Orlando Magic Daily 2023 NBA Draft Big Board 2.0
Tier 5: Need to See a Little More
The Orlando Magic could always use more players who can create off the dribble. As much as they need shooting, finding dynamic shooters is just as important. A team always needs versatility and players who can do multiple things. The NBA is not just about stand-still shooting anymore.
That is why the team should be looking at a player like Ohio State — and Lake Highland alum — forward Brice Sensabaugh.
Sensabaugh was a very dynamic scorer at Ohio State, averaging 16.3 points per game and 5.3 rebounds per game. He shot 48.0 percent from the floor and 40.5 percent from deep and 83.0 percent from the line. All the numbers check out for him.
Sensabaugh has a good body to absorb contact too. He was able to work his way through the lane at the college level in addition to hitting a variety of step-backs and set shots.
He still has to improve his defensive attention and awareness, but he has the physical tools to be a solid defender. Sensabaugh could be a nice addition with the Magic’s second pick. He would give the team some much-needed wing depth while filling in some skill needs this team has, even though he was not primarily a shooter in college.
Nick Smith Jr. did not have the year everyone thought he would. A knee injury early in the season slowed him down and kept him from taking a bigger leap. If there is a potential star player the Orlando Magic could draft with the Chicago Bulls’ pick, though, it is Smith.
That would be one big swing though.
Smith has the athleticism to get to the basket and a lot of the tools to be a top scorer. We just have not seen it very much at the collegiate level because the injury was clearly still slowing him down.
Smith finished the season averaging 12.5 points per game with unimpressive shooting splits of 37.6/33.8/74.0. But mixed in with his bad games were some truly impressive performances — a 26-point game against Georgia followed by a 24-point game against Alabama.
There were too many moments he disappeared. But the talent and potential are all there. Especially now that he has had a chance to get healthy again.
Keyonte George is a hard player to figure out.
He started the season out on a blistering pace and looked like a fairly complete package. No one should have relied on him as a primary score, but he could shoot threes off the dribble and spread the floor while also showing some advanced moves to get to the basket and finish. In January, you would have been perfectly sane to say he was a top-10 prospect in this draft class and Orlando Magic fans were pining for him.
The rest of his season was a huge struggle. And he flamed out in the NCAA Tournament. That was a consistent knock on him was that he struggled to show up in the biggest games.
In the end, George averaged 15.3 points per game with 37.6/33.8/79.3 shooting splits. His draftability will come down to whether he can succeed as an off-ball shooter. If a team believes he can be that shooter, he could be a great pick. Right now, it is unproven.
Cason Wallace is probably a player who ranks higher in the mock draft than he would on the Orlando Magic’s big board. Point guard just is not a position of need, especially a point guard who struggles to shoot.
Wallace though is a player who should fit the Magic’s eye if they are looking to add some point guard depth in this draft. He is a tough-minded, physical defender and uses that physicality well when attacking the basket. He can get downhill and finish a bit too.
But the shooting questions persist and that is too important for the Magic to ignore.