Orlando Magic Daily Mailbag Volume 30: New Beginnings

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SAN ANTONIO, TX – MARCH 13: D.J. Augustin #14 of the Orlando Magic dribbles the ball during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on March 13, 2018 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 (Photos by Mark Sobhani/NBAE via Getty Images) /

From Michael Clark via Comments

"The biggest question to me is how can the Magic improve their guard positions in a frontcourt-heavy draft? Opponents have been relentless in attacking the basket."

This is a big question for sure. Everyone looks at the Orlando Magic’s point guard situation, especially since the Elfrid Payton trade, and sees a clear need there. D.J. Augustin was serviceable as a starter — 11.7 points per game, 5.7 assists per game and a 56.1 percent effective field goal percentage as a starter last year. But no one considers him a long-term starter.

Orlando will have to address the point guard situation at some point. He very well could be someone they look at in the second round. But it seems highly unlikely a team will find a starter at the back end. And finding a long-term solution at point guard with the Magic’s lack of cap room or trading ability could also be extremely tough.

But this is not a team that is going to solve all its problems in one summer. Nor is this a team that can afford to miss on a really great player because of a need to fill a specific position. The Magic cannot target a point guard with their first-round pick. They have to take the best player available.

While Orlando seems to have a logjam at center, but if that is who the best player is, that is who they should pick.

But undoubtedly the Magic have to figure something out at point guard. It is too hard to say what the trade market might look like. Orlando is going to have a hard time piecing together a functioning roster in just one summer. That does not mean they should remain stagnant or still.

So how do the Magic improve their guard situation?

It is going to take some savvy. That is about all I can say. They are going to have to be smart with their picks — whether they take a guard in the first round or wait to use one of their two second-round picks (35th and 41st) — and add in some players who can contribute to the team in some way.

There are a lot of needs and questions this Magic roster has to answer. The guard situation — and I just focused on the point guard situation here since it looks like Evan Fournier and Jonathon Simmons have the shooting guard spot nailed down for a while — is one of them.

When it comes to the Draft, the Magic have to pick whatever is best available to them. There are just too many holes to fill.