Orlando Magic cannot rule out drafting another guard in Jaden Ivey

The Orlando Magic are not short of options in the backcourt.

For much of the season, Cole Anthony and Jalen Suggs have occupied the starting spots. Jalen Suggs’ recent injury has propelled R.J. Hampton into the starting lineup. Gary Harris has also provided some valuable minutes off the bench this season.

Markelle Fultz’s return has also added further competition into the backcourt. Fultz has been impressive since he came back from injury and the early signs suggest that his jump shot has improved. He looks to be in pole position to be one of the starting guards next season.

Nothing for this team is set in stone. That is the nature of a rebuild searching for a star. And while Orlando has a big group of young guards the team is aiming to develop, the future is not set in stone.

But the competition in the backcourt does not necessarily mean the team should be opposed to taking another guard in the upcoming draft. The Magic will finally be hoping for some luck in the lottery in the form of a top-three pick, and three big men in Paolo Banchero, Jabari Smith Jr. and Chet Holmgren appear to be leading the class.

Banchero and Smith in particular make sense as good fits for the team given their offensive capabilities and the current shortage of good options on the wing.

But the Magic are not in a position to pass on players just because there are already plenty of options in their respective position. The team is in need of top-end and elite talent, wherever it might be on the court, in order to move forward.

And the three big men are not the only players who could provide the Magic with that need.

Purdue guard Jaden Ivey should also be on the team’s list of potential picks, even if the lottery is kind in the form of a top pick.

Positional need is not the primary focus for the Orlando Magic in the upcoming NBA Draft. The team needs to acquire top-level talent, even if that means taking another guard in Jaden Ivey.

Coming into the season there was a good feeling around the team, primarily because it felt as though the unexpected arrival of Jalen Suggs in Orlando — who was widely expected to go to the Toronto Raptors with the fourth pick — could be a turning point for the team.

But so far, things have not quite worked out for the former Gonzaga guard.

Suggs has struggled with injury and his jump shot in his rookie year and has not played well offensively, shooting just 36.1-percent from the field and 21.6-percent from three. He has also been very turnover prone and has to improve his handle.

There is still reason to believe the 20-year-old will turn it around. He has already shown defensive ability well beyond his years, along with an ability to create for others.

But what if he does not? What if the shot never comes and he cannot be trusted as the team’s main ball handler?

Everyone is, of course, hoping that will not be the case. But the Magic cannot let the fact they drafted a guard with the fifth pick last year deter them from selecting another high-upside guard this year.

Likewise, Cole Anthony — despite an electric start to the year where he looked to be taking a leap — has continued to struggle with his inefficiency. His field goal percentage has dipped to less than 40-percent for the season and he is still having far too many wasteful games. Given his age, this is not necessarily a massive cause for concern yet.

But with Hampton not yet at the level of a starting guard, the Magic still do not have a clear path forward in the backcourt. Fultz’s performances off the bench since he returned are setting him aside from the rest but we still have not seen what he looks like as a starter against starting level opponents.

If the Magic land a top-two pick, then Banchero or Smith would make a lot of sense. But there is a conversation to be had at three between Holmgren and Ivey.

The Purdue guard stands alone among a draft class full of bigs and wings. He has averaged 17.3 points per game in his sophomore year while shooting 35.8-percent from three — a drastic improvement from the 25.8-percent he shot in his first year at college.

But Ivey’s shooting is not the main selling point. The 20-year-old possesses lightning-quick speed and elite athleticism that has reminded scouts of Ja Morant. There are few players who can match his quickness with the ball in his hands and he can get into the paint to score at will.

His ability to collapse defenses with his speed also allows him to create for others and find open shooters on the move, and he has also proven to be effective on the defensive end in college with his understanding of the game and puts opposition players under plenty of pressure thanks to his physical tools and work ethic.

At 6-foot-4, Ivey has the size to play either guard spot and could quite easily fit into any team.

Like plenty of other players on the Magic roster, though, how high his ceiling is will depend on whether he can shoot well in the NBA. Ivey shot respectably from three last year but drafting another player who has had inconsistencies shooting the ball in his young career carries risks.

But it would not be at all surprising if Ivey went on to become one of the top guards in the NBA, and could give the Magic the star power the team is so desperate for.

If the Magic land the fourth pick in the draft and the consensus top three goes as expected, then Ivey is the obvious choice. It is tough to see the team passing on Smith or Banchero if the team is in a position to take either but there is certainly a conversation to be had with Ivey at three too.

We will not know for sure what the Magic’s best options are until the lottery sets the order. But one thing for sure is that Ivey has to be on the team’s radar, regardless of positional need.