The NBA Draft Lottery was not a complete disaster for the Magic, but it was nonetheless a devastating blow. After a dreadful season thwarted by some of the worst injury luck ever seen in the NBA, which sparked Jeff Weltman’s decision to blow up the roster and start again, Orlando will pick fifth with their own selection.
There is much debate around whether this is a four- or five-man draft.
Cade Cunningham is the big prize, closely followed by Evan Mobley, Jalen Green and Jalen Suggs. Then there is Jonathan Kuminga, someone who has all the tools to be great but is still extremely raw, as he demonstrated in the G-League.
It leaves Orlando in a difficult spot. Having two top-10 picks is an enormous opportunity, yet it seems like the team is once again just out of reach of one of the big prizes. Much like in 2018 when the Magic took Mohamed Bamba sixth, one pick behind Trae Young and three behind Luka Doncic.
The Orlando Magic are in a tricky spot with a solid pick at No. 5. But if the team is looking to move up, the No. 3 pick and the Cleveland Cavaliers figures to be the best target.
There is plenty to like about Kuminga’s game, and he might end up outperforming those who are taken above him. When redrafts are debated years later, the order is never the same. There is also a chance that one of Green, Suggs or Mobley might fall to the Orlando Magic, given the Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly have some interest in Kuminga with the third pick.
But while there is always the chance of landing a star with any of the top 10 picks, selecting third would provide a much higher likelihood that it happens, especially in this draft.
If the chance arises to move up in a deal that does not involve the team sacrificing the young core already in place, it should be taken.
Magic must go all-in for a star player
The results and stats might not show it, but there is still plenty to be positive about going forward for the Orlando Magic.
Cole Anthony and R.J. Hampton made important strides forward last season, Chuma Okeke flashed great potential as a 3 and D wing, Jonathan Isaac and Markelle Fultz are returning and both Wendell Carter and Mohamed Bamba are good options at the center spot.
But as it stands, no one on the roster can be considered good enough to build around just yet. Isaac is probably the most likely candidate if he grows offensively, given he is already one of the best defenders in the NBA. But his inability to stay healthy remains concerning. And the likes of Fultz and Anthony just are not ready yet.
It is possible one of the players already on the roster takes a big leap and the Magic finally get the star they need. Anthony jumps out as someone that could possibly do this, if his jump shot and 3-point shooting become more consistent.
But, currently, it feels like Orlando is missing that one guy to make it all make sense. There are some nice pieces, but no one to take the team to the next level.
Orlando Magic
This draft was Weltman’s catalyst for positive change. His reaction to seeing the Magic logo appear behind the number five envelope tells you just how important a top pick was to his plans.
There is still a chance he gets what he wants though, he will just have to give up something for it. Cunningham could have been franchise-changing but he is now out of the question. He will go to the Detroit Pistons with the number one pick if not for a complete shock on draft night.
That still leaves Green, Suggs or Mobley to pick from at three, depending on what the Houston Rockets opt to do with its second choice. Any of these options gives Orlando more of a chance to get that all-important star moving forward, given what they have already demonstrated in their young careers.
Mobley is widely touted as the second-best player in this draft, but concerns with how he might fit with Christian Wood and Jalen Green’s explosiveness, athleticism and scoring ability gives the Rockets plenty to contemplate.
Many Magic fans might also prefer one of the guards as opposed to the big, given Bamba’s slow progress over the past few years — not all his fault of course. But do not let the fact he is another 7-footer with long arms put you off. Mobley has the potential to be an excellent defender and go-to scorer someday and is already a very mature player for his age.
The man most Magic supporters are talking about though is Green, and it is not hard to see why.
For an offense that has long struggled, even in the two years the team made the postseason, the 19-year-old is someone who you can go to for a bucket. He can score from close range, or shoot from three, and is one of the best athletes in this class. In other words, a potential superstar in the making.
Jalen Suggs is another player who would have to be considered if the Magic were to reach a deal with the Cavaliers too. His heroics in getting Gonzaga to the NCAA Tournament final were well documented, as is his well-polished, all-round game through his ability to score, defend and create for others. Green and Mobley might be deemed to have a slightly higher ceiling, but Suggs is not far behind.
Picking third would give the Magic a ton of flexibility and the chance to land someone guaranteed to make an impact in the league for a long time to come.
It is fair to say the drop between Suggs and Kuminga, at the moment, is notable. Kuminga certainly has the potential to be better in the future, meaning he could rise from fifth, but there is a lot more uncertainty around him compared to the others.
But whether or not Orlando could do a deal with Cleveland is another matter entirely…