The Orlando Magic’s season has gone off the rails fairly quickly.
Injuries have turned a season of hope and potential into one where so many parts of the franchise are under question. and the entire project seems to be in jeopardy.
The Magic were at a point where they likely needed to make some transition. But they were hoping to do so from ahead, looking to build rather than from behind trying to reset.
Any time a team falls this hard, no matter the reason, the team has to reassess what it is doing and find a way to move forward again. That is not always the easiest thing to do.
The Magic likely feel they are still in a good position. The fall this year came because of an inordinate number of injuries. When fully healthy, they likely feel they have enough to make the playoffs and start pushing up the standings.
Bringing back a player of Nikola Vucevic’s caliber alongside the returns of Jonathan Isaac and Markelle Fultz is certainly a promising beginning. Adding in the potential of a top pick is certainly enticing to that group. It might well be the thing that ties the whole project together.
The Orlando Magic are likely to have a top pick in the upcoming draft. So it is our turn to begin sorting out the players the Magic will be looking at come draft time.
The Magic currently hold the fourth-worst record in the league. They will play one of the hardest schedules by almost any statistical analysis in the second half of the season. Even with the impending returns of Cole Anthony and Aaron Gordon from injury — although it is not clear when either will return — it is hard to imagine the Magic climbing too far.
It is true, the Magic are still just 3.5 games out of the final play-in spot. The play-in tournament has had its intended effect and kept teams struggling at the bottom of the standings from being completely out of it. The team is right to push for wins still and try to make their run.
But very clearly, the team has lost an opportunity. Before the season began, everyone knew the Magic’s season would likely be cast by this midpoint of the year.
So here we are.
The college basketball season is rounding toward the conference tournaments and a unique NCAA Tournament after — the whole tournament will be played out at several sites in and around Indianapolis. And the G-League season is heading toward its postseason in the Gubble at Disney.
It is time to start examining the draft prospects with some level of seriousness. At least to introduce them to those who have yet to catch up on them.
What follows is our big board. A ranking of prospects taking into account the Magic’s needs first and foremost. It should be a good place to get things started as the draft becomes more of a reality and a bigger part of the Magic’s immediate and long-term future.
The Top Guy
1
Cade Cunningham G
This is a long-celebrated NBA Draft class. If the Orlando Magic were going to pick a year to have this kind of (hopefully) outlier season where they fall out of the playoffs and go into the death spiral of the Lottery, this would be the one.
The general consensus is that there are five prospects who can really help turn a franchise around. I am personally not sold that all five will be All-Star players or that any one of them is some generational talent. But there are five very good players who can be high-level starters and make immediate impacts.
None has looked as good or as complete as Cade Cunningham. If this is a great draft class, Cunningham is the top of that class. And it does not look particularly close.
The 6-foot-8 guard plays like a point guard and has all the offensive tools to be successful. He is able to drive and finish at the rim. He can stop and hit from mid-range off the dribble. He is an excellent 3-point shooter. All the tools are undoubtedly there.
And he has put a lot of those tools together.
For the Oklahoma State Cowboys, he has averaged 19.7 points per game, 6.3 rebounds per game and 3.5 assists per game. He has shot a 52.7-percent effective field goal percentage on a 29.0-percent usage rate.
It is hard to be that efficient on that kind of usage rate. That is usually reserved for the truly special players in the league. And Cunningham is a potentially elite prospect. That is why he is the clear number one option.
He can play off the ball and that might ultimately where he is best at. But his passing is also at a high level. He is able to make quick and dangerous passes across the court with ease, putting even difficult one-handed passes right in a teammate’s shooting pocket. This will be the biggest area for him to explore.
His passing and playmaking at the NBA level could be what turns him from a very solid prospect that can be the start of a franchise-builder and a potentially elite franchise-changing prospect.
He fits in perfectly with the Magic. He is a good enough shooter to play off of Markelle Fultz and would give them a second driver and creator, not to mention a scorer, that this team so desperately needs.
The Other Elite Fits
2
Jalen Green G/F
Even if the Orlando Magic lose the Lottery — the most likely outcome — or still sneak into the top-4, there are plenty of strong players to take that would fit the Magic’s needs or give them the necessary talent injection.
The next two best are players that are part of the NBA’s G-League Ignite experiment. That team is throwing some of the arguments that an elite college team could not beat a low-level NBA team a bit on its head. Or maybe not.
It is at least providing a strong argument the American basketball system needs some upheaval and that allowing younger players to go pro in more supervised, basketball-focused development teams might be as viable a route as college.
In other words, the G-League Ignite program has been a success in its first year. The group made the playoffs with that young group as the 8-seed thanks to a must-win game Saturday.
Jalen Green’s play has been a big reason why.
The 6-foot-6 wing has scored 17.9 points per game while shooting a 53.7-percent effective field goal percentage. This includes eight games of 20 points or more, topped off with a 26-point, 6-for-8 3-point shooting performance Feb. 27 against the Canton Charge.
He had 18 points in Saturday’s season-saving win to make the playoffs.
Green had something of a slow start as there was clearly some feeling out process for him — and perhaps some veteran G-League players trying to knock these kids down a peg — but he really hit his stride as the season went on. His shot improved and his scoring instincts took over.
The biggest complaint about Green is his defense. It is not good yet, to say the least. His technique needs a lot of work. But, at least in the games that I have watched, his effort has not been the problem. That is at least a place to start, even if there is still a lot of work to do.
But there may be no prospect that is a better positional fit for the Magic. Green is a natural shooting guard who can work off the ball and attack off the dribble. He would be a great addition to replace Evan Fournier if he leaves in a trade or free agency. He would be a great complement to the young group that includes Jonathan Isaac and Markelle Fultz.
3
Jonathan Kuminga F
Similarly, Green’s G-League Ignite teammate Jonathan Kuminga has also impressed a ton with his play during the run inside the G-League’s bubble season at Disney.
Kuminga has averaged 15.8 points per game and 7.2 rebounds per game. Although he has had some struggles shooting — 38.7-percent from the floor and 24.6-percent from deep on 5.0 3-point attempts per game — Kuminga has displayed some impressive offensive acumen.
He is really good at getting into the paint and going toward the basket. He can finish at the rim when given the chance. And his shooting, despite the poor percentages, looks a lot better than it was probably advertised.
The fact that both Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga have looked right at home while playing in a professional league has boded well for both of them.
Kuminga has slowed down since his hot start — he scored 19 points, 24 points and 23 points in his first three games, although with decreasing deficiency. There should be concerns about the consistency of his jumper.
For the Magic, Kuminga is in a position the Magic have plenty of help in. The last thing the team needs is another versatile forward that probably fits better at the 4 in the NBA. But this high in the draft, you take the best player available.
The Other Elites
The other two “elite” prospects in this Draft are players who do not quite fit the Orlando Magic’s needs at this time. And they are good in their own rights. Although, I am not sure either one is worth abandoning the team’s current path to go all-in on.
4
Evan Mobley C
The 7-foot center from USC is getting some talk as being a potential unicorn with his mobility and ability to move along the perimeter. He does not have 3-point range yet, but he is efficient scoring around the basket even without a great back-to-the-basket game.
Mobley is what a modern center is starting to look like, or at least the rough edges of it.
Mobley is averaging 16.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. He has added 2.4 blocks per game. All good signs of his range defensively especially and his potential to clean up around the basket on offense. That is a good place for him to start as he finds his niche in the NBA.
More importantly, Mobley does not foul very much — just 1.9 per game. That puts him in a class above another versatile shot-blocker like Jaren Jackson Jr., who has developed an outside shot and found a place with the Memphis Grizzlies.
It is hard to see the Magic investing this draft pick in Evan Mobley unless the team is giving up on Mohamed Bamba or unless the team is moving on from fellow USC alum Nikola Vucevic.
5
Jalen Suggs PG
Jalen Suggs took the nation by storm by winning the starting point guard spot over veteran and former Florida point guard Andrew Nembhard and becoming the on-court leader for the top team in the country. Really the unquestioned top team in the country.
Suggs has been absolutely stellar this year, averaging 13.9 points per game and 4.5 assists per game on a 55.7-percent effective field goal percentage. He has done a really good job integrating on a team that is very good and very talented.
Boding even better for his future is that he has stood out while still fitting in with a championship-level team. A lot of teams will want to see that.
Like some of those other players on super-talented teams, it is sometimes hard to know what will translate best to the league and whether Suggs is being held back. It feels like Suggs is a bit held back. He has a great sense of how to get into the paint and score.
But the Magic are already pretty invested at point guard. Not that they should not be looking for more talent where they can find it. But for both of these players, they have other needs they need to look into.
Other Prospects to Watch
Outside of the top five, there are still some solid prospects, especially ones who fit some of the Orlando Magic’s most immediate needs. These rankings will now focus on players the Magic should target if they fall out of the top group.
6
Moses Moody G/F
Moses Moody is one of the top scorers in the SEC, averaging 17.0 points per game on a 51.0-percent effective field goal percentage. He is shooting 37-percent from beyond the arc too. So there is a sign he can become a solid perimeter shooter. That is not his expertise. He is the guy for Arkansas and scores a lot off the dribble. That might explain his lack of efficiency.
7
Scottie Barnes F
The Orlando Magic love their versatile forwards and Scottie Barnes certainly fits that bill. The 6-foot-9 forward is averaging 10.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game, showing his versatility. That does not even get to his defense, which is among the best in the ACC. His shooting is certainly a concern. But he will be a coach’s dream with his effort and potential.
8
Keon Johnson SF
Keon Johnson is quietly one of the best scorers in the nation. It does not seem like he is getting a ton of buzz on a pretty good Tennessee team. That might be because he has not been super consistent. He is averaging just 10.5 points per game on a 46.4-percent effective field goal percentage. That is not exactly screaming NBA. But his 27-point performance against Kentucky and a 23-point performance against Auburn certainly point toward NBA potential.
9
Ziaire Williams SF
Like Keon Johnson, Ziaire Wiliams has shown flashes of his potential, including a 19-point performance against Alabama and a triple-double earlier in the year. But he has not put everything together. He is scoring just 10.7 points per game on an inefficient 43.1-percent effective field goal percentage. His success will likely depend on whether he can develop a 3-point shot, which has not come yet in college.
10
James Bouknight SG
James Bouknight might be the best-kept secret in the nation and in this draft class. He is a scorer through and through. And he has taken some turns carrying Connecticut’s offense with his ball-handling and creation throughout the year. He is averaging 20.1 points per game on 50.6-percent effective field goal percentage with a 32.8-percent usage rate. His 3-point shooting still needs to improve. But a lot of that could be from his need to be on the ball as much as he has been.
11
Corey Kispert PF
Gonzaga’s leading scorer is Corey Kispert as he averages 19.5 points per game. Unlike the other guys on this list, the senior forward is a knock-down shooter. Perhaps one of the best pure shooters in this draft. He is making 46.3-percent from beyond the arc this year and 41.0-percent for his career at Gonzaga. He is limited outside of his shooting. But that is obviously a skill in need.
12
Jalen Johnson F
A lot has been made of Jalen Johnson’s decision to withdraw from Duke and miss the rest of the season. A lot of it is frankly noise. Johnson was dealing with an injury throughout the season and he was always destined to leave after his freshman year anyway. It was not working out and he has decided to focus on his career and spend time preparing for the Draft.
He is really talented. He has a lot of athleticism and he put that on display in his short time with the Blue Devil. But his run with Duke was not great — 11.2 points, 6.1 rebounds per game in 11 games. Still, there is something to like there if he can get healthy and prove himself over again.
13
Ayo Dosunmu SG
Illinois runs a high-octane offense that focuses on getting out in transition and moving the ball in and out. The Illini fire from deep and spread the floor around their center. They are set to ride this into a No. 1 or 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Ayo Dosunmu has been one of the primary playmakers and scorers from the perimeter.
Dosunmu averages 21.0 points per game, 6.3 rebounds per game and 5.3 assists per game while shooting 40.0-percent from beyond the arc. He also recorded a triple-double earlier this season. He is a versatile guard who can take care of games — just watch how he finished off Ohio State on Saturday while wearing a mask for the first time.
You have to wonder whether these numbers are goosed up a bit by Illinois’ pace-based offense. But he seemingly can fit in with the flow of an offense. And that is a great place to start.