The big day is finally here. The NBA Draft is taking place tonight. It is time to break down what might happen and where the Orlando Magic will go.
Last year, it felt like the NBA was ready for a bit of a seismic shift from the draft. It was an extremely deep draft pool with a lot of players at the top many thought could be stars.
No matter who the Orlando Magic picked at No. 6, it seemed like there would be room for disagreements and arguments.
Indeed, considering Mohamed Bamba was already a raw talent that needed some definition to his game and then got cut short with an injury. The Magic are still high on him, but it was still painful to see the Magic have no representation in the Rising Stars Game at All-Star Weekend this year.
At the top of the draft, the debate is still raging between Luka Doncic (third overall) and Trae Young (fifth overall) for Rookie of the Year, after the two were traded for each other on draft night. And that does not include solid rookie years from Deandre Ayton (first overall), Marvin Bagley III (second overall), Jaren Jackson Jr. (fourth overall) and Shai Gilgeous Alexander (11th overall).
The 2018 Draft will go down as a really good one.
The 2019 Draft is a different one. Both for the talent at the top of the draft and for where the Magic are picking.
There are not a lot of potential stars in this draft. It is largely considered a three-man draft with Zion Williamson the clear prize at the very top. It has several solid players throughout the middle of the draft. But the time that part of the draft starts this year should be earlier. And those kinds of players always carry some form of risk.
And the Magic will not be picking among the first picks. Their appearance in the playoffs means they will pick outside of the Lottery for the first time in the last seven years. That will limit some of their choices for sure — the pyramid gets wider as president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman puts it.
But they should still be able to find a player who can contribute. Maybe even one who can contribute to the team quickly, although the Magic reiterate that is never the expectation for a rookie adjusting to the NBA.
Orlando has an important decision to make. Which direction the team goes, largely depends on how the draft shakes out.