Orlando Magic Draft Grades Roundup: How did the Orlando Magic fare?
Chris Stone, FanSided: B
"Orlando landed a pair or prospects who fit their new general manager’s profile, but they’ll face some difficult choices regarding how to proceed with Gordon in the near future. Isaac has elite role-player potential and Iwundu is a worthy risk to take early in the first round, but his potential shooting woes could make him a tough fit on a roster that lacks many sharpshooters."
No one seemed to know what Jeff Weltman was looking for in the NBA Draft. After all, he has no drafting history as someone in the lead chair. Leading up to the NBA Draft general manager John Hammond went on local radio stations and said the team was looking for length and versatility. His type as a general manager with the Milwaukee Bucks was to select players like that.
But nobody knew if Weltman would follow through with that.
In picking both Isaac and Iwundu, the Magic seemed to discover a type. Coach Frank Vogel mentioned during the team’s introduction of its two rookies that he prefers players with that positional versatility. Wing players have to be able to defend the 2, 3 and 4 now, he said. Both these players fit that bill.
So it would seem Orlando is discovering its type and beginning to draft to it. So perhaps there is philosophical fit, if not actual fit with the current roster.
But the concerns about Isaac’s fit in the larger picture are more than warranted. There is a fair amount of risk involved in taking such a raw, young prospect.
Orlando took a bit of a home run swing to get their type.