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Orlando Magic Daily Mailbag Volume 31: Waiting on the team to change

By Philip Rossman-Reich

ORLANDO, FL - FEBRUARY 6: D.J. Augustin #14 of the Orlando Magic brings the ball up court during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Amway Center on February 6, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. The Magic defeated the Cavaliers 116 to 98. 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 Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - FEBRUARY 6: D.J. Augustin #14 of the Orlando Magic brings the ball up court during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Amway Center on February 6, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. The Magic defeated the Cavaliers 116 to 98. 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 Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /
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Mohamed Bamba, Melvin Frazier, Justin Jackson, Orlando Magic, Steve Clifford
ORLANDO, FL – JUNE 22: Draft Pick Melvin Frazier Orlando Magic president Jeff Weltman Draft Pick Mohamed Bamba Head Coach Steve Clifford and Draft Pick Justin Jackson during the Orlando Magic Draft press conference, on June 22, 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) /

From nolessss via Orlando Magic Subreddit AMA

"Is the strategy of drafting with an emphasis on wingspan a good one? How would you grade the last 2 drafts the new regime has conducted?"

There is definitely a fair criticism about this draft for length push from management. After all, if that strategy worked so well, why are the Milwaukee Bucks so inconsistent?

There is a long list of players who oozed with physical potential who could not put everything together when they get to the league. Whether it was length or athleticism, those things alone do not make a NBA player. A team need players with both physical attributes and skill to match.

Again, there is a long list of crazy athletes a lot of teams felt like they could develop into NBA players who just never developed.

Finding a type certainly helps build an identity though. And the team has lacked identity the last few years. If you build a type then you can start filling in roles and draft more on need.

The Magic are not at that point, they need to draft the best player available. And, for better or for worse, Jeff Weltman and John Hammond value length and physical attributes as a big part of their equation to determining potential.

That is not to say Jonathan Isaac or Mohamed Bamba were the wrong picks or reaches under the circumstances. They were both reasonable picks and pointed to a preference for those kinds of players.

Having said that, knowing how this draft shook out, maybe the Magic would have been better off taking a point guard in last year’s draft. Again, it is not a killer decision.

The league is trending in this multipositional way. And the best way to overcome a height difference is to make up for it in length and speed. Like I said earlier, the Magic are trying to collect talent at this point.

For Orlando, it is about finding the best players available and building for the future. The Magic are sticking to this length idea with some of their other acquisitions too. It suggests this is an organizational direction the team wants to go.

With that in mind, they may use part of this year as a proof of concept at some other positions. From there, who knows? The Magic need to try things out and keep collecting talent. At some point, they will have to add some skill players regardless of their length or physical attributes.