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Orlando Magic Daily 2022 NBA Draft Big Board 2.0: Time to consider needs

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Jabari Smith could be the next coming of Rashard Lewis and the top pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Jabari Smith could be the next coming of Rashard Lewis and the top pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports /
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PORTLAND, OREGON – MARCH 17: Chet Holmgren #34 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs dunks the ball against the Georgia State Panthers during the first half in the first round game of the 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 17, 2022 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OREGON – MARCH 17: Chet Holmgren #34 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs dunks the ball against the Georgia State Panthers during the first half in the first round game of the 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 17, 2022 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

2022 Orlando Magic Daily Big Board 2.0

The Big Mystery

At this point, you either like Chet Holmgren or you do not.

The pluses are apparent. He has great timing as a shot blocker. He has incredible fluidity and athleticism for a 7-footer. He got better as he got more comfortable at the college ranks, finishing the season strong to lead Gonzaga deep into the NCAA tournament.

The minuses are also apparent. He is rail-thin listed at 190 pounds with some concern he will not be able to put on the weight needed to take the banging in the NBA. While he is certainly not afraid of contact, he gets bumped and pushed off the block. There are a lot of questions about just where his game could flourish.

The good news for Holmgren is that there is a growing trend of teams going with two-big lineups again. The pendulum seems to be swinging the other way on it. The only players who seem to get played off the floor in the playoffs are players who lack versatility to hang on the perimeter or are too slow-footed to track back.

Holmgren has a place in the NBA. The question is just how good he can be.

That makes the Orlando Magic such an intriguing fit.

They spent the whole year playing Wendell Carter and Mo Bamba together to some success. It was ultimately a negative net rating of -5.5 points per 100 possessions. But for a team that struggled as much as the Magic, that number is not so bad (not that it is good).

The whole thing seemed to be proof of concept if the Magic do draft Holmgren. And it is important to note how much Carter succeeded with a shot-blocking big behind him and with the ability to play against power forwards on offense.

Carter would be able to take the bigger centers that Holmgren cannot defend yet and both would be able to space the floor.

Holmgren makes sense in Orlando because the team would not have to change a lot of how it plays. The question the Magic would have to answer is whether Holmgren is better than Bamba. Most fans would probably answer: Yes.