With a pair of draft picks early in the second round, the Orlando Magic have a chance to find value late in the draft.
It is not often for teams to find major contributors in the second round. But the Orlando Magic will have two chances to strike gold.
Sadly, the Magic have yet to run into a star second round pick. The Magic have not been able to land an Isaiah Thomas or Draymond Green in the second round to this point. But, with a pair of picks, maybe luck will be on their side in the 2017 NBA Draft.
The Magic will have picks Nos. 33 and 35. They have the chance to jump start the likely “re-tooling” process. The new front office will have the chance to land a pair of players who could fit into their future plans very nicely.
It is not easy to look back on Orlando’s 2017 season. It was an ugly campaign that left the team with no direction.
As the team moved on from Rob Hennigan, new President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman and general manager John Hammond will be looking to for an identity for this team.
Having a pair of first-round picks, and two picks in the second will allow the Magic to form an identity quickly.
There is a strong chance that neither of the Magic’s second round picks play meaningful minutes next year. It is possible the Magic could use one as a developmental player in the G-League in Lakeland. But if one of them can become a role player some point down the road, it will be considered a major win for the franchise.
As the Magic plan to find a star early in the first round, the team will look to fill out the roster with these two picks.
The Magic can go in many directions with these picks in the second round. They do not necessarily have to address a need. The players who are going to be available with these picks are going to be flawed. They may have potential, but they are going to be projects.
Still there is plenty of value for the Magic early in the second round to explore.
Caleb Swanigan — C, Purdue
One of the most interesting stories in the draft, Caleb Swanigan spent his entire college career trying to get his weight under control. He accomplished that goal and much more in his final season with the Purdue Boilermakers.
The massive big man averaged 18.5 points per game and 12.5 rebounds per game on his way to winning the Big Ten Player of the Year award.
As Swanigan continued his journey through college, he made a name for himself among the elite big men in college ball. Now, he is a borderline first round pick and a lock to be selected come draft night.
With his elite strength, Swanigan was able to bully opposing bigs in college. Including Oregon Ducks forward Jordan Bell, who is also projected as an early second-round selection.
His strength is his biggest asset for all phases of his game. On the defensive side, he uses his body to make it almost impossible for his matchup to finish at the rim. He uses his frame in a similar way on the boards as he easily boxes out his man.
Even though Swanigan has been able to lose weight and improve his conditioning, his lack of athleticism is his biggest concern. There are plenty of bigs that can handle Swanigan’s size and it may not be a major asset at the next level.
For Orlando, he may develop into a rotational big down the road. Although he may struggle to find minutes in a crowded front court, he will have a good learning experience. Veteran centers Nikola Vucevic and Bismack Biyombo could really help Swanigan develop.
Frank Jackson — G, Duke
One of the more popular second round prospects is Duke Blue Devils point guard Frank Jackson.
After Duke’s disappointing season, Jackson decided to join three of his teammates and declare for the NBA Draft. If Jackson stayed in school, he may have been a top 10 pick in the 2018 draft. The Magic may be lucky to snag him this year if they wait to the second round or at pick No. 25.
Jackson did not have a tremendous freshman season. But he showed flashes of play that would entice any scout.
Where Jackson excels is on the offensive side of the ball. Shooting just less than 40 percent from three, Jackson will have the range to shoot from the outside. He has the ability to score from any point on the floor and could be seen as a two-guard early on in his career.
Although he is better on the offensive end, Jackson does need to figure out how to play point guard. He is not the best ball-handler and will need to learn how to take control of an offense.
If Jackson lands in Central Florida, he could immediately see time with the second unit. The guard position is something the Magic need to fix and Jackson could be a scoring option at the position.
Jordan Bell — F, Oregon
Jordan Bell exploded onto the scene during the NCAA Tournament. During Oregon’s tremendous run to the Final Four, Bell was a machine on the boards.
Along with forward Dillon Brooks, Bell propelled himself up draft boards into the top of the second round. If Orlando lands Bell, he could develop into one of the premiere rebounders in the NBA.
Obviously, Bell’s biggest asset is his rebounding. He averaged 8.8 boards per game during the regular season. He increased that in the NCAA Tournament, grabbing12 or more in five NCAA tournament games.
When it comes to scoring, Bell is not going to be very effective. He can catch lobs and finish at the rim when cutting. But he does not have a low-post game.
Defensively, Bell has the chance to shine. He has the size and wingspan to affect shots at the rim. Plus, his athleticism will let him stay in front of guards on switches.
Although Bell may not help the Magic offensively, the team needs help on defense and on the glass. Bell would be more than a welcome addition to Orlando.
Josh Hart — G, Villanova
One of the best players in college basketball last season, Josh Hart has been critical to the recent success of the Villanova Wildcats.
Taking home the Big East Player of the Year trophy, Hart was tremendous on both sides of the ball for the Wildcats.
Even with a plethora of awards and years of strong play, Hart is still widely regarded as a second-round prospect. He is not the greatest athlete and his ceiling is not as high as many of the other prospects.
With a strong work ethic and willingness to play defense, Hart is as much of a sure thing as an NBA prospect can be. Hart may never be a star, but he is someone who will enjoy a lengthy career coming off the bench.
For a second round pick, that is nothing to be ashamed of. Hart can play a role as a defensive stopper and an outside threat in time. In today’s NBA, teams are always looking for a “3-and-D” wing, Orlando could definitely use a player like Hart.
Semi Ojeleye — F, SMU
One of the top options as a stretch-4 in this class, Semi Ojeleye could enjoy a lengthy career in the NBA if his shot translates. He will have work to do in other areas, but a player of his size shooting threes is a sought after trait.
The Duke transfer played extremely well for the SMU Mustangs and was a major player in their NCAA Tournament run. Ojeleye played most of his minutes at power forward and was able to shoot the three ball at an impressive 42 percent last season.
With an outside shot already in his repertoire, Ojeleye will need to work on other areas of his offensive game to become a threat. He lacks an interior game and for a player of his size, it will be one of the first changes he will have to make.
It appears that Ojeleye will be a stretch for in the NBA. But at only 6-foot-7, he will need to improve defensively if he wants to stay on the floor. It is tough to defend forwards at that height and even though he is a strong player, NBA 4s will not have problems scoring on him.
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At this point, he is not more than an outside threat, but if he is given time to develop with the Magic, Ojeleye may be an important piece coming off the bench.