Orlando Magic Daily 2017 NBA Draft Big Board
The rest of the top 10
If the Magic took Jayson Tatum, it would not be a bad pick at all. Tatum is likely more ready for the NBA and has a more defined scoring skill. He was a great scorer for the Duke Blue Devils and was able to show some versatility with the way he attacked the glass.
Tatum’s fit in the NBA is a bit uncertain. And his fit with the Magic — especially Aaron Gordon — is in question too. Tatum works mostly in the mid-range, the inefficient area on the floor that is truly only the provenance of stars these days.
Because Tatum is not a strong 3-point shooter and the Magic still seem invested in Aaron Gordon, it is not likely he would be a good fit with this Magic team. But, for now, Tatum is a strong option who comes ready to contribute fairly quickly.
Malik Monk is quite possibly the best shooter in this Draft. His 47-point performance against the North Carolina Tar Heels stands out among the great individual college performances of this year. What stands out to me is his performance against the Florida Gators when he struggled in the first half and then suddenly caught fire to win the game.
The Magic need shooting. And so it would be silly if the Magic did not consider taking Monk. He is a knock-down shooter who will be able to play that role in the NBA at the very least.
He has to show a little bit more willingness to take players off the dribble and do more than shoot. His star potential seems lower than other players in this draft. His lack of length as a 6-foot-3 shooting guard is also a struggle to worry about. But that shooting skill will give him a chance to do everything.
I have long characterized Jonathan Isaac as the potential biggest boom or bust in this Draft. I still truly believe that. He has all the measurables a team would want, but his freshman year with the Florida State Seminoles was a mix of really impressive play and really passive play. It is hard to figure out how much of that was Florida State’s system or Isaac deferring to teammates.
The measurables are all there. And Isaac projects as a better 3-point shooter than a versatile forward like Tatum. It is just unclear how much of that shines through. Is he a stand-still spot-up 3-point shooter or can he gain the confidence to become that central star.
These are big questions for Isaac. But his shooting would make him a great pairing with Gordon on the wing. It might make him more valuable than a player like Tatum. But the question is how much any one team believes in Isaac.
Frank Ntilikina is going to be the biggest mystery of the Draft. Not too many casual fans have heard of or seen him. But Ntilikina is definitely going to be worth the hype. Or at least he has a lot of the tools to be worth the hype.
For those Magic fans believing they will focus on finding length should certainly consider Ntilikina. He is long for a point guard and shows a lot of defensive potential because of that length and his athleticism.
His scoring remains a question mark. And he will have to work on his jumper significantly. He also has to continue improving as a point guard. But Ntilikina is the kind of athletic project that reminds of other picks John Hammond took a chance on with the Milwaukee Bucks. He would be a stretch at No. 6, but a project worth pursuing.
Lauri Markkanen is a unique player. There are just not many 7-foot centers with his athleticism and most importantly his shooting ability. He might very well be the best shooter in this Draft — I would still go with Monk. But there is no denying that unique skill from Markkanen.
Markkanen would fit the Magic for that shooting ability and ability to play the stretch-5. Maybe coach Frank Vogel could teach him verticality. But it probably would not be the best fit.
Markkanen has some athleticism to attack the basket off the dribble against slower defenders. But he will struggle defensively and will not be effective in the post at all. That could hamper him in the league.