The NBA season is almost over as the NBA Finals wind to their conclusion. Focus on the 2018 season and 2017 NBA Draft are about to turn up.
The NBA Finals got a three-day weekend reprieve thanks to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ victory over the Golden State Warriors. Yes, the Cavaliers are down 3-1 and we all know what happened the last time that happened in the Finals. But the NBA season is nearing its end. The Cavaliers (likely) only delayed the inevitable.
The attention of the whole NBA universe will turn to the NBA Draft very soon. There is already a lot of work going in.
The Orlando Magic are still holding workouts — seniors Jaron Blossomgame and Frank Mason are among the players who were reportedly scheduled to work out for the Magic on Saturday, according to Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders. And the team is likely going to get very serious about their workouts and interviews with the players at the top of the Draft soon. If that has not started already.
Orlando has continued to add well-respected, experienced executives to its front office and has the makings of a strong decision-making structure in place.
The Draft will mark their first big decision together.
Now with a little less than two weeks to go before the draft, the focus is narrowing on the prospects the Magic could take.
You have likely seen all the draft profiles we have posted here at Orlando Magic Daily. Those are going to continue as we get closer and closer to June 22.
But now is the time to take another run through the Mock Drafts around the web and see what direction the Magic will go.
The first pick seems to have plenty of players the Magic can choose from — from Dennis Smith to Jonathan Isaac to Jayson Tatum to Malik Monk. The 25th pick has a large number of players to choose from — such as T.J. Leaf, Terrance Ferguson and Derrick White among plenty others.
The Magic will have a lot of options as the draft comes closer. Let’s examine who the experts have the Magic taking as things stand today.
Sam Vecenie, Seth’s Draft House
6th Pick: Jonathan Isaac, Florida State
Jonathan Isaac is one of the most intriguing and interesting draft prospects in the entire draft. He has incredible length and athleticism at 6-foot-10 and shows promise of adding a 3-point shot and more consistent jumper.
Isaac immediately can step in and be a strong defender. That is the skill that will pull him into the NBA.
"Isaac is a high-floor player masquerading as an upside pick. Defensively, it’s hard to see how Isaac isn’t useful in the modern NBA. He has terrific feet at 6-foot-10, can switch pick-and-rolls, take on a variety of matchups, and protect the weak side of the rim. That skill set is as valuable as ever in today’s NBA, and should allow him to make an early impact."
Where things will get interesting is to see how he develops offensively. His situation with the Florida State Seminoles was not ideal with experienced guards dominating the ball. Isaac was often very passive offensively. But he had a few big games.
Isaac is a bit more of a risk, but all the physical tools are there for him to be successful.
25th Pick: Jawun Evans, PG/Oklahoma State
If the Magic pass on a point guard with their first pick, it is widely expected the team will take a point guard with their second pick. Everyone suspects the team wants an upgrade at that position with Elfrid Payton‘s future fairly uncertain.
That has helped connect Jawun Evans to the Magic a lot in several mock drafts.
Evans at the very least is a strong attacker of the basket and can break defenders off the dribble. He has a good knack for choosing when to shoot or pass and can create for others. His shooting is still something of a weakness and he struggles to finish at the basket. But he should be a strong backup.
Basketball Insiders
6th Pick
Joel Brigham: Dennis Smith, G/NC State
Michael Scott: Jonathan Isaac, F/Florida State
Moke Hamilton: Jayson Tatum, F/Duke
Steve Kyler: Josh Jackson, F/Kansas
It would be quite the coup if Kansas Jayhawks forward Josh Jackson fell to the Magic. Many draft experts believe he is one of the three or four best prospects in this Draft. And, personally, he is my favorite prospect.
Jackson is a versatile athlete with strong defensive instincts and a high basketball IQ. He can attack the basket with the ball and work off the ball to cut and stay around the basket. Despite a relatively slight 6-foot-8 frame, he was a strong rebounder and able to mix things up inside.
Jackson still has a lot of work to do to improve his 3-point shooting to take that next step. But Jackson showed plenty of signs his shot can improve — despite his poor free throw shooting.
He is undoubtedly talented and has similar profiles to other elite defending athletes who had to develop their offense. Very similar to a player Chad Forcier worked with while coaching the San Antonio Spurs.
25th Pick
Joel Brigham: Bam Adebayo, C/Kentucky
Michael Scott: Jawun Evans, PG/Oklahoma State
Moke Hamilton: Jawun Evans, PG/Oklahoma State
Steve Kyler: T.J. Leaf, PF/UCLA
Among the elite freshman that went to play for the Kentucky Wildcats, Bam Adebayo is still one of the toughest to judge.
Adebayo averaged 13.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. He is not the obvious elite athletic that other big men in the John Calipari catalog are. But Adebayo is extremely active around the basket and a decent defender.
He still has a long way to go and is extremely raw. Without elite athleticism, he is not likely a big shot blocker at the NBA level. But he has good defensive instincts and can finish strong at the basket off putbacks and rebounds.
Sean Deveney, Sporting News
6th Pick: Dennis Smith, G/NC State
Dennis Smith has quickly established himself as the top target for many Magic fans and mock drafts. The thought being the team is ready to move on from starter Elfrid Payton.
Smith is deserving in his own right. He was a strong scorer and distributor for a frustrating NC State Wolfpack team. Smith would provide the Magic with the scoring and driving instincts the team needs to get its offense going.
At the very least, Smith would be seen as a more modern upgrade over Payton. If his shot continues to improve, he could also see some time at shooting guard.
25th Pick: Kyle Kuzma, PF/Utah
Not too many mock drafts still have Kyle Kuzma going in the first round. But the junior for the Utah Utes remains an intriguing, versatile option at this spot.
Kuzma impressed a lot at the Combine, adding to his 16.4 points and 9.3 rebounds per game performance last year. Kuzma can attack the glass well, but he still has a lot to prove.
"Kuzma bolstered his stock quite a bit in Chicago, showing some offensive versatility that has teams thinking first round. If he can shoot well enough to show that he can be a stretch 4, his first-round spot will be there."
Kuzma has to prove he can shoot the three better — 32.1 percent from beyond the arc last year — to make it in the NBA. At this point, he is likely a better option for the second round than the first.
Chad Ford, ESPN.com
6th Pick: Jonathan Isaac, F/Florida State
The going thought among some draft experts — and fans — is the Magic will lean toward Jonathan Isaac because of his positional versatility and length.
Indeed, Magic general manager John Hammond was on local radio throughout the week and acknowledged the team is seeking versatility and length in their draft pick. But ultimately, they would take the best player available.
This is a sentiment that is felt throughout the league. There is also the sentiment the Magic will be willing to gamble on the right guy.
I am not sold on that at six. But Isaac is certainly an appropriate gamble to take and he fits a lot of the characteristics the Magic may want in a foundational player.
25th Pick: Frank Jackson, PG/Duke
The Duke Blue Devils point guard has been unable to workout thanks to foot surgery. But he is expected to be ready for training camp, at the latest. And possibly he could be back by Summer League.
Jackson is an intriguing prospect who showed bursts of potential in his year at Duke. He averaged a meager 10.9 points and 1.7 assists per game. But there is still a lot to like in his game. Especially as he puts all the pieces of his game together.
Chris Stone, FanSided
6th Pick: Jayson Tatum, F/Duke
Stone’s approach in his mock draft is to take the best player — the A grade — for every team at their pick. So he goes with Tatum over Jonathan Isaac with the sixth pick.
It is hard to argue Tatum would not be a great snag for the Magic. He is a strong isolation scorer and an improving 3-point shooter. He would be the go-to offensive option the Magic have needed desperately for so long.
Stone believes this is the right pick for the Magic, writing:
"Tatum is a 6-foot-8 wing with an excellent ability to create his own shot out of mid-post isolations. While that style is fading out of the game, the ability to score late in games out of those positions is critical. Tatum is a tough shot maker with fantastic footwork in those spots. His ability to get to the rim may be more limited in the NBA than in college given his lack of explosiveness, but his craft should improve with additional practice."
Stone notes the Magic would likely prefer to have one of the top four point guard options. But that was not in the cards with how things shook out. With that, a shot maker and scorer like Tatum is the top prize — especially considering he pairs better with Aaron Gordon than anyone else.
25th Pick: Sindarius Thornwell, G/South Carolina
With the second pick, Stone goes with Sindarius Thornwell.
Thornwell has not shown up on a ton of mock drafts and is widely considered a solid second round pick. But some of that may have to do with his age. As a senior, some of his skills are a bit devalued.
Thornwell put up stellar scoring numbers for the South Carolina Gamecocks last year, jumping from around 13 points per game to 21 points per game and the SEC Player of the Year. Thornwell is a strong driver and attacker of the basket. But his 3-point shot needs work.
The reason Stone likes Thornwell for the Magic is his versatility on the wing, ability to contribute quickly and his defensive prowess.
Ricky O’Donnell, SBNation
6th Pick: Jayson Tatum, F/Duke
Everyone seems to agree the Magic’s biggest need is to find a star. Differentiating between the options for the Magic at six is really matter of preference.
Tatum would be a solid pick nonetheless. He averaged 16.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, showing not only scoring ability but plenty of versatility to attack the glass. Tatum is one of the most complete players in this Draft.
Next: Orlando Magic Daily Podcast: State of the Orlando Magic Fan
25th Pick: Jawun Evans, PG/Oklahoma State
Jawun Evans is a veteran player who should be able to step in right away and provide a scoring punch off the bench. He is a strong creator who can get into the lane and make plays for others. That is exactly what a team wants out of a point guard. As many pundits note, Evans led the most efficient offensive in the country in Stillwater.