The Dallas Mavericks were the talk of an extremely busy Monday in the NBA as they defied the odds and matched the Orlando Magic's rise in the 1993 Draft Lottery for the largest rise in the Lottery's 41-year history (the Magic still hold the record for longest odds to win).
The intrigue of the offseason has begun now. Already there is speculation of what teams might do and whether a team like the San Antonio Spurs could make a play for a star like Giannis Antetokounmpo. The battle lines for the offseason are drawn now. The Magic know the path ahead of them.
Orlando holds four picks in this year's draft. The team has two first-round picks -- No. 16 and No. 25 -- and is not expected to use both picks. The Magic do not have a roster spot for two rookies, but they also have a mandate, it seems, to make more win-now moves.
It should make for an interesting draft night. A draft night where the Magic will be active to add to their roster. The Draft is the next stop on this road for the Magic. It is not a night Orlando can waste.
While the Magic are not expected to keep both picks, they still need to do their homework for the draft. Especially considering Orlando is flirting with the first and second apron now, making the most of draft night is vitally important.
There are still six weeks to go before the draft. And a lot to prepare and consider before then. The Magic still need to be prepared and go through the prospects.
The place we will start is looking at the early mock drafts that came out in the wake of the Lottery. That gives at least a snapshot of who the experts think the Magic might take. And what we think of the early targets.
Will Riley, Illinois
Selected by Christopher Kline, Fansided; Jonathan Givony & Jeremy Woo, ESPN
Everyone knows what the Orlando Magic need -- playmaking, creation and shooting. Everyone knows the Magic's draft type -- long, versatile defenders. So finding players who can fit both bills is really valuable for this team. If the Magic can find shooters who have positional versatility, it matters.
That is why one of the clear trade-up prospects is Illinois sharpshooter Kasparas Jakucionis, perhaps the best shooter in this draft and someone who can play some point guard. That Illinois team worked really well with all the spacing and pace the team played with.
Riley fits the latter bill more than the former. He is not the shooter his teammate is, but he is an athletic and versatile wing who fits the bill for the Magic's typical draft profile.
Riley averaged 12.6 points per game and 4.1 rebounds per game, shooting 32.6 percent from three and 72. 4 percent from the foul line.
His role is to play off the dribble and work to his mid-range shot. He can pull up from the mid-range and absorb contact going to the basket with his size.
Riley looks like a player who would fit the type the Magic typically draft. It is easy to see why many have him mocked to Orlando. As a freshman, he still has loads of upside, even if his shooting is not there yet.
Grade: B-
Walter Clayton, Florida
Selected by: Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo, ESPN; Sam Vecenie, The Athletic; Ricky O'Donnell, SB Nation
It may just be the Florida connection, but Walter Clayton has seemingly been the match made in heaven for the Orlando Magic with one of their draft picks.
The trouble has been figuring out how other teams evaluate him and where the team might select him. A few mock drafts have him going as high as No. 16. But the No. 25 pick feels like the place to get him. But it takes only one team.
Clayton was mostly an afterthought throughout his career. He started at Iona and worked his way up to power Florida's fast-paced offense to a national championship. He was the standout of the NCAA Tournament with his clutch performances.
That is the one thing everyone can say about him, Clayton has no fear of the moment. And that is a big thing. Especially for a Magic team so desperate for creation and someone who wants to hunt his own shot.
Clayton averaged 18.3 points per game and shot 38.6 percent on 7.8 3-point attempts per game. Presumably he would get more spot-up opportunities in an offense with the Magic. But his appeal is that he can create his own shot and does not need much space to get himself going.
That will be the ultimate question with him: Whether he can translate his strong run at Florida into the NBA. But this indeed feels like a solid match.
Grade: A-
Nique Clifford, Colorado State
Selected by: Sam Vecenie, The Athletic
We all know the Orlando Magic's type -- long, rangy, versatile athletes who can do a bit of everything. Finding the ones who can score is the challenge. Just as finding players who fit into the team's ethos remains a challenge.
It is no secret that Orlando might prefer to draft another senior who can contribute quickly. Tristan da Silva proved extremely valuable this season, even if it was clear he was a rookie who needed more seasoning. The Magic might reveal how invested they remain in him by who they pick in this draft.
But the beat must move on. And there is a former Colorado teammate who really stood out with a ton of skills that make sense for this team.
Nique Clifford ended up leaving Colorado for rival Colorado State. But he shined in his senior year, averaging 18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game.
Clifford was even better as the Rams rallied to make the NCAA Tournament through the Mountain West Tournament, averaging 21.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game during a run that included an 11-game win streak and a buzzer-beating loss to Maryland in the NCAA Tournament second round.
Clifford shot 24 for 52 (46.2 percent) during that 12-game stretch and finished the season at 37.7 percent.
What stands out about Clifford is that he can do it all. He imposes himself on the game with his rebounding and passing when his shot is not falling. And he can likely rely less on the creation and mid-range shots in a system with other players.
Clifford is still my favorite potential prospect in this draft. He checks all of the Magic's boxes.
Grade: A+
Liam McNeeley, UConn
Selected by: Kevin O'Connor, Yahoo!
Everybody knows the Orlando Magic are desperate for 3-point shooting. They were last in the league last year in 3-point field goal percentage. Despite bumping up their volume, they still settled at 23rd in the league in attempts. No doubt that was because of how much the Magic struggled from three.
The priority with any player the Magic should acquire will be on 3-point shooting. That is why they should be looking hard at UConn freshman Liam McNeeley.
McNeeley averaged 14.5 points per game and shot 31.7 percent from three on 5.4 attempts per game. That percentage is not encouraging, but he dealt with an early season ankle injury.
Before his injury, he shot 37.9 percent from three. In his second game back from the injury, he scored 38 points and made five threes against Creighton.
McNeeley still has to fight for consistency. But at 6-foot-7, he has really good size and can hold his own on the court. The shooting percentages in his freshman year might be a little scary. But he projects as one of the best shooters in this draft class.
Grade: B+
Nolan Traore, France
Selected by: Christopher Kline, Fansided
Nolan Traore is going to be one of the more controversial picks in this year's Draft. The 6-foot-5 guard is being mocked all over the place from the late teens to the end of the first round. He is still a very raw prospect but has been shining as his season concludes in France for Saint-Quentin.
Traore is averaging 11.7 points per game and 5.1 assists per game this season. He is a natural point guard with good handles, and he uses his size to get advantages finishing at the rim. Traore is a happy passer and can get into the paint to create for others with enough of a floater and mid-range game to keep defenses honest.
The standout with him is his poor shooting. He is shooting only 31.7 percent from three this season, a marked improvement from his sub-30 shooting last year on Saint-Quentin's developmental team.
But what you want is to see improvement as the season goes on. And Traore is making a really strong closing argument.
He has scored in double figures in his last four games and that includes pouring in 21 points on 4-for-7 shooting from three with seven assists in a loss to Le Mans Sarthe Basket last week and then following it up with 25 points and four assists on 10-for-17 shooting (2 for 5 from three) in a win over Stade Rochelais.
Traore, again, checks many of the size boxes the Magic like. It is easy to see why the team might be interested. But the shooting could remain a huge hangup for him at all points in the draft.
Grade: B+ (at No. 25), B- (at No. 16)
Tahaad Pettiford, Auburn
Selected by: Ricky O'Donnell, SB Nation; Kevin O'Connor, Yahoo!
It is not yet clear whether Tahaad Pettiford will stay in the NBA Draft. The freshman started only one game at Auburn but was still impressive, averaging 11.6 points per game and shooting 36.6 percent from three (and 80.4 percent from the foul line). He will get a lot of useful information from his Combine run.
Pettiford could be a player who uses a sophomore season to rise up draft boards. As it stands, he appears to be a late-first round prospect.
Pettiford has a good burst going to the basket and great speed in a straight line. He can stop quickly and create space for his own shot -- many of his 3-point attempts were self-created. That is all a good place to start.
Pettiford is only 6-foot-1. And while his creation and ball-handling are at a strong level, his playmaking and passing are not. That could be another reason he stays at Auburn to continue building his skills in a larger role.
For a Magic team looking for some more immediate help, Pettiford can do somethings quickly but likely would need more time.
Grade: C+