The Orlando Magic have already embarked on their foundational rebuild, beginning with the official hiring of Jamahl Mosley as the franchise’s head coach.
Securing a coaching hire was the first thing the Magic needed to do this offseason. Now the team can focus their efforts on the draft, scheduled for Thursday, July 29th. As fans are well aware, Orlando has two lottery pick selections in the fifth and eighth overall picks.
The first of their two picks is situated on the edge of the top tier of prospects — Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, Jalen Green, Jalen Suggs and Jonathan Kuminga being the near-consensus first five projected to be selected. Orlando is guaranteed to have the option to select one of these five if they are so inclined.
In the first edition of the Orlando Magic Daily community mock draft, I was high on Jalen Suggs’ fit with this Magic roster. At that time the Magic had the third-highest odds of landing the first overall pick in the draft lottery, making a Suggs selection more likely as he is projected to be selected between second and fourth overall.
Assuming he will still be available for the Magic with the fifth pick, or that Orlando makes a trade to secure a higher pick, here’s the argument for Orlando selecting Suggs.
Gonzaga guard Jalen Suggs offers a team the chance at a strong and versatile leader capable of playing either guard position. For the Orlando Magic it would be a perfect complement and potential star to go with their guards.
Suggs walked on to the Gonzaga campus as the highest-ranked recruit in the program’s history. He was a consensus five-star prospect according to Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN, with the latter ranking him sixth overall in the class of 2020. As a result, expectations were high for his prognosticated single season in Spokane.
Somehow, Suggs outperformed even these lofty expectations — contributing to, and at times leading, the Zags’ 31-1 season and eventual run to the Final Four.
| Season | FG% | 2P% | 3P% | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | .503 | .588 | .337 | .754 | 5.3 | 4.5 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 2.9 | 14.4 |
| Career | .503 | .588 | .337 | .754 | 5.3 | 4.5 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 2.9 | 14.4 |
Provided by CBB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 7/14/2021.
Suggs’ offensive prowess was the most impressive aspect of his freshman performance, particularly his ability to score efficiently inside the arc. At 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, Suggs is not oversized for the combo guard position, but he projects to be able to hold his own physically at the next level.
He showed an ability to finish over bigger defenders and through contact, which largely contributed to his 59-percent efficiency on 2-pointers.
His supreme quickness and ability to create off the dribble were also on display throughout the season. In the Sweet Sixteen round of the NCAA Tournament, he made an instant highlight in transition using his speed to knife through the Creighton defense:
Suggs’ intangibles are as sure as any prospect his age, the bigger question being whether his pure skill can translate to the next level. A fair percentage of the national media’s pre-draft evaluations are low on his ability to score from outside, though he showed stretches of outside shooting prowess last season.
Suggs shot 33-percent overall on 3.5 3-point attempts per game, slightly below the average efficiency at the collegiate level. His shooting foundation — technique, lower-body base, and release point — are all healthy and don’t give any indication he’ll struggle severely as an outside shooter.
Despite his potential outside shooting deficiency, there are two areas of potential that make Suggs unlike other prospects —both in this draft class and among all players his age.
Orlando Magic Draft Profile: Jalen Suggs
Offensive Playmaking
Jalen Suggs can play at both guard positions, but his pure point guard skills make him a true fit for the position. He averaged 4.5 assists per game in 29 minutes per game, which is fairly respectable given the number of high-usage players on the Gonzaga roster.
Suggs was particularly lethal in transition but mainly as a facilitator pushing the ball up to Corey Kispert, Joel Ayayi and Drew Timme.
Early in the season it became apparent the Bulldogs were going to use transition opportunities as fuel for their offense, and Suggs seemed a natural fit as the propulsion for their “up-and-down” style:
But transition possessions were only one facet of Suggs’ playmaking impact. He also developed into a strong passer in the pick-and-roll.
Suggs has great anticipation and is often prepared for the defensive reaction — he is two passes ahead in his mind before he even releases the ball.
Against Kansas, Suggs uses his body and eyes to fake a pass to the roll man Timme. He makes the Jayhawks’ K.J. Adams Jr. (#24) make the decision for him, waiting to see if he slides into the paint as the “help” man, or if he stays close to Ayiyi in the corner.
Once Adams commits to Timme, Suggs changes direction and skips the ball to Ayiyi’s shooting pocket for a knock-down opportunity.
Jalen Suggs’ control in the pick-and-roll makes him a prime fit with Wendell Carter Jr. and Jonathan Isaac, the Magic’s two primary options as screen setters in the halfcourt. Adding a third young guard who is comfortable in pick-and-roll, a staple of the modern NBA offensive playbook, could portend a bright future in Orlando.
Orlando Magic Draft Profile: Jalen Suggs
Defensive Instincts
Jalen Suggs certainly made his name on the offensive end, but he also quietly put together one of the better defensive seasons for a guard in the West Coast Conference.
In the crucial minutes of regulation against UCLA in the Final Four, before he went on to make one of college basketball’s most-heralded buzzer-beaters, Suggs made a defensive play that was critical for the eventual win:
Shot blocking is what separates Suggs from other guards his age. In addition to the athleticism mentioned previously, Suggs has a supernatural nose for the ball. Even with his superior leaping ability, he doesn’t make the above play without the use of optimal angles to cut precious seconds off his recovery.
Overall, Suggs projects to be a strong defender for his size, and he showed a willingness to compete on the defensive end during Gonzaga’s long 32 game season.
It may sound trite, but Suggs’ willingness to compete on each possession does give him a slight edge as a defensive player. He relishes taking on the challenge on both ends of the floor.
As Gonzaga’s second-best on-ball defender, Suggs averaged two steals per game last season. With a 6-foot-6-inch wingspan, he has the length to bother opposing point guards and to disrupt passing lanes at the next level.
Orlando Magic Draft Profile: Jalen Suggs
Overall Evaluation
Without a trade to move up in the draft, Jalen Suggs likely will not be available for the Orlando Magic with the fifth pick. However, given his pure talent and versatile offensive game, it will be worth the effort for Jeff Weltman and his staff to investigate a possible course to secure Jalen Suggs.
Even with Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony already manning the teams’ point guard minutes, there’s a real benefit to adding Jalen Suggs to this Magic team. His versatility, especially his ability to create as a secondary ballhandler, doesn’t pigeonhole him into solely playing at point guard.
With a new rebuild, the Magic will need players who can contribute in multiple facets on both ends of the floor, and Suggs projects to be the archetypal mold for this kind of player.
That is not to say Markelle Fultz will be better than Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green or Jonathan Kuminga. All three players would also be great additions to this Magic team.
But based upon his one year of NCAA play, I believe Suggs’ game projects to be better suited to fit into a system with two proven point guards — he offers Jamahl Mosley and the Magic the flexibility to play whichever style will best give this Orlando team a chance to win.
That flexibility is what makes Suggs so valuable, and a clean fit with the Magic. If Orlando is committed to building a young and flexible roster for the future, they should focus their efforts on a plan to draft Jalen Suggs.