Orlando Magic Daily Mock Draft 2.0: After the ping pong balls drop

Orlando Magic Daily Mock Draft: Second bite at the apple

By Justin Szemes

The Orlando Magic will be trying to acquire as much young talent as possible and Moses Moody is a great pick at No. 8. While the Magic were disappointed on Lottery night this will be a good second pick in the lottery for them.

Moody has excellent size and looks to be ready to make an immediate impact as a 3-and-D guy. He shoots it very well from three, shooting 36-percent last season for Arkansas as the number one option on a good team.

He needs to improve on his play-making and ball-handling abilities. But even in these areas, he shows a great deal of promise.

The best comp for Moses Moody is Khris Middleton, a guy who came into the league as a 3-and-D guy but was able to develop a nice all-around game. I see him as a possible All-Star in the coming years as those other skills develop.

The Magic did not shoot the ball well from three last season making Moody a fit not just from the perspective of being the best available but will also give them something they are lacking from the jump.

Philip Rossman-Reich: Moses Moody

My belief is the Orlando Magic should spend one pick on a home run swing and one on a relatively safe pick. Moody to me gives the Magic the best chance of getting both. He should slot in as a great 3-and-D player, and we know how much the Magic need shooting. But he has the potential still to improve and work on the ball more, even if it is just as a sixth man.

Omar Cabrera: Moses Moody

With the Orlando Magic likely drafting Jonathan Kuminga at 5, who is not the best shooter, the Magic need to find shooting. Moses Moody provides shooting in the backcourt as well as being a strong defender. Moody averaged 16.8 points per game on 35.8-percent from three. His shooting ability will help other players on the roster excel as he brings the ability to spread the floor.

Dan Bennett: Corey Kispert

This is a pick that would address the Orlando Magic’s biggest weakness: shooting. Corey Kispert is the best shooter in this class, making an excellent 44-percent of his 3-point attempts at Gonzaga last season. At 22, he is an older prospect and is not the superstar the Magic are desperately looking for, but is nonetheless a safe bet to be a productive NBA player.

Isaac Ryu: Franz Wagner

Similar to what Dan was thinking, the Orlando Magic need a good shooter or someone who is a safe pick. Franz Wagner is a capable one-on-one defender but also a great team defender. Despite being known as a defensive team early in the season, the Magic lost, well, their magic and dropped to a subpar defensive team. Wagner should help with that.

He is also versatile on offense. Capable of working in the paint while also stepping out and shooting if needed. He is a glue guy who can fit into any role that is asked of him and will help the Magic to seal up some gaping holes on the roster. Plus, he is the younger brother of Moe Wagner, what more could you ask for.

Jean Racine: Moses Moody

I agree with Justin, Moses Moody is the pick here for the Orlando Magic. He provides shooting and positional versatility with his length. Moody will be able to play both shooting guard and small forward positions, and he has more upside than the other shooters available.

Max Mortensen: Moses Moody

I also agree with Justin, I like Moses Moody’s fit on the Orlando Magic. Shooting ability should be a focal point for Jeff Weltman and his staff with one of their two picks. I think Moody projects to have that skillset along with the potential for development in other areas.

Tim Monaghan: Moses Moody

I am also in favor of Moses Moody. The Orlando Magic need outside shooting and better defense after regressing on the defensive end later in the season before it ended. Moody is also a good rebounder and he has a long wingspan at 7-feet. He is also a good rebounder for his size. I think Orlando needs help at shooting guard and small forward and along with Scottie Barnes, this will be a big step in the right direction.

Andres Rosero: Moses Moody

Moses Moody projects as an above-average shooter and would be an instant contributor on an Orlando Magic team that is in desperate need of shooting effectiveness and off-ball movement in half-court sets. Pairing Moody with any of the Magic point guards would allow for complementary skill sets necessary in the modern NBA.

Jacob Warfle: James Bouknight

This is a long shot, but James Bouknight has been flying up big boards recently and could see himself selected as high as No. 8. I like Bouknight’s ceiling over anyone else available at this point. He has the potential to be a go-to scorer in the league and there are flashes of other great guards in his game. Although this could be seen as redundant with the current guard situation in Orlando, talent wins out here.

John Black: James Bouknight

At 8, the Orlando Magic should take the best player available. And in this mock draft, it will be James Bouknight.

I like Moses Moody, but he projects more as a role player and I am not sure if that is what the Magic are looking for in the top 10 of a talented draft class. Trading down for Moody would be a good choice if possible, but Bouknight is a much better offensive player with the ability to create for himself and score at all three levels — and with a 7-foot wingspan he has the potential to be just as good of a defender.