The NBA Draft is a week old and the Orlando Magic are still picking up the pieces. The Orlando Magic Daily staff came together to break down the Draft.
The Orlando Magic made the first moves of their new management group last week at the NBA Draft, setting the table for at least an abbreviated rebuild and certainly some retooling from last year’s team.
Orlando fans hoped to see the team take some significant steps forward. Or, at least, see the team replenish its depleted bench with promising young players. The Magic certainly wanted to do that and, to some extent did that.
But things did not go how fans expected. The Magic selected Jonathan Isaac, the long, athletic, raw defender from the Florida State Seminoles. He represented a popular local pick, but also someone who would need time to grow. He fits the modern NBA skills needed at the forward positions, but he also was the most uncertain of the top picks available.
Orlando added a senior guard in Wesley Iwundu with the 33rd pick in the second round. That was expected. The Magic needed to add some depth and find a player who could contribute immediately. A senior player comes to the league much more seasoned and ready to contribute.
But the Magic were active too. A rebuilding team in the Magic decided to trade out of the Draft at Nos. 25 and 35. It was an odd move for sure. And it sent some fans asking what the Magic were doing spinning assets forward when the team could use those tools now.
It is, of course, still unclear what direction the Magic want to head. Their free agency plans are a little bit unclear. The team does not have a lot of free agency money to spend. So it would make sense to use those roster spots on young players.
It shows the kind of half-in, half-out approach the Magic are taking at this juncture. Orlando does not seem ready to abandon its idea of going for the Playoffs sooner than later, than doing a full rebuild.
It left a lot of questions about the Draft and the choices the Magic made.
These two picks were the foundation and the start of the Jeff Weltman era in Magic basketball. So what did we learn about this year and beyond?
We gathered the Orlando Magic Daily staff together for a roundtable to react to the Draft.
What do you think of the Jonathan Isaac pick? Did the Magic make the right pick?
Zach Palmer (@FmrTankCommandr): I think the Jonathan Isaac pick was a fine pick. Isaac has the ability to be a special defensive player right off the bat. If he is able to shoot the ball adequately well and dribble a little bit he may be able to play effectively at the small forward spot with Aaron Gordon remaining at the power forward spot. As far as making the right pick, well it is hard to say right now. I think Dennis Smith fit the team a little bit better, but we still have to see how the Magic conduct the rest of the offseason. It is possible they could change the roster to such a point where this pick ends up being the best player and fit combination.
Ryan Doyle (@RDoyle27): I like the pick. The Magic tried to find their star and I cannot fault them for that. Jonathan Isaac was not my first choice, but he was near the top of my board. I think it will be some time before we see how good he can be. But, for now, the fit just seems odd. I do not think him and Aaron Gordon are going to fit well for the next season or two. Which is a problem for me as they are clearly the two main building blocks. Still, there is much work to do in the offseason for this team and the entire roster could look very different when the season begins.
Orlando Magic
Philip Rossman-Reich (@omagicdaily): I figured the Magic would be deciding between Jonathan Isaac and Dennis Smith with their pick. I knew they would most likely get two of the three guys I was comfortable with (Jayson Tatum being the other). So I always felt the Magic were in a really good position at No. 6 to take a solid player. As I said on the podcast, I think how you view this pick is really about your expectations for the 2018 season and how quickly you think the Magic can build. I thought they would look to add a player who is a little more ready to contribute immediately offensively. Isaac is a good defender and should be able to hold his own on a basketball court quickly. But his offensive skills will take some time to develop. I understand perhaps some of the frustration that Jonathan Isaac is too similar to Aaron Gordon. That, along with his passive play with the Florida State Seminoles, caused me to shy away from him. I thought the Magic were on a much quicker timeline. But if the team is taking a longer-term view of the rebuild. Isaac should be someone who can grow on the bench — and G-League — and make contributions immediately on the defensive end.
Patrick Flynn (@pflynn33): I am happy with the pick. Even though the Magic fell one spot in the draft they were still in a position to take a player with All-Star potential. Jonathan Isaac is no exception. Dennis Smith received rave reviews after his workout with the Magic, so I figured he would be the favorite at No. 6. Isaac has an incredibly high ceiling, though, and I am OK waiting for him to develop if the Magic believe he can become the player they expect him to be.
What do you think of the Wesley Iwundu pick? Did the Magic make the right pick?
Palmer: I am a lot less excited about the Wesley Iwundu pick. While I think Iwundu was a worthwhile pick, there were other guys available who will likely contribute more from day one, and probably for their entire careers. On the bright side, Iwundu has some nice skills to work with, including being able to bring the ball up in transition. I wonder if that is something the Magic are going to try and emphasize in free agency.
Doyle: I was not too familiar with Wesley Iwundu, but I like his potential as a role player on this team. He is smart and is willing to defend. The Magic have been terrible at defending the perimeter and he should be able to help out in that department. He is a player who does not have a high ceiling, but he should be able to contribute right away. I like that in a second round pick. Taking a sure thing after drafting a player like Isaac is a logical move. I just hope the team gives him a chance to play this year.
Rossman-Reich: With those later picks in the Draft, I had my eye on players who could make an immediate impact and play a role for the team. With limited cap space, the Magic would have to find players who can fit and play a role pretty immediately. Wesley Iwundu fits that perfectly. He was a four-year player at Kansas State who got better each year. While his shooting and scoring needed some work, his defense is almost certainly ready to make an impact in the NBA. And it looks like he fits the profile for a Magic wing player. I had eyed Iwundu late in the draft process after word got around he was impressing in workouts. It is easy to see why in the video. I think Iwundu will push for a role very early on in his career with the Magic. Especially if he figures out how to shoot effectively.
Flynn: Iwundu fits the mold that the new front office covets in a lengthy wing. After the Magic took Isaac at No. 6 I was hoping for them to take a big man or a point guard with their later picks to set up replacements if they are able to move some hefty contracts on their roster. But, Iwundu on his own seems like a fine pick that may be able to contribute defensively.
Did the Orlando Magic make the right move trading their other picks? What opportunities do you think they missed?
Palmer: They absolutely did not make the right move trading their other picks. Jeff Weltman said the draft flattened out so they wanted to “preserve” the value of their picks. But they did not do that. There is almost zero chance the pick Orlando received for No. 35 is that high in 2019. Additionally, the first round pick acquired for No. 25 is top-20 protected. The Magic are a bad team with very limited assets on the team. It would have been very smart to invest in rebuilding the team through the draft as opposed to hoping things will fall in place through trading or free agency.
Doyle: I am right there with Zach on this one. I understand trading the picks if they did not like any of the players on their board. However what they got in return was not very appealing. I think the Magic should have used these picks to gain assets for trades that may develop this offseason and future offseasons. Even if it was to stash a player overseas, I think that has more value than a second round pick in 2020.
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Rossman-Reich: I do not know if I necessarily agree with Jeff Weltman’s assessment the draft flattened out so much there were no players available to take at No. 25. I get why the Magic did not want to bring in too many rookies. That part makes sense. So a deal like the one they made at No. 35 made a ton of sense. But, even with the limited cap room, I think I would have taken a player at No. 25. The guys I had on my board were backup point guards like Derrick White and Frank Jackson or a wing like Semi Ojeleye. The Magic did a good job filling that wing need in drafting Wesley Iwundu, so I am not losing sleep there. And point guard was not that dire of a need. I guess, where I fall is I take the Magic at their word that there were no opportunities to move out of the 25th pick. They probably tried to move up and could not find any takers. They probably tried to move down and could not find too many teams willing to move in. So maybe they did the best they could. Would I have done something different? Yes. But is what the Magic did defensible? Sure.
Flynn: I understand why the Magic traded for future picks but I think they missed a bigger opportunity. I find it hard to believe the Magic could not put together a better package than what the Sacramento Kings received for the No. 10 pick. Another missed opportunity would be to package those picks with a hefty contract and create cap space. In a deep draft, trading for uncertain future second round picks and a heavily protected (top 20 from the Oklahoma City Thunder) first was not the best move. Looking at players taken in the second round this year, it would have been better to do nothing and draft every pick. If kept, the Magic could have come out with Jonathan Isaac, Harry Giles, Wesley Iwundu and Frank Mason. Not to mention other players expected to contribute that were still on the board. Huge missed opportunity to get production from later picks or to move up for a cornerstone.
How do you foresee the fit between Jonathan Isaac and Aaron Gordon? Can that combination work in the long term?
Palmer: I kind of already touched on it earlier, but the key is going to be Jonathan Isaac being able to shoot and handle the ball at an adequate level. Defensively, I believe this pair can terrorize opponents. Both of them should be able to switch with most 1-4’s. Additionally, Isaac’s shot blocking prowess might be better used close to the basket. Do not be shocked if Jonathan Isaac and Aaron Gordon crossmatch routinely.
Doyle: In my opinion, it is going to take a year or two. Like Zach said, one of them needs to learn how to shoot and create their own shot off the dribble. If neither of them can, the offense is going to struggle mightily. On the defensive side, they could be one of the best duos in the league in a few years. The potential on defense is sky-high. This pairing will be a test of patience for both the Magic and their fanbase.
Rossman-Reich: I think it will be interesting. There is definitely something to the Magic’s philosophy that there is not much difference between the forward position these days. So I think there is a fit. But the reality is the whole thing is reliant upon Isaac and Gordon developing their shooting ability. And that part is still a big mystery. I think the two would make a terror defensively on the wings. Their ability to switch is really something that should be deadly in the NBA, especially if Isaac is as good defensively as everyone projects. But, realistically, they play the same position. So none of this fit question matters if they cannot work together offensively. Their shooting will matter most.
Flynn: If Isaac can develop an offensive perimeter game then I think it can absolutely work. If the Isaac experiment turns into his most affected play being in the paint and he struggles to find his shot as he develops, then it will be tough for the two to mesh. I fully expect for Isaac to become versatile enough that it does not hinder the Gordon’s development.
What did the Draft tell you about the way Jeff Weltman wants to build the Orlando Magic of the future?
Palmer: I am honestly not sure if there was a definitive idea that you can take from just two draft picks. I mean, he did mention that both were long, athletic and versatile. If that is what we are taking from this, I think Evan Fournier, Nikola Vucevic and D.J. Augustin should be on alert. Those guys do not exactly fit that mantra,
Doyle: I believe the Draft provided hints into what Jeff Weltman’s plan is. I believe he wants to start fresh for the most part. The Jonathan Isaac pick means Weltman believes that it is going to take some time before the Magic are ready to contend again. This makes most of the players on the roster available. I believe free agency and the remainder of the offseason are going to answer this question.
Rossman-Reich: I think the one thing the Draft proved is this new management group values length and versatility. Both Jonathan Isaac and Wesley Iwundu have impressive wingspans and cut their teeth on the defensive end. They seem like players who can use their physical tools to make an impact on that end with offensive games that can still grow. The emphasis for this team is still on defense and defensive potential. It seems the Magic believe defense is innate and that offense is learned. That is the direction the Magic appear ready to build. That seems to be the direction the Magic want to build. Those are the foundational pieces, at least.
Flynn: This might sound over simplistic but the draft showed me how much the front office values length and high character guys. The approach makes sense with how the league and its players continue to evolve. The length that both Isaac and Iwundu bring will also play into coach Frank Vogel’s strength as a defensive minded coach. Although I did not agree with some of the moves on draft night it does appear the coaching staff and front office are on the same page.
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