Throughout the entire draft process, Orlando Magic fans have been obsessed with finding a lead guard who can give the team a necessary boost in creation, attacking and, most importantly, shooting.
After finishing last in the league in 3-point field goal percentage, the Magic understood implicitly, they needed to find shooting wherever they could get it. Even if it meant perhaps compromising some of their typical priorities.
They have delivered on the shooting front, making the major move to acquire Desmond Bane in a major move just before the Draft. It was all about adding shooting. That is the biggest need.
When the dust settled and the Magic grabbed the 25th pick, they went with shooting first and foremost. They went with the player fans identified as a clear fit for what the Magic needed offensively.
They selected Jase Richardson. And everyone could not seem to be happier.
Richardson made his presence known throughout his freshman year because of his shooting and scoring ability. He averaged 12.1 points per game but shot 49.3 percent from the floor and 41.2 percent from three.
The things the Magic needed most were players who could get downhill and score and players who could knock down threes. Richardson does both exceptionally well, not only rating as one of the best shooters in the draft but also one of the best finishers at the rim.
From a skill standpoint, the Magic got exactly the guard they ahve been hunting for and hoping for. And they got a player they felt would be available at 16.
They got a high-level scorer to add to their team.
They got someone who improved as the year went on too. When Richardson got into the starting lineup for the final 15 games of last season, he averaged 16.1 points per game and still shot 47.0 percent from the floor and 42.0 percent from three (29 for 69).
He did exactly what everyone hopes freshman guards do. And he is going to prove to be a vital player for the Magic.
Richardson does not come without flaws.
He slipped down the draft board mostly because he measured at 6-foot-0.25 without shoes at the Combine, making his 6-foot-3 listed height feel downright big. He still had the 6-foot-6 wingspan the team likes to see -- something president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman noted unprompted as he discussed the pick with media.
Richardson played mostly off the ball in college. He will have to prove he can play point guard and be a playmaker and distributor at his size.
While Michigan State requires defense from its players, Richardson could be a player that opposing teams target on that end. He has a big hill to climb to prove himself in the NBA.
But Richardson is used to scaling those walls. And he delivered for Michigan State throughout the season. The Magic clearly saw something they wanted to build with too.
At the end of the day, the Magic had one critical need this offseason. With their first two big moves, they worked to solve them. Orlando is already a different kind of shooting team.