He averaged 17.2 points per game on a 51.0 percent effective field goal percentage. Bacon was a ball dominant scorer for the Seminoles last year, propelling them into the NCAA Tournament. He often overshadowed likely Lottery pick Jonathan Isaac.

Bacon is not a strong 3-point shooter — he made just 33.3 percent last year after making less than 30 percent his freshman year. It is hard to project what he can do in the NBA. He is not a good enough scorer or creator to warrant being the top guy on a team. He will have to fit into a role in the NBA.

But if the Magic are looking for a strong scorer with one of their second round picks or even their late first round pick, Bacon certainly would fit that bill.

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Draft preparations are obviously continuing. Collins will represent the next big prospect to come through the Amway Center. And the Magic will have new leadership reviewing him for the first time.