Orlando Magic NBA Draft Preview: 5 Players to Watch at the NBA Draft Combine

P.J. Washington, Kentucky

There are not a whole lot of post players in this year’s draft. Zion Williamson is the big prize (and he is more a tweener 4). Rui Hachimura, the top college prospect not at the NBA Draft Combine, is a solid power forward who can rebound and score around the basket. His teammate Brandon Clarke is also an interesting center prospect.

But outside of Williamson, they project as reserve players and not really starting players. A lot of teams will target wings in this draft almost out of necessity. And the Orlando Magic will certainly look at the two big men from the Gonzaga Bulldogs.

But the guy they will also look at is Kentucky Wildcats forward P.J. Washington.

Washington averaged 15.2 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game. The sophomore forward was a rock for Kentucky. He is athletic and able to run the floor to finish at the rim. But he does not have elite athleticism.

Washington is a solid post player in a game that increasingly does not use the post-up game effectively. He is smart filling in gaps and working his way between the defense to create space. He has a good sense of where players are around him and how to work around that.

When he is left open, he can hit an outside shot. But no one should be relying solely on his outside shot. That is not going to be central to his game. And that, of course, is a detriment in this day and age.

At 6-foot-8, Washington might have at one time been considered undersized to play power forward. That is probably not the case now. If he can be a solid defender — a +5.4 defensive box plus minus according to Sports-Reference — and defend multiple positions, then his potential grows a lot.

But no one will confuse P.J. Washington’s two-year college career for Draymond Green. If that is the model anyone wants to go after.

Washington does have good skills and he can carve out a role in the league somewhere. He is certainly talented and good enough to do so.

But like with most of these prospects the Magic will be sorting through with the 16th pick, they will have to carefully parse out the prospects and hone in on what they are looking for.

There is very clearly still talent available, but also much more risk.