Orlando Magic finish NBA Draft Combine with two key point guards

The Orlando Magic were able to interview the two point guards fans will surely debate leading to the NBA Draft during this week’s NBA Draft Combine.

The Orlando Magic need a point guard. That part is abundantly clear.

After trading Elfrid Payton, Orlando relied on the veteran duo of D.J. Augustin and Shelvin Mack. Both played better than expected, but neither is likely a long-term solution for a rebuilding team.

As many writers and fans have put together how the draft might go down, it has been easy to focus on the point guard position. In a draft that does not have a lot of them, mock drafts often turn to Oklahoma Sooners guard Trae Young and Alabama Crimson Tide guard Collin Sexton.

The debate between them — and you can probably throw in Kentucky Wildcats guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in as a dark horse — will take up most of the next month. And as part of their due diligence, the Magic will certainly engage in that debate.

That began at the NBA Draft Combine where the Magic conducted initial interviews with both Young and Sexton, according to John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com and Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel.

These are certainly two of the biggest names the Magic interviewed at the NBA Draft Combine.

The team will surely have them both in for a more extensive interview and possibly a workout. Both would likely be in place for the Magic to select with the sixth overall pick.

Young is perhaps one of the most intriguing prospects in the entire draft. He led the nation in scoring with 27.4 points per game and shooting 36.0 percent from beyond the arc. He was one of the biggest attractions around the country.

The comparisons to Stephen Curry came quickly with his ability to shoot from anywhere and seemingly warp defenses with that constant threat to shoot. It helped him find good passing lanes and rack up a nation-leading 8.7 assists per game.

That led teams to double and triple team him constantly. He also struggled with turnovers. But for a Magic team looking for someone who can create his own shot and hit 3-pointers with ease, it is hard not to see the potential attraction.

Especially with that need at point guard.

Sexton would be the next point guard on the list. His skill set is almost seemingly the opposite of Young’s.

Sexton is appropriately nicknamed “Young Bull” with his ability to go end to end and get to the basket. He averaged 19.2 points per game and shot 33.6 percent from beyond the arc.

Sexton is not a great shooter. But he has gone through streaks where he could hit 3-pointers at a better rate. His high free throw percentage suggests he has room for improvement from beyond the arc.

There is still a long way to go in the Magic’s pre-draft preparations. So the does not have to make a decision today. But Orlando got some work done at the Combine on their sixth overall pick.

Next: The case for Trae Young or Collin Sexton

The team may not have been able to interview everyone on its list. But the Magic certainly got to some key prospects and gathered at least preliminary information during the Combine. Now the draft process hits the interview and workout phase. And that will help Orlando make  a final decision before June 21.