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2023 Orlando Magic Daily Mock Draft 1.0: One book closes, another one opens

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Jan 25, 2023; Orlando, Florida, USA; UCF Knights forward Taylor Hendricks (25) drives to the basket against Houston Cougars forward Jarace Walker (25) during the first half at Addition Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 25, 2023; Orlando, Florida, USA; UCF Knights forward Taylor Hendricks (25) drives to the basket against Houston Cougars forward Jarace Walker (25) during the first half at Addition Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports /
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There was an interesting dichotomy present at the AdventHealth Training Center on Wednesday afternoon.

The Orlando Magic organizationally was taking a pause from their now 9-to-5 existence for the team to celebrate their Rookie of the Year in Paolo Banchero.

The year for the draft class of 2022 is pretty much officially closed now that Banchero has taken home the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy. And it is on to the next draft class.

Of course, things do not work sequentially like that. When asked about the potential of adding more young talent to the roster during the press conference with Paolo Banchero, president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said the team is already well at work in its 2023 draft preparations.

The Orlando Magic are already hard at work looking at their upcoming draft class and possibilities. We do our first run through the draft with our first mock draft.

In fact, he revealed they had just left a meeting discussing the draft with many of their scouts called in to start going over the prospects. The draft process never really ends. And it is about to hit overdrive.

Officially though, one book has closed and now another one is opening as the 2023 NBA Draft comes into greater focus.

Everyone will wait for the draft order to get finalized with the NBA Draft Lottery on May 16 — a short three weeks away. That will determine where the big prize in this year’s draft will go. Everyone is looking forward to Victor Wembanyama’s arrival.

Yes, even the Magic and this year’s Rookie of the Year:

The Lottery really is a Lottery this year. There will not be the same kind of intense debate that was the central story of last year’s draft and holding last year’s top pick. There will still be plenty to debate and plenty to get to from this draft.

The Magic are in a strong position once again. They have the sixth-best odds to win the Lottery — along with a 9.0 percent chance of winning the top pick and a 37.2 percent chance of landing in the top four (a better than one in three chance).

Additionally, the Orlando Magic will get the Chicago Bulls’ pick if they do not get into the top four thanks to the Nikola Vucevic trade. Chicago, sitting 11th in the Lottery standings, have just an 8.5-percent chance to land in the top four.

At this juncture in our draft preparation, we want simply to introduce the prospects some more and do a first straight mock draft without the effects of the Lottery. Doing this will give you an idea of the prospects the Magic could be looking at as they prepare for the final order.