Orlando Magic Daily Mock Draft Version 1.0: Postseason run through
. F/C. Orlando Magic. Kai Jones. 10. player. 38
Picked by Max Mortenson
Kai Jones profiles as the exact kind of versatile big to pair with Jonathan Isaac to create a stout defensive frontcourt. His physical intangibles — standing at 6-foot-11 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan — make him an ideal size for the modern NBA.
The progression Jones made between his freshman and sophomore seasons bodes well for his development as a pro.
He shot 10 more 3-pointers his second year in Austin and improved his efficiency from 29-percent to 38-percent. While most of these makes came against non-conference opponents, Jones still averaged a block and a steal per game in the Big 12, one of the best conferences in the country.
The Magic should be intrigued by his fit with the current roster — Jones is small enough to pair with Mohamed Bamba or Wendell Carter at the four, or long enough to play small ball center alongside Chuma Okeke and Jonathan Isaac.
Philip Rossman-Reich’s Pick: Josh Giddey
The Orlando Magic have never been afraid to go off the wall with their draft picks. Their penchant for finding versatile players is well documented. Since they seem to be going for a group of ball handlers to play together, why not grab a ball-handling small forward?
Giddey is set to lead the NBL in assists this year and was a potential triple-double threat. His shooting is a big concern (the pick for shooting is James Bouknight), but the playmaking and versatility scream Magic if they want to go for a big backcourt and have some of their point guards play a bit off the ball.
Justin Szemes’ Pick: Kai Jones
Kai Jones is an elite athlete and will be a nice fit for the Magic’s frontcourt. Last season, he shot the ball well from three at 38-percent in a limited sample size. But he has a nice stroke. He needs to improve his rebounding but should be able to fit at the four or five spot giving them a ton of versatility.
Jean Racine’s Pick: Jalen Johnson
This is a luxury pick for the Orlando Magic. If they decide to keep it, Jalen Johnson has the most upside. Johnson is a talented forward who can do a little bit of everything. One area of improvement would be his shooting. But he shot 44 percent from three last season for Duke, although he only attempted 1.4 per game.
Jacob Warfle’s Pick: James Bouknight
My pick for the Orlando Magic is James Bouknight. Although the Magic already have a decent amount of young guards, they are not in a position to draft by fit quite yet. Bouknight is an absolute steal this late in the lottery and has one of the highest ceilings of anyone in the class. This is the talent play that the Magic need to make.
Isaac Ryu’s Pick: Chris Duarte
Instead of going with James Bouknight, I am taking Chris Duarte for the Orlando Magic. At 6-foot-6, 190 pounds, he has got good size to pair with his shooting. While the Magic already have Terrence Ross, Chris Duarte will provide the Magic with a third option behind Ross and whoever starts. They never really had a sparkplug off the bench besides Ross. This gives the Magic a bigger guard to pair alongside Markelle Fultz or Cole Anthony who is a plug-and-play type of player.