The Orlando Magic had a lot of high hopes Tuesday night for the NBA Draft Lottery. “Dumb luck,” as president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman, did not go the Magic’s way.
The team will hold the fifth and eighth selections. So while there is a palpable disappointment from the fan base, and perhaps implicit disappointment from Weltman’s reaction on the broadcast, the team still is in a solid spot with plenty of options with two picks in the top 10.
Regardless of whether the Magic would accomplish their goal of securing a star prospect, they still need to add quality players to the roster. The Magic still need talent above all — and potential star talent at that.
That might be more difficult to grab at the fifth pick even in a draft that feels as loaded as this one at the top.
The Magic should put a priority on talent above all, especially with the fifth pick. But Weltman acknowledged that roster fit has to be a consideration too. The team needs to foster growth with young players.
And while adding the best players they can is important, there has to be some consideration to how all the pieces fit together. After all, trees competing for sunlight end up blocking each other out — unless one clearly beats them all.
So what do the Magic need?
The obvious answer is talent. The team needs to add talent and elite talent if it can. That is why there was always some frustration and disappointment in how the Lottery turned out.
But the Magic need a lot of things too. They need more shooting first and foremost. Orlando also needs a primary scorer and creator. And they generally need to solidify their team with more creators, scorers and defenders.
An easy way to say everything.
Orlando though has some young players to grow and develop. Seemingly adding another player with rangy defensive skills and little outside shooting at the forward spot — on top of Jonathan Isaac and Chuma Okeke — would make little sense. So while Jonathan Kuminga is the popular (and probably correct) choice at No. 5, that does not make him a great fit.
The team is also loaded at point guard with Cole Anthony, Markelle Fultz and R.J. Hampton alongside veteran Michael Carter-Williams and so the team is not likely to be super interested in a pure point guard. A combo guard that can play alongside those players probably makes more sense.
There will be more mock drafts and more big boards to come as we sort through the draft in the next month. And we will be jumping in with more player profiles as the process continues. But for now, these are the five players who fit the Magic best and are possibly available when the Magic pick with the fifth and eighth picks as the draft process hits this critical phase.
Orlando Magic Draft Fits: The Scorer
Jalen Green, G-League Ignite
Cade Cunningham is the runaway choice to be the top pick in this draft. The Orlando Magic are not going to get him as the draft currently stands. And he is the kind of player that pushes others out of the way.
But for the longest time, Magic fans believed another player fit a lot better. That would be G-League Ignite guard Jalen Green.
Green put on a stellar run in the G-League bubble, averaging 17.9 points per game on a tidy 53.7-percent effective field goal percentage. That included games of 20, 22 and 18 points to help get the Ignite into the playoffs and then a 30-point effort in their playoff loss.
The G-League is not exactly known for its defense. But still, the 18-year-old had a lot of eyes on him — not to mention Jonathan Kuminga out with an injury as the season came to a close — and he flourished.
Green has good speed and can get to the basket and finish with a flourish. And he is great at creating space and hitting shots off the dribble. To many, Green is the best pure scorer in this draft and some even believe Green could end up better than Cunningham at the end of the day.
The 6-foot-6 guard looks like he could be the leading scorer for a team.
The Magic need that more than anything else. They need someone who can create his shot and score effectively.
Orlando has not had a perimeter player average more than 20 points per game since Steve Francis in 2005. Evan Fournier was close this year at 19.7 points per game and Hedo Turkoglu was at 19.5 points per game in 2008.
That should give some sense for how bereft of perimeter scoring the Magic have been. It has been 16 years since a guard, forward or wing averaged 20 points per game!
That might be an arbitrary measure. But watching the playoffs, it is easy to see why that kind of scoring ability matters at the highest levels. This was the reason the team chased Vince Carter when it was clear Hedo Turkoglu was leaving in free agency in the summer of 2009.
Magic fans really hoped not just to get the first pick, but to get into the top three so they could pick Green. It was a fantasy, of course. But the fit is undeniable.
Other Options:
Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State: The likely number one overall pick. Cade Cunningham can do everything.
Keon Johnson, Tennessee: Keon Johnson is turning heads with some dynamic athletic numbers at the NBA Draft Combine. He is great at getting to the basket and finishing, even if his shot lags behind.
Ziaire Williams, Stanford: Ziaire Williams leaves Stanford as one of the program’s all-time leading scorers. But his jumper is the biggest concern especially as he scales back from being the primary option.
Orlando Magic Draft Fits: Combo Guard
Jalen Suggs, Gonzaga
Adding to the disappointment of the NBA Draft Lottery coming up bust for the Orlando Magic was missing on another high-level prospect who would seemingly fit right into the lineup.
Jalen Suggs is the perfect mix of guard skills that a lot of teams have been hungering for, especially with more teams trying to get as many ball-handlers and creators out on the floor. Having a guard who can both space the floor as a shooter and attack the basket in pick and roll is the dream, creating constant pressure on defenses no matter who is initiating the attack.
Suggs had a stellar run last year in Gonzaga’s run to the NCAA Tournament Championship Game. It was far more than just that big half-court shot in the Final Four over UCLA.
Suggs averaged 14.4 points per game, 5.3 rebounds per game and 4.5 assists per game. He shot 33.7-percent from beyond the arc and a 56.0-percent effective field goal percentage.
The 6-foot-4 guard showed good strength getting to and finishing at the rim. And he is a good enough shooter to keep defenses honest.
What is really interesting is the time that Suggs comes into the league and how he might fit in with a roster like the Magic’s.
Orlando under Steve Clifford was never afraid to play two point guards together — even if the fit was awkward. He played Markelle Fultz alongside both Michael Carter-Williams and D.J. Augustin. The team intended to play Cole Anthony and Markelle Fultz together and R.J. Hampton played a lot with another point guard — whether it was Cole Anthony, Devin Cannady or Chasson Randle.
The point is teams around the league are seeing the value of having multiple ball handlers and eliminating a lot of traditional roles by position. Guards have to do a little bit of everything these days.
And with the Magic having so many guards, if they go the combo guard route, they need someone who is comfortable enough to play off the ball at least early in their career.
Other Options
Davion Mitchell, Baylor: All the college-based scouts want to pump up Davion Mitchell after his strong run through the NCAA Tournament. They are not wrong, even if there is some overhyping. He might be the best defender in the draft class.
Tre Mann, Florida: Tre Mann took a huge leap this year averaging 16.0 points per game and shooting 40.2-percent from beyond the arc. He projects more as an undersized shooting guard in the NBA.
Sharife Cooper, Auburn: The super athletic forward from Auburn comes with a good pedigree and plenty of scoring highlights after averaging 20.1 points per game with the Tigers last year.
Orlando Magic Draft Fits: Shooting
Moses Moody, Arkansas
In just about every mock draft exercise I have done to this point, I end up taking Moses Moody with the eighth pick of the draft. Every time I keep trying to look at other players, I keep thinking about how perfect of a fit Moody would be for the Magic from a skill, positional, risk-taking and athletic basis.
It probably got clinched when Moody measured at the NBA Draft Combine at 6-foot-6 with a 7-foot wingspan. If that does not scream Jeff Weltman and John Hammond are going to draft him, I am not sure what would.
Moody though has an impressive skill set too. If the Magic are going to take a chance on a high-upside player at No. 5 (which they should in seeking a star-potential player), they should think about going with someone who is a safer bet.
To me, though, Moody presents both a safe pick and someone with potential to break out too.
Moody averaged 16.8 points per game with 35.8-percent 3-point shooting and 50.3-percent effective field goal percentage. Considering he was the primary scorer with a 22.3-percent usage rate, Moody’s efficiency could creep up when he moves off the ball.
That is a really important thing to note with a lot of college players. What do they do when the ball is out of their hands?
So Moody then would project as a potentially strong 3-point shooter almost immediately (he made 81.2-percent of his free throw attempts on 5.8 per game).
Where everyone gets really excited and where his fit grows is his potential as a defender.
Moody has the physical tools to be a great defender at the wing spot and had positive defensive box plus-minus (2.3) and defensive win share (1.8) numbers, according to Sports-Reference.
There will probably need to be more work for him on that end. But the potential is there for Moody to be a great 3-and-D type player.
Other Options
Corey Kispert, Gonzaga: Corey Kispert is widely considered to be the best pure shooter in the draft. He works well off screens and has shown some ability to put the ball on the floor and score from mid-range. He just needs a good environment around him.
Franz Wagner, Michigan: Franz Wagner might be the best pure 3-and-D prospect in the draft. His defense and rebounding especially have gotten notice in the draft process.
Chris Duarte, Oregon: Chris Duarte took a big leap in his shooting last year going from 33.6-percent from deep to 42.4-percent last year.
Orlando Magic Draft Fits: Straight buckets
James Bouknight, Connecticut
The Orlando Magic’s biggest problem might still be needing someone who can put the ball in the basket. I already detailed the Magic’s general lack of elite perimeter scoring for nearly a decade and a half. Terrence Ross is popular with fans because he is simply someone who puts the ball in the basket no matter how much pressure or defense is on him.
Making tough shots is a big key to any team advancing far in the playoffs or even the differences in making the playoffs or not. The Magic need guys who can get the ball in the basket.
That was a big part of the thought process in getting Cole Anthony. He was a great scorer in high school who had some struggles in college. The Magic surely believed he would be capable of scoring off the bench and just providing the team with a little bit more bravado and shot creation.
See: Anthony’s game-winning shots and postgame interviews.
The team still has this need though. They need guys with a little bit of an edge and the ability to hit a shot.
These are the guys that are important to teams — think Jordan Clarkson or Lou Williams in addition to Terrence Ross — and the guys who might be able to surprise and break through into stardom — see Jamal Murray and Donovan Mitchell.
So fans have centered this thinking on Connecticut guard James Bouknight. And for good reason too.
Bouknight averaged 18.7 points per game last year and was a dynamic finisher at the basket and a skilled shooter off the dribble.
If there is a player who is a secret star in this draft, it might be Bouknight. And every team in the range the Magic are drafting should be reviewing him to see if he can have a similar breakthrough to the similarly sized Mitchell.
Bouknight played only 14 games last year becuase of an injury. So the tape on his breakout performance last year is a bit limited. That could also explain why his 3-point shooting dipped below 30-percent after a 34.7-percent performance in his freshman season.
Bouknight does one thing really well and that is score. It is hard to argue against that.
Other Options
Jonathan Kuminga, G-League Ignite: Jonathan Kuminga is already pegged as the likely pick for the Orlando Magic at No. 5. He is not a scoreer as a shooter and he still has work to do to be a scorer, but he has an NBA-ready body and can get to the basket and finish well already.
Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois: Ayo Dosunmu is a bit undersized to be a win, but he is a solid scorer and a tough player who can take a hit and still finish in the paint.
Jaden Springer, Tennessee: Jaden Springer is getting a little bit of buzz although not as much as teammate Keon Johnson. He averaged 12.5 points per game and shot 43.5-percent from deep last year.
Orlando Magic Draft Fits: The Unicorns
Scottie Barnes, Florida State
What the Orlando Magic have often sought with their draft picks is versatility. And while some of that search for versatility has resulted in some negligence when it comes to hunting for skills, it still has value. Especially when a team is looking for a sort of foundational star.
Yes, everyone is looking for their “unicorn.”
The “unicorn” term has been overused at this point. It seemingly best describes a center who playes like a guard — Kristaps Porzingis made it famous but Nikola Jokic seems to be the ideal for the term now. But that does not quite get there. Ben Simmons, or what he was supposed to be, is something of a unicorn as a 6-foot-10 point guard.
And there are some of those in this draft.
If the Magic are trying to make a splash, they need to find someone with unique skills. And if that unique skill gives them an advantage, they should press it.
Whether it is draft narrative fatigue or something else, Scottie Barnes has started to get some push to creep into the top-5 and beyond. His solid testing at the NBA Draft Combine might have a little to do with that too.
Everyone needs some buzz to keep writing and nobody likes a static story.
But Barnes is worthy of some buzz. He is a true point forward (more in the Paul Pressey vein than the Ben Simmons vein).
Barnes averaged 10.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game last year. Everyone who watches Florida State knows that team is deep, disciplined and egalitarian. It is hard for any one player to shine statistically.
But the 6-foot-9 forward stood out because he literally played point guard. That included defending opposing point guards in the ACC. That defensive versatility has to get some notice and has to be a part of the conversation when it comes to him.
Barnes still has to improve as a shooter and playing off the ball. And the Magic certainly would have an odd fit if they took him — or Jonathan Kuminga, for that matter — with Jonathan Isaac and Chuma Okeke already in place. But Barnes could slide easily next to either of them because of his defensive versatility.
The talent is hard to deny.
Other Options
Josh Giddey, Adelaide 36ers: Josh Giddey followed in LaMelo Ball’s footsteps and led the NBL last year in assists as an oversized guard — except Giddey is 6-foot-8. Josh Giddey would be the biggest swing in the draft because he could either be what Ben Simmons was supposed to be or a discount Ben Simmons.
Jalen Johnson, Duke: Jalen Johnson had a strange year with Duke, ultimately withdrawing from the school because of a persistent injury. But it is hard to deny his athleticism and scoring ability when he was on the floor.
Evan Mobley, USC: Evan Mobley is not a true unicorn in that he is very clearly a center. But his defensive versatility fits the modern game well from the center position.