The Orlando Magic did the job.
When they traded away their three top scorers at the trade deadline in Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier, it was clear what direction they were headed. They put rookies and young players on the court and quickly held out veteran players with seemingly minor injuries.
The team was still trying to win. But it was a very uphill climb for the team to get there. Indeed, winning proved difficult in the final days of the regular season. The Magic landed exactly where they expected to in the end.
On the final day of the season, the Orlando Magic took a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers to guarantee themselves at least the third-best odds to win the NBA Draft Lottery. Then the miracle happened and the LA Clippers lost to the woeful — and clearly tanking — Oklahoma City Thunder.
That delivered Orlando the third-worst record in the league on their own and the best odds to win the NBA Draft Lottery — a full 140 combinations to win the Lottery.
In that sense: Mission accomplished. The Magic’s plan to position themselves for the Lottery worked out as well as it could.
And in this draft, it seems like it is a decision well worth it. Many scouts and draft observers believe the five players at the top of this year’s draft grade better than any player in last year’s draft. If there was a draft to make this dive into the Lottery, the timing could not be more right.
The Orlando Magic hold the best odds in a draft that is considered a very good one throughout the Lottery. Putting the Magic in an advantageous position.
More importantly than the 14.0-percent chance to win the Lottery, the Magic now have a 52.1-percent chance of getting a top-four pick. Orlando is essentially a coin flip away from a potentially transformational player.
On top of that, the team has essentially a four-in-five chance of getting a second top-10 pick with the Chicago Bulls landing in a tie for eighth in the Lottery standings. The Bulls will convey their pick to the Magic if it is outside the top four as part of the Nikola Vucevic trade.
Things could not have worked out better for the Magic. But everyone will have to wait until June 22 and the NBA Draft Lottery to figure out exactly where the team stands.
On our part, we are going to start diving into the draft class now with a mock draft based on the final order of finish. Members of the Orlando Magic Daily staff will be taking the place of each team in the Lottery and making their picks.
Houston, for now, is on the clock . . .
Picked by Philip Rossman-Reich
When you are the worst team in the league, you draft the best player even if there are other players on the roster that seem to duplicate his skills. So this should not be super complicated.
Cade Cunningham is the best player in this draft. He is a skilled playmaker and a lethal scorer. At times, you wanted him to take over games more as the freshman deferred to older teammates or tried too hard to get others involved.
But when Cunningham got himself going, it was hard to stop him. Teams knew that limiting him was going to be the tallest task for them to accomplish. He simply dominated play when he wanted to.
Like so many other great scoring guards in college, what catches you by surprise is his passing ability. He wanted to get others involved because he knew he could. And Cunningham was a gifted passer who could put passes through tight spaces on a dime.
His shooting ability and size will also enable him to play off the ball a bit too. There are not really any holes in his game — maybe defensively, but he has all the physical tools to be a good defender when he is engaged.
Any team would be happy to draft Cunningham and add him to the team. He should be the consensus pick and the thought of him learning from John Wall and slinging passes to Christian Wood should be a good place for the Houston Rockets to restart.
Picked by Isaac Ryu
The Detroit Pistons already have a decent group of young guys at the guard and forward positions. Killian Hayes, Jerami Grant, Saddiq Bey, Saben Lee and Sekou Doumouya all are great foundational pieces. With Cade Cunningham off the board and a lack of talent at center, Evan Mobley will give the Pistons an enticing modern big to play alongside a young core.
Known for his defense and scoring touch, Mobley will give the Pistons a low-cost, high-value player at the 5.
He showed a little bit of everything at USC. Passing, scoring, shooting, rebounding and on-ball and interior defense are enticing skills for a young big to have to enter an environment where he’ll have time to grow and develop without the pressure of winning.
Mobley is one of those players you just take if he is available. Similar to Cunningham, teams will be happy to take him, he’s just that good.
Picked by Jean Racine
Jalen Green is undoubtedly the best player available and fills a glaring need for the Orlando Magic.
The Magic need a superstar and Green has exactly that kind of ceiling.
The 6-foot-6 shooting guard is a gifted offensive player, who can score in a variety of ways. He can attack off the dribble, pull-up or finish at the rim with his impressive athleticism and quickness.
Orlando would plug in Green as a starter right away on the wing. Green has begun to fill out his frame and with a year of professional basketball under his belt, he is one of the most NBA-ready prospects projected to be drafted in the lottery.
Furthermore, Green was the No.1 high school recruit in 2020 ahead of projected No.1 pick Cade Cunningham. Green has said he believes he would have been the No.1 pick had he gone to college. That very well may have been the case if Green choose the college route and demolished his competition.
The Magic are very happy to select Green here with the No. 3 pick and believe they have a potential superstar in the making.
Philip Rossman-Reich’s Pick: Jalen Green
I have to agree with Jean here, Jalen Green is my pick. I think Green has a great scoring ability and gives the Orlando Magic a guy who can score off the dribble and set up his own shot. The Magic desperately need someone they can isolate and has a killer instinct.
More than anything else, Green’s scoring push to help the G-League Ignite make the playoffs showed me a lot. Even in a league that does not play defense, Green was the best player on the floor in meaningful games. That has to be a checkmark for a team with playoff aspirations.
Isaac Ryu’s Pick: Jalen Green
I also agree with Jean. Jalen Green should slide in and take some of Dwayne Bacon’s minutes, which may actually benefit the team. Ideally, the Orlando Magic run out a lineup consisting of Markelle Fultz, Jalen Green, an unnamed forward, Jonathan Isaac and Wendell Carter, which is kind of scary.
I am not sure players like Jonathan Kuminga or Jalen Suggs give you that scoring factor that Jalen Green has. So he seems like a no-brainer.
Justin Szemes’ Pick: Jalen Suggs
My pick for the Orlando Magic here is different. I am going with Jalen Suggs.
Suggs is extremely versatile and can get at it on both ends of the court. He is a high-level playmaker and a great rebounder for a guard. Suggs will become a franchise-changing point guard for whoever drafts him.
Max Mortensen’s Pick: Jalen Suggs
I am also taking Jalen Suggs third if I am the Orlando Magic. Even though Orlando selected a point guard in the first round last year and hit on Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs is my pick because he can play off-guard and impact the game without the ball in his hands.
Suggs is also one of the best defensive guards in the draft, a skillset the Magic should emphasize with their two first-round selections.
Jacob Warfle’s Pick: Jalen Suggs
I will be taking the other Jalen here for the Orlando Magic. Jalen Suggs is a dynamic guard with the versatility to play the point or move to the off-ball guard position.
He is already a dynamic two-way player and showcased his tenacious perimeter defense in just one season at Gonzaga. On offense, Suggs has the potential to be a deadly combo guard scorer (like Jamal Murray).
Suggs would immediately bring a hunger to Orlando that is desperately needed.
Picked by Max Mortenson
With the fourth pick of the 2021 Community Mock Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers select Jalen Suggs from Gonzaga University.
Suggs displayed his versatility more than any other guard in this class last season — he averaged 5.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. The biggest flaw in his offensive game is his 3-point shooting, though he still shot a respectable 34-percent from outside. His proven ability to score inside should alleviate some of the concerns about his outside stroke — Suggs shot 59-percent from inside the arc.
While Cleveland has two young guards with a lot of potential, the Cavaliers should take the best player available in Suggs.
Suggs showed a willingness and ability to play without the ball in Gonzaga’s lethal offensive lineup, and he is already a well-rounded defensive player.
Personally, Collin Sexton and Darius Garland have not shown enough potential in their three and two years, respectively, to convince me that Suggs will not be a better professional than both.
Picked by Justin Szemes
Scottie Barnes is a 6-foot-9 forward with guard skills who has played point guard at times for the Florida State Seminoles.
He could have one of the highest upsides in this draft but is not yet fully developed. At Florida State last season there were times he looked unstoppable but he would also disappear at times.
He is an outstanding defender and will be able to contribute on that end from the start. He will however need to improve his shooting from three and the line if he wants to be a star at the NBA level.
Barnes is just scratching the surface but his strong defensive and playmaking ability will play from day one and give him a chance to develop his game further offensively. For a team in the Oklahoma City Thunder that is rebuilding and not a destination for stars they will have to like the upside for Barnes to become a star and be built around for years to come.
Picked by Jacob Warfle
The Golden State Warriors are once again one of the more interesting teams at the top of the lottery. If the Minnesota Timberwolves pick once again conveys, the team will face a tough decision: Keep the pick and select a young prospect or package the pick for a veteran?
With Jonathan Kuminga still on the board, the answer is pretty simple. Take the best player available.
Kuminga is your classic NBA forward, checking in at 6-foot-8, 220 pounds. He possesses great length and high-level athleticism.
His body control allows him to be versatile on both offense and defense, something that every NBA front office is looking for. Kuminga has great scoring potential and plays at his own pace, often getting to his spots for easy buckets.
In the G-League’s bubble season, Kuminga proved why scouts have been so excited about him, averting 15.8 points per game and 7.2 rebounds per game. His shooting numbers were not great, but there is no concern with his shooting stroke.
For the Warriors, Kuminga could come in and make an immediate impact. Assuming Klay Thompson returns from injury looking like his former self, Kuminga would likely become a pivotal piece on a contender from day one. Not to mention the kind of versatile player who could one day replace Draymond Green and ease some of his defensive burden.
As possibly the most underrated prospect in this draft, the Warriors would be a great fit for Kuminga.
Picked by Philip Rossman-Reich
The Toronto Raptors will be part of the turning point of this Draft. The top five guys are pretty well agreed upon and Scottie Barnes seems like the next guy off the board. After that, there are a lot of players who could turn into really nice players but still have some work to do.
There are no surefire stars coming up here, but definitely, plenty of potential if they find the right role.
Moses Moody has long been the next guy on my board. I like his ability to score off the dribble and he has shown some ability to shoot from the perimeter — going 35.8-percent from deep in college. That was while being the primary scoring option for a good Arkansas Razorbacks team. Moody has all the ingredients to maybe one day become a star.
The Toronto Raptors picking at this spot would be really dangerous. This is not a bad team. They have some playoff-tested guys in Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet. Even if they lose Kyle Lowry in free agency, the Raptors are probably not going away.
They have needs for sure — especially at center. But that is not what this draft is giving them. It is giving them another shooter and scorer and they should take that here in Moody.
Do not let his poor NCAA Tournament scare you off. Teams keyed in on him and Arkansas was just not a strong team around him for the tournament setting. Moody is a capable scorer off the dribble. He just has to show he can do it in spot-up situations.
Picked by Isaac Ryu
The New Orleans Pelicans are in a weird spot.
Lonzo Ball’s restricted free agency, Brandon Ingram’s fit with Zion Williamson and a fairly underwhelming season have raised questions about the current roster.
The Pelicans have several glaring holes. One being their defense. Ranked 23rd in defensive efficiency last season, the Pelicans struggled to contain teams. Two, their 3-point shooting was atrocious. Not only are they shooting far less than the rest of the league (34-percent frequency), they are only making them at a 34.8-percent clip.
That being said, David Griffin is going to need a two-way player who plays well in a system. Franz Wagner is that player.
One of the better shooters in the draft, Wagner will provide the outside scoring the Pelicans sorely need. He shot 38.4-percent from three on 89 attempts which is a big enough sample size to show he is a capable shooter.
Wagner is also a reliable playmaker. While he will not be the main ballhandler in most situations, having a 6-foot-9 forward who is capable of running pick and rolls and capable of making smart reads will alleviate some of the burdens on Williamson and Ingram.
His defense is also nothing to scoff at. He is a smart positional defender who is excellent at reading the defense in the half-court. His presence on the wing as a shooter but also as a defender who rarely makes mistakes will be instrumental in giving the Pelicans the “Swiss-army knife” player that they need.
Overall, he is a solid player that’s more of a safe pick than a gamble.
Picked by Jean Racine
The Sacramento Kings select Kispert here with the 9th pick because he is arguably the best shooter in the draft and he is NBA-ready with four years of college experience.
The addition of Kispert will provide the Kings a knockdown shooter to pair along with their talented backcourt trio of De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield and Tyrese Haliburton.
Kispert is not very athletic and there are some questions about how he will fair defensively in the league. But his shooting and NBA readiness are exactly what the Kings need to make a push for the playoffs next season.
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.
Picked by Justin Szemes
Jalen Johnson was a top recruit in the 2020 class who many predicted would be a top-five pick in this draft class. But after a tough season at Duke, in which he ended up leaving the team mid-season to get ready for the draft, he will fall in this draft. This is a good spot for him and will be a great value at 11.
He has great size and athleticism that will make him a great front-court fit for a team with athletic guards who like to get up the court. On top of his size and athleticism, he is also a quality playmaker and they will be able to play point forward at this. He needs to improve his shot as he has struggled when teams have been able to stop him from getting to the basketball but Charlotte is building a very skilled team and Johnson will be a great fit.
Picked by Jacob Warfle
Many recent mocks have James Bouknight jumping into the top-seven range, making this a great get for the San Antonio Spurs. At this point, the Spurs need to be fully focused on acquiring talent, regardless of positional fit.
Bouknight is one of the few players left on this board with go-to scorer potential. With good size and length (6-foot-5 with a 6-foot-9 wingspan) at the 2-guard, Bouknight can get his shot off at will and proved this year at UConn that he can be deadly from all three levels.
Scouts have compared his scoring and shooting ability to Devin Booker. If he can continue to improve his deep range, it looks like that could become a reality. Not only is Bouknight smooth with his jumper, but he also has shown great scoring ability around the rim with floaters, dunks, and tough finishes.
In 15 games at UConn this season, Bouknight averaged 18.7 points per game and 5.7 rebounds., on 44.7-percent shooting from the field. When healthy, Bouknight looked like one of the most NBA-ready scorers in all of college basketball.
Bouknight’s biggest areas for improvement are playing within an offense and increasing defensive awareness. These are things that should not scare the Spurs away. You draft Bouknight for his offensive ceiling alone and work on the rest.
Picked by Philip Rossman-Reich
No player probably helped build his reputation or his stock in the NCAA tournament more than Davion Mitchell. That usually might raise some flags for a small sample size, but Mitchell was a key player for a Baylor team that was the best in the country anyway throughout the year.
Capable of playing on and off the ball while providing great defense, Mitchell figures to be someone who easily slots in wherever a team might need him. Winning players usually do well at this part of the draft.
He averaged 14.0 points per game and 5.5 assists per game with 1.9 steals per game. He is a tough-minded defender and that will fit in perfectly with the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers value defense and shooting. And Mitchell even provides that at 44.7-percent from beyond the arc.
Drafted by Isaac Ryu
The Golden State Warriors are most likely getting Klay Thompson back next year which means they can build off of an unexpectedly good season. The Warriors are going to be looking to draft someone who can play in their system. Players like Juan Toscano-Anderson, Jordan Poole and Damion Lee have all found success with the Warriors by buying into their roles.
The team is in need of a secondary playmaker/scorer off the bench who will also buy into their role and Mann can be that guy.
Tre Mann is a solid shooter (40-percent on 112 3-point attempts) and has a knack for working defenses in the pick and roll. His inside game is smooth and he has shown the ability to make split-second decisions as the defense closes in on drives.
The Warriors most likely do not draft another big or forward considering they have Draymond Green, James Wiseman, Kelly Oubre and Andrew Wiggins. Their guard rotation is small and lacks any sort of spark-plug action, similar to what Terrence Ross brings to the Orlando Magic, so Tre Mann seems like the logical option.
While he will need to work on his defense, Mann will come under the wing of some of the best defenders in basketball in Klay and Draymond. Mann grew two inches in his freshman year so he is still growing and could potentially defend any of the wing positions.
If drafted, the Warriors will have a lot to work with and like Wiseman, can experiment and see how he fits alongside Curry, Thompson, Wiggins (if he is still around) and Green.
This is our first run through the Draft. To be sure, we will be back after the NBA Draft Lottery to do another group mock draft. Tell us who you would pick in the comments below or on Twitter @OMagicDaily.