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Orlando Magic Daily Mailbag Vol. 29: Back to the future

By Philip Rossman-Reich

MILWAUKEE, WI - JANUARY 10: Aaron Gordon #00 of the Orlando Magic walks backcourt during a game during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center on January 10, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - JANUARY 10: Aaron Gordon #00 of the Orlando Magic walks backcourt during a game during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center on January 10, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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Mohamed Bamba, Texas Longhorns
AUSTIN, TX – FEBRUARY 7: Mohamed Bamba #4 of the Texas Longhorns plays defense against the Kansas State Wildcats at the Frank Erwin Center on February 7, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images) /

As I have said, there is a clear top seven in this draft. Among those seven there is a clear top two. Real Madrid guard Luka Doncic and Arizona Wildcats center Deandre Ayton are the two best players in this draft. If you get a top pick in this draft, those are the two guys you look at.

After that, things get dicey. Or at least the decisions get harder. Separating the next group of five players is really going to be about style, fit and personality. A lot of the differences will develop as teams get through the interview process.

So if the Magic end up picking third… what direction do they go?

For most of the year, everyone fell in love with Oklahoma Sooners guard Trae Young. He fits a clear positional need and a skill need. Orlando could use his shooting ability. He presents risk too. He is small and not a good defender. And there are questions of his playmaking skills at the NBA level.

There are a lot of other players to consider.

The lengthy Texas Longhorns center Mohamed Bamba. Shot-blocker extraordinaire Jaren Jackson, Jr. of the Michigan State Spartans. Scoring behemoth Marvin Bagley III of the Duke Blue Devils. And Missouri Tigers combo forward Michael Porter.

Those are all potential all-stars. They all need continued development.

If I am the Magic and I am drafting third, the three guys I am looking at are Bamba, Jackson and Young. Bagley is the readiest to make an impact on a NBA floor, but I am not sure he is a center. I think he projects as a power forward. I am not sure how his game translates in the end.

But really you cannot go wrong with any of those players. They all have flaws and need time to grow. But they are all good players.

At this point, I think I take Bamba with the third pick. I think he has a tendency to fall in love with his jumper too much, but it is developing and could make him very dangerous. That is because he is probably the best defensive big in this draft. The team would suddenly become a defensive juggernaut. Or at least potentially.

The same could be said about Jackson. His offensive game is a little more developed than Bamba, but his defense is a little wilder. His defensive potential is just as great though.

There really is no wrong direction to go. It just needs to be a direction the Magic are ready to commit to heading.