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Orlando Magic Daily Mailbag Vol. 28: New Year’s Resolutions

By Philip Rossman-Reich

ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 6: Bismack Biyombo #11 of the Orlando Magic with his teammates huddle before the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 6, 2018 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Gary Bassing/NBAE via Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 6: Bismack Biyombo #11 of the Orlando Magic with his teammates huddle before the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 6, 2018 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Gary Bassing/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Trae Young, Oklahoma Sooners, USC Trojans
Trae Young, Oklahoma Sooners, USC Trojans /

From Daniel Farrow, via e-mail:

"It’s NBA draft night 2018, the Magic got the #1 pick in the lottery and you are on the clock. Who do you draft?"

That last question was about fit. This question is about who I would take with the No. 1 pick. And even though I think the position might be a bit of a struggle, my number one prospect remains Luka Doncic from Slovenia.

The 6-foot-8 point guard lacks for much defensively and even somewhat with his athleticism but his skill as a passer is abundantly clear. He is the rare 18 year old who has played and beaten professionals at the highest level.

Luka Doncic was one of the stars of Slovenia’s EuroBasket championship run, averaging 14.3 points per game, 8.1 rebounds per game and 3.6 assists per game (Goran Dragic was the primary point guard). And he has kept doing that for Real Madrid in EuroLeague, the second best basketball competition in the world.

This kid could absolutely change any offense. But there are undeniable flaws. He has great length, but not great lateral quickness to play defense. And when you look at the way John Hammond has built especially in the last few years with the Milwaukee Bucks (see: Malcolm Brogdon, Thon Maker and Giannis Antetokounmpo) and the Orlando Magic (see: Jonathan Isaac), Luke Doncic’s size is nice, but not his length and athleticism.

I think there is a real chance the Magic will look closely at center Mohamed Bamba. He is a long athletic monster who is terrorizing the NCAA with 4.5 blocks per game. Blocks usually translate decently well. Bamba is extremely raw though, so not a guy I would take with the top pick.

After Doncic, the next best player is probably Deandre Ayton or Marvin Bagley III. Both have shown a great acumen scoring around the basket and in the post. They are more traditional post players. I like Ayton a bit more because of his size and I think he projects more as a center at the NBA than Bagley. But, admittedly, I still have to watch a bit more Bagley. They are all in the mix.

And I would be remiss if I did not mention Trae Young. He has rocketed up draft boards with his gaudy statistics — 29.4 points per game, 10.2 assists per game and a 56.5 percent effective field goal percentage — and fits that desperate need at point guard for the Magic.

Young is a really fun prospect because he looks like Stephen Curry. But what impresses me most about him is how he puts the ball right in the shooting pocket. It is the simple passes that impress me with Young. But his length and defensive ability are question marks. It will be interesting to see how he fits elsewhere.

He definitely would transform the team with his gravity and playmaking. But I think his lack of size could hurt him defensively. it would be an interesting swerve for this franchise considering the other types of players they have favored.

My only caveat here is that it is still very early in the draft process. Conference play just started. And there is still a lot of games to play and evaluating to do before the Draft — not to mention a Lottery to sort through.