Orlando Magic Daily Mock Draft 2.0: After the ping pong balls drop
Orlando Magic Daily Mock Draft: Rounding out the Lottery
. SF. San Antonio Spurs. Josh Giddey. 12. player. 29
By Jacob Warfle
With most of the draft going chalk, things should start to get interesting around this point. This is a decently important selection for the San Antonio Spurs who are officially now without an identity. There are a couple of different directions the franchise could go with this pick, but I believe they will take a shot at finding their next playmaking guard.
Josh Giddey is a high-risk, high-reward type of selection, but no one trusts their player development more than the Spurs. Based upon what we already know, Giddey’s ceiling looks to be as high as many of the prospects at the top of this draft.
At only 18-years-old, Giddey is coming off of an impressive year for the Adelaide 36ers, where he averaged 10.7 points per game, 7.6 assists per game, and 7.3 rebounds per game. He was awarded NBL rookie of the year.
Emerging as Australia’s top prospect during the NBA Global Academy and Basketball Without Borders, Giddey has been using his lanky 6-foot-8, 200-pound frame for years now. As such a tall guard, Giddey possesses the body necessary to see over NBA defenses and make great reads.
Giddey’s playmaking, comfortability and overall smooth offensive game jumps off the screen immediately. The biggest concern moving forward is his outside shooting, but he has shown decent touch on floaters and pull-ups.
Drafting Giddey is a calculated risk that the Spurs are willing to take. If everything pans out as it should, Josh Giddey could eventually be handed the reins to a rejuvenated Spurs offense.
. SF. Indiana Pacers. Corey Kispert. 13. player. 100
By Philip Rossman-Reich
The Indiana Pacers certainly have a type of player they look at. They want tough, gritty and hard-working players who will fit into their system and their ethos. They do like athletes, but they more importantly want players with the right mindset to overcome the odds that are always against them.
That is just what life is like for the small-market Pacers.
They also historically love shooters. If there is a player who can shoot and is willing to play hard above their talent level, the Pacers will find a home for them.
It is surprising to me then to see Corey Kispert lasting this long. He might well be the best shooter in this draft and he is someone who has constantly improved. Kispert landing on a playoff team would be a huge boost to the team that drafted him and probably the best use of Kispert and his talent.
Kispert can shoot in a variety of ways as a spot-up threat and coming off screens. If he can continue to improve his defense and his one-dribble pull-ups, he could be a dangerous player in the league.
He would absolutely fit in well with the Pacers’ ecosystem.
Jalen Johnson. 14. player. 41. . F. Golden State Warriors
By John Black
The Golden State Warriors are in an interesting spot here.
Despite Stephen Curry having the greatest statistical season of his career this past year and Klay Thompson returning from two devastating injuries this upcoming season, the Splash Brothers are on the wrong side of 30 and the Golden State dynasty might not have much time left.
That puts the front office in a predicament of having to decide between getting better right now, or finding some pieces of the future in the draft and adding two lottery picks this year to last year’s second overall pick in James Wiseman.
A week or so ago, however, The Athletic’s John Hollinger reported the team may use its first Lottery pick along with Wiseman to make immediate upgrades to the roster. That may determine the direction they go at 14.
If they do in fact send off Wiseman, it will leave Kevon Looney as the only real center on the roster, but with probable plans to play Draymond Green in that role in hopes of a return of their “Death Lineup”.
If Green is spending time at the center position then that leaves a need for a power forward and wing defender.
Jalen Johnson makes the most sense for the Warriors here. At 6-foot-9, Jones is a versatile defender who has the ability to switch and guard all five positions. He is not a polished offensive player yet, but his athleticism and ability to run the court will help a team that already excels in the open court.
Johnson also has the potential to spread the floor in the half-court — he shot 44-percent from three at Duke as a freshman last season.