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Orlando Magic Daily 2022 NBA Mock Draft Version 1.0: The top picks are here

By Philip Rossman-Reich

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BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA – JANUARY 20: Jaden Ivey #23 of the Purdue Boilermakers dribbles the ball while against the Indiana Hoosiers at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on January 20, 2022 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA – JANUARY 20: Jaden Ivey #23 of the Purdue Boilermakers dribbles the ball while against the Indiana Hoosiers at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on January 20, 2022 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

Orlando Magic Daily Mock Draft Version 1.0

Jaden Ivey. 5. player. 100. . G. Indiana Pacers

There is a lot of Jaden Ivey slander going on — including from me — and I think Ivey is going to become the biggest victim of the NBA Draft talk that tends to look at players’ flaws than their successes. His success in this draft might also be tied to how far the Memphis Grizzlies go since Ja Morant seems to be the popular player comp.

Ivey is very good. Let’s make that clear. He is not the player Morant is, but the comparison is apt.

Ivey is averaging 17.3 points per game and 3.1 assists per game while shooting 46.0-percent from the floor and 35.8-percent from beyond the arc. It was an impressive run.

He is as good off the dribble as any player in this draft. And for a player his size, he has great explosion and burst to get to the basket and finish at the rim.

Ivey still has a lot he can offer a team.

The big question is his shooting. He will need to become a better 3-point shooter. And even though he was on the ball a lot, he disappeared a lot of times for Purdue. Especially in big moments.

For the Indiana Pacers, they are set with Tyrese Haliburton and even to some extent with Buddy Hield. Another guard may not be the right play completely. But they have reportedly been open to trading Malcolm Brogdon and they should take the best player to complement Haliburton a bit more.

The Pacers could easily take a Keegan Murray here instead. But going for the upside is still the play at this point.

Who the Orlando Magic Should Pick: Keegan Murray

Having said that, I would still stick with Keegan Murray for the reasons I stated above. Murray gives the Magic a sure shooter and someone who can step in and contribute theoretically pretty quickly.

I think Murray could very well be a sleeper. But the upside is definitely lower than players like Shaedon Sharpe or Jaden Ivey.

I am just very bullish on Ivey because of his poor shooting. If he is not dominating the ball or becomes a team’s best scorer, he reminds me of guys like Dennis Smith Jr. who had all the talent and athleticism but could not find the secondary skills to make it in the NBA.