Orlando Magic Daily Mock Draft 2.0: Let’s get to business
The Top Picks
It already feels like everyone at the top of this draft wants to move off the top pick. This is not a draft with any runaway prospects or surefire star players. And so everyone seems open to moving up and down and around in this draft.
The Orlando Magic are already among the teams that are rumored to be available to move around. But that is merely speculation. And there is a lot of it at this point with the draft still so far away.
Orlando has the pieces to move up to this high in the draft. The team has its own draft pick plus a group of veteran players that would seemingly help the team move up. If that is what the team wants to do.
This is not a top of the draft that has a lot of stellar players. there are not a lot of players teams are climbing over to pick. But there is always talent. There is always an opportunity.
G/F. Minnesota Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards. 1. player. 86.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are probably looking to add some veteran help to a young roster that showed some promise after the trade deadline and All-Star Break. The acquisitions of D’Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley gave the Timberwolves a ton of 3-point weapons and made one of the best offenses in the league.
The Wolves, a team that has been perpetually out of the Playoff picture, could be looking to make a quicker move to get into the playoff picture. They have the top-end talent it would seem to have an outside chance at the playoffs. And D’Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns are entering their prime.
Anthony Edwards is probably the best pure scorer in the draft. For a team, like the Magic, they need guys who can get buckets. But it is still unclear whether he can do so efficiently after displaying poor outside shooting at Georgia. Is that worth the investment?
C. Golden State Warriors. James Wiseman. 2. player. 41.
Orlando Magic fans have been targeting and discussing the possibilities of trading up to take the Golden State Warriors’ pick since before the Lottery. The Warriors should feel like their championship window is still open with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. It is not clear how much a rookie would help them compete for a title. Especially in this class.
It seems like this is a good time for the Warriors to cash in that draft pick for a veteran. And if they could get another asset — a later draft pick even for someone in a smaller role — and shed Andrew Wiggins’ contract, even better.
Wiseman is still probably the pick here for the Warriors. They have always needed a center to help anchor their team. Wiseman is probably the best center prospect. But they have to at least be thinking that Nikola Vucevic would complete a devastating offensive attack, right?
Onyeka Okongwu. 3. player. 170. . C. Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets have built a nice young core centered around Terry Rozier and Devonte’ Graham. They surprised the NBA by finishing 10th in the Eastern Conference and staying competitive in the playoff race much longer than anticipated.
They have a great group of young players that are still looking for some cohesion and the right development to guild around. They need more impact veterans. But this is not likely a pick the Hornets will be looking to trade. They need to add talent too.
With young players at four of the five major positions, targeting a center makes sense. To many, USC’s Onyeka Okongwu is the best center in this draft. He is a dynamic defender and shows much more aptitude on that end than Wiseman. But even with his supposed poor offense, he still managed to fill a score sheet.
LaMelo Ball. 4. player. 24. . G. Chicago Bulls
It is hard to get a handle too on what the Chicago Bulls might do. Like the Minnesota Timberwolves with the top pick, the Chicago Bulls likely believe they are closer to the postseason than they actually are. The Bulls had a solid but not spectacular season last year, finishing eighth in defensive rating but just outside the playoff picture.
The Bulls have been out of the playoffs for three years — and four of the past five years. They have Zach LaVine nearing his prime — although some Magic fans would have you believe he is available and should be a target for the team.
Chicago could seek a veteran. But this deep into the draft with LaMelo Ball on the board, possibly the best prospect in this draft, talent should win out. They could slide Ball into the lineup with Coby White and Zach LaVine and have a dynamic, young backcourt to spearhead a faster pace. Not having a coach is making figuring out the Bulls tougher.