2023 Orlando Magic Daily Mock Draft 1.0
The Top Guys
While there is no debate on who the top guy in the NBA Draft will be, there is a clear top three tier. It is hard to imagine any player beneath this group breaking in and supplanting Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson and Brandon Miller. Even if a team does not need Miller (the Magic are one of those teams who would probably still draft Miller even though they are loaded with high-level forwards).
Talent always wins at the top of the draft. Nobody should turn down talent for the sake of fit. Lest you become the 2003 Detroit Pistons (they still did win a title, I guess).
Having said that, every team on Lottery night will probably have a No. 1 jersey with Wembanyama’s name on the back under their dais. He is the runaway top prospect in this draft. If you do not know why, the highlights should suffice:
There just are not many players at his size who have his fluidity and strength. He is a 7-footer capable of working off the dribble, hitting threes and beating slower defenders to the glass. And then defensively, he will still be a strong rebounder and interior defender.
This is one of those “five-tool” prospects and far and away the best prospect in this draft. You make your roster fit for him, in other words.
The Draft really begins with the second pick and the decision between Scoot Henderson and Brandon Miller.
Henderson was the runaway second pick for much of the season, especially after an impressive showing early in the year in an exhibition against Victor Wembanyama and Mets.
Henderson is an explosive guard able to attack and score off the dribble while still having the point guard instincts to dish out and find teammates. He has a lot of explosiveness and athleticism to match his skill. Even if he still needs to improve his outside shooting.
That was probably the big concern. Playing for G-League Ignite (in his second year with Ignite, actually), Henderson showed some of that talent but still struggled overall. He was not efficient and injuries slowed him down throughout the season.
That opened the door for the discussion at No. 2. Henderson though to me is still the better player and certainly the player who is most set up for success. But where he goes might depend on team need as much as talent.
Scoot Henderson certainly opened the door for discussion at No. 2. But Brandon Miller is the one who walked through it with an incredible season that led Alabama to the top overall seed.
Miller is the kind of versatile forward the Orlando Magic tend to love. He is a 6-foot-9 forward with good size to take the physicality on the inside but the nimbleness to work on the perimeter. He is also a decent 3-point shooter at 38.4 percent and 85.9 percent from the foul line.
Miller can do a lot of the skills teams look for in these big forward, although he is not quite an elite star prospect. Miller is not going to be able to attack off the dribble consistently or get past his man.
Still, he will be a strong supporting player for whoever drafts him at the very least. And someone who can step in and fill gaps to score.