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

The Next Tier

This year’s NBA Draft is fairly center heavy. As most Orlando Magic fans would tell you, the last thing the team needs right now is another center — or more versatile small forward/power forward types.

I am not super enamored with the players at the very top of this draft — a clear top three has developed for sure — the players in this next tier are certainly players I do not view as potentially better than what the Magic have or able to help the team significantly in the short-term.

I do not think the Magic would move up this far to get any of these players.

The Atlanta Hawks have plenty of young shooters and players they are likely not looking to add another one. Nor is there really one that stands out as adding more to what the Hawks have. Onyeka Okongwu has presented plenty of intrigue as a center after averaging 16.2 points and 8.6 rebounds per game at USC. He is an athletic defender, but a bit undersized for the bigger players in the league. He would do well to apprentice under Clint Capela early on in his career.

Isaac Okoro is going to be the versatile forward that everyone will put their hopes in. Just nobody really knows how good he can be. The athletic 6-foot-8 forward averaged 12.9 points per game last year and shot 51.4 percent from the floor. He did not have great range, making less than 30-percent of his 3-pointers. He would get drafted more on his potential to continue growing.

Orlando Magic fans have certainly had an eye on Tyrese Haliburton as a potential trade-up target. The 6-foot-5 point guard has all the tools the Magic like from a player. He is long (6-foot-7 wingspan) and athletic and made his name on defense before finding his scoring touch last year.

Haliburton averaged 15.2 points per game and 6.5 assists per game, making 41.9-percent of his 3-pointers for good measure. He has a lot of tools that make him a smart basketball player. And the sign of his growth from his freshman and sophomore year was encouraging.

The question for him is whether he can truly be a point guard at the next level and run and offense. He is not great at creating in the half court although he makes smart decisions once he gets going. That inability to break players down off the dribble is the only major concern with him.

The other guard Magic fans have eyed as a potential trade-up candidate is Killian Hayes. The 6-foot-5 point guard similarly has the profile the Magic like. He is a dynamic driver and a good playmaker for his size. He is a really strong ball-handler and passer for his age.

Hayes is a smart player and he has learned to use the tools he has very well. He is not super athletic, but he has a good burst when the lane opens up. The athleticism issues will show up more defensively than anywhere else. He should still be able to compete there.

Mainly the issue with Hayes is that he is young and a bit overconfident. He can try to do too much because he is such a gifted passer. Those are things players can fix as they grow up and develop.

Israel has a rich basketball history, but not too many domestic products who have made it to the NBA. Avdija is possibly the best young prospect to come out of the basketball-crazed nation. And he has a lot of skills that can translate to the NBA. He has a good jumper and is a smart player in the half-court. But he does not have any one elite skill. He is good at a lot of things though.