Orlando Magic aim to find the best long-term player facing a ‘widening pyramid’

The Orlando Magic are in a new spot drafting 16th in the NBA Draft. They will aim to find the best long-term fit amid a host of interesting prospects.

The way president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman describes it, the NBA Draft is like a widening pyramid.

At the very top of the draft, it is easy to decipher who the best players are and hone in on what they want and what they are looking for. There is less chance for variability. And while every team has to understand and know the entire draft to weigh opportunities that might come up throughout the day, the focus at the top of the draft is clear.

The Orlando Magic could focus in on two or three guys before settling on Jonathan Isaac or Mohamed Bamba with the sixth overall pick the last two seasons.

Their choices this year at No. 16? They are a lot more varied. And they could go a number of different ways. The draft could shake out and play out in a host of different directions by the time the Magic come up at No. 16.

The task of finding a player to complement the team’s built-in roster and maybe become more is still high for this young and developing team.

"“I think that our group is excited about this draft,” Weltman said Monday. “I think we’re in the place where typically in the middle of the first round outside of the lottery, you are swimming upstream to draft a player that turns out to be a career rotation player. I think we’re looking at several guys who we feel can do that and even more. We’re very excited about our draft spot.”"

It is indeed hard to get a handle on who the Magic might target in this year’s draft. Most of all because it is hard to predict how the draft in front of them will play out.

The going bets are that Orlando will focus on finding some wing help, with many mock drafts having them picking between Kentucky Wildcats sharpshooter Tyler Herro or Virginia Tech Hokies guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

There are plenty of other players whom fans might say “fell” to them at No. 16 in North Carolina Tar Heels forward Nassir Little, Indiana Hoosiers guard Romeo Langford and USC Trojans guard Kevin Porter Jr.

Then there are plenty of other players that could get consideration for that pick too from Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Brandon Clarke to North Carolina Tar Heels wing Cameron Johnson or even athletic marvels like Stanford Cardinal forward KZ Okpala or Iowa State Cyclones guard Talen Horton-Tucker.

There are a lot of players to consider and sort through. The age-old debate of picking for need or the best player available becomes even more focused this late in the draft. Typically teams that have made the playoffs are not playing as much for the future.

"“There is always a sliding scale with that,” Weltman said. “I think that the better you get, and I don’t know how good we are, we have to re-establish everything beginning again this summer to be even the team we were last season, then it becomes more difficult to expect a rookie to play for you. For us, we’ll approach this as we always do looking for the best player we can add to our team and the best person. Someone who cares about their teammates and cares first and foremost about winning.”"

It appears it is Weltman’s belief that the team should take the best player available regardless of position so they do not limit their choices and miss out on a potentially strong player. It is about as much of doing the research on every player and not leaving any stone unturned.

This Magic team though is slightly different than the typical playoff team.

They have two key free agents and the team could look dramatically different next year. And on top of that, they were one of the youngest rosters in the Playoffs and are clearly still building up toward something — with key players like Mohamed Bamba and Markelle Fultz spending at least part of their summers rehabbing from injury in addition to regaining their skills.

The approach for Weltman is as much about finding players that have value in the league. After all, the defending champion Toronto Raptors were built without any top-10 picks and precious few lottery picks.

"“That’s why this part of the year is exciting,” Weltman said. “That’s why I always say we want to draft the best player. We want to draft the best player that identifies with our organization and the league will covet for years to come.”"

Does that provide any clue which direction the Magic will go in Thursday’s draft?

It is probably vague enough to send everyone going to their favorite prospects or assume things about the Magic’s draft process.

The one thing that is clear is the Magic feel they are drafting from a good pool of players. They feel comfortable with who they might select from. And they feel they can add a player that will contribute to the team down the line.

They understand that whoever they draft will need time to develop and they will have to put that player in positions to succeed. They understand rookies need the space to assimilate into the league, as Weltman put it, and are not likely to make an immediate impact.

But that player pool is pretty big. And for the Magic to hit, they will have to trust their homework and make a shrewd decision.