Tracy McGrady does not see a future superstar in upcoming NBA Draft

The Orlando Magic are focused on the NBA Draft now as they look to increase talent. But one of its legends does not see salvation through the Lottery.

As the Orlando Magic’s season winds down through its final seven games, the season has taken on much less meaning. Everyone has an eye on the future.

Fans have been there for some time, openly celebrating every defeat and lamenting every stray win the Magic are able to pick up. They are watching the Tankathon and hoping for the best odds in May’s NBA Draft Lottery.

With where the Magic are at, they know they need to change their core. It likely means flipping several key players from this year’s roster. After six years out of the Playoffs, the Magic need to head in a new direction.

And that will always start with the Draft. After several years going through the Lottery machine, Orlando feels desperate to hit on this draft.

And this year’s draft seems like a good one. Scouts are raving already about its depth. There appear to be five or six players who many see as potential stars.

Do not count Tracy McGrady among them. While there are very good players in this draft, he said there is no one that seemingly can transform the team on his own.

"“I don’t see anybody in the draft that changes the complexion of a team,” Tracy McGrady said while in town for his Orlando Magic Hall of Fame induction. “I look at some of these younger guys, I don’t see the Kevin Durants, I don’t see the Carmelo Anthony-type guys. That’s why I think a lot of these top teams have been losing because they are freshmen. You have these teams that have juniors and seniors, much more experienced guys, it’s no surprise to me why these big-time schools are getting knocked off in the tournament.”"

Durant and Anthony both left their schools after their freshman seasons. They were dominant college players too. Anthony was with an experienced Syracuse Orange team that won a national championship. Durant exited in the first round after he won national player of the year with the Texas Longhorns.

Both players were considered surefire superstars and those players still come around. The NBA Draft though is increasingly a crap shoot though. Teams are drafting 18 or 19 years old fresh out of high school almost to be the anchors to their teams.

Eight of the top nine players in Jonathan Givony’s Top 100 players and 12 of the top 14 are all freshman. One of those non-freshmen is 19-year-old guard Luka Doncic from Slovenia. These are a lot of young players that will need time to develop no matter how talented they are.

So while everyone is buzzing over Luka Doncic and Arizona Wildcats center Deandre Ayton as the top players in this draft and a bevy of other skilled young players, they all likely will need time. This is a deep draft filled with potential top-end talent, but no surefire stars.

Still, everyone knows the draft is vitally important for the Magic. Many fans who believe the team should be tanking are not necessarily looking to tank for a specific player — some like Luka Doncic, some like Deandre Ayton, others eye Oklahoma Sooners guard Trae Young or center Mohamed Bamba. Many of them just want the ability to choose the best player.

Whoever that may be.

Orlando Magic

The value of the draft is in that — adding the best available talent. From there it is up to the teams to develop them into future stars. Or to make them part of an attractive team for free agency.

The draft is where everything starts.

"“You have to make it appealing for free agents to come here,” McGrady said. “You have to discover great talent in the draft. Hopefully, that talent develops like a Ben Simmons or a Joel Embiid. If you can put that together, then free agents will want to come. You don’t want the guys to come here where you offer them enough money and they go for this team because of the money. Those type of guys, you don’t want a part of your franchise because they are money chasing. As a player go for money, but at the same time, you want guys who are passionate about playing the game and doing it for the team.”"

The draft is the undoubted foundation for a team and its culture. Getting the right people in for that foundation is critical for any building team.

A team like the Magic.

With the way this draft sets up, Orlando is likely to get a high draft pick. The Magic are slated to have the fourth-best odds in the NBA Draft Lottery — a 37 percent chance at a top-three pick.

For the Magic, it seems far more important to get one of these elite players in this draft and create a culture to develop them. That will attract those other pieces in free agency to complete the roster.

As is always the case, the basis for most rosters is who the team acquires in the draft and the core of players they build around.

What seems clear as the 2018 season winds down, Orlando hopes a core of Aaron Gordon, Jonathan Isaac and this future pick will be something to build from.

McGrady, who works as a consultant with the Magic but does not have direct contact with the player because of his role with ESPN, is still optimistic about the Magic and their future.

"“These guys are phenomenal,” McGrady said. “They are very talented. They are very athletic. It is going to take some time for them to develop. They have to continue to work and realize what’s at stake. You don’t have any Paul Georges and some of these big-time free agents come down to Orlando. Guys that are here have to make this a place of destination for those type of guys.”"

It is a difficult task for sure. The Magic have seemingly a long climb ahead of them. No amount of optimism about the players on this team from management will erase the frustration of this season. Everyone is looking for glimmers of hope wherever they can find it.

This upcoming draft pick represents one of those glimmers. Whoever they pick — wherever they pick — will be a key part of the team’s future.

Next: Orlando Magic are doing something worse than tanking

But it may be asking a lot to put the whole weight of the franchise on that player’s shoulders. The Magic will get a talented player, but one that will take time to grow.