Orlando Magic Daily Big Board 3.0
Too high to trade up
Ousmane Dieng seems to be all over the place when it comes to draft evaluations. Some, like me, have him potentially going just outside the Lottery. Others have him going in the 20s.
That is the kind of talent that could be a good guy to target if the Orlando Magic are looking to trade up. And Ousmane Dieng certainly fits the type the Magic go for.
Dieng is a big forward who plays a lot like a point guard. He has good passing ability and great athleticism finishing at the rim.
Dieng’s uneven season is likely why there is so much divergence in his evaluation. His strong finish to the season everyone hopes is a sign of what he can be. But it is hard to remember he is still tremendously young.
Ochai Agbaji was the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament and is a solid player in almost every facet. He will not stand out at any one thing, however.
Aside from Mark Williams, Santa Clara guard Jalen Williams helped himself out a ton at the NBA Draft Combine. His measurements were the first thing that got big notice at the Combine. Guards of his size are hard to find. And they have a ton of value.
Williams was a pretty good scorer at Santa Clara. And he probably fits more as a shooting guard. His sudden rise in 3-point shooting will be a big selling point and something he has to continue to back up.
But Williams looks like he will be the big riser in this draft process.
Nikola Jovic is as interesting of a prospect as there is in this draft.
He is a 6-foot-10 playmaking forward who is strong shooting from the outside and keeping an offense moving. He is a solid shooter — still improving from three — and is smart of the dribble. Especially for a player of his size.
His big issue is his generally poor defense. Most scouts consider him a negative on defense. That is a tough place for any prospect to start. As natural as his offense looks, his lack of lateral quickness or awareness on defense is really puzzling.
Tari Eason, like so many players in this Draft, could go just about anywhere. Although it feels like the interest in him has cooled since the Combine.
Eason is a versatile defensive forward. He has good athleticism and could be a good finisher around the basket. But his offensive skills are still very raw. And that is probably why he will likely settle in the teens or early 20s for the draft.