Orlando Magic Daily Mock Draft Version 1.0: A lot of options for the Orlando Magic

The Top Picks

The Orlando Magic have already been rumored as a team that could potentially move up in the Draft. There is a lot of fantasy trading going on to figure out how the Magic get one of the top players in this Draft.

Of course, that is a double-edged sword too. The reason the top pick is up for grabs, it would seem, is because the top of this draft is not altogether impressive.

Is there a player the Magic truly believe in that they would be willing to trade assets to acquire? Is this the all-in move the Magic are looking to make?

I believe that it is not. I do not think there is a player at the top of this Draft that makes the Magic appreciably better than what they have already.

The top pick in this Draft is ripe to get traded if the Golden State Warriors win it. They are a veteran team with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green all still in their prime. They still have championship aspirations. The Warriors need to supplement their roster and add depth, but this is a team that feels pretty complete.

After adding Andrew Wiggins at the trade deadline eliminated the need to grab another wing player like Anthony Edwards. The Warriors would probably pick him or LaMelo Ball if they were looking to trade the pick.

The Warriors have long sought a center though. And Wiseman could be a center who fits the modern style. He is a big 7-foot-1 and able to crash the lane and has shown potential to step out to the perimeter. He did not play this year with the Memphis Tigers because of an eligibility issue. But Wiseman is as talented as centers come in these days.

Anthony Edwards is the likely top pick in the Draft. He is a dominant scorer, averaging 19.1 points per game for the Georgia Bulldogs last year. Edwards’ athleticism stands out above everything else. And you put him on the ball and he will fill up a stat sheet.

But Edwards does not seem to be like a scorer who can translate better to the NBA. He is a great scorer and athlete, but not an elite one. There is a reason there is not much clamor to draft him. He scored at a high volume but without efficiency.

There are questions about how he would fit into a NBA offense. Especially if he is not the dominant scorer he was with Georgia. Edwards will be able to put up numbers, especially early on with the bad team. But he does not project as a runaway star.

The Ball family has taken a step back from the headlines. Lonzo Ball has carved out a niche as a defensive-minded point guard. He is not the superstar that his father claimed he would be. But Lonzo Ball still has proven himself worthy. His brother took a whole lot fewer headlines on his way up, but he is every bit as good as his older brother.

LaMelo spent his year after high school in Australia. He got humbled a bit there, but still played well. He, like his brother, is a good-sized point guard who has a penchant for flashy passing. He can make plays off the dribble.

But his shot is still a work in progress. And that is probably the most important thing from a guard at this point. He could very well be the first pick material too.