The basketball gods may have just handed the Orlando Magic a golden opportunity, and all it took was a little lottery chaos.
With the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery shaking up the order, teams like the San Antonio Spurs and Philadelphia 76ers find themselves in a prime position with the No. 2 and No. 3 overall picks. And while Dylan Harper is almost certainly going in the top three, the team that lands that spot may not be the one to make the pick.
Why? Because neither the Spurs nor the Sixers need Harper. But the Magic do.
The Dylan Harper dilemma for teams at the top
Dylan Harper is widely viewed as one of the top three prospects in the class, a high-IQ, physical 6-foot-6 playmaker who can run an offense and defend across multiple positions. In short, the exact type of player a rebuilding or rising team would love to build around. However, at times, draft value and roster needs do not align.
With the Spurs landing at No. 2, they’ll have just taken Stephon Castle a year ago, a 6-foot-6 guard in a similar mold to Harper. Add in their recent acquisition of De’Aaron Fox, and it’s clear San Antonio is looking for shooting and off-ball creation around Victor Wembanyama, not another ball-dominant lead guard.
Same goes for the Sixers. With Tyrese Maxey ascending into an All-Star role and Jared McCain entering as a young shooter and secondary ball-handler, Philly’s backcourt is both crowded and set. They’re built to win now around Joel Embiid, not develop another guard prospect. That’s where the Magic come in.
Why Orlando should aggressively pursue a top 3 pick
This is not the time for the Magic to sit back. They’re fresh off a 41-win season, and it’s clear their core, Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs, is legit. But the one thing missing is a floor general. A true offensive initiator who can elevate this team from tough out to a real threat. Dylan Harper fits like a glove.
He’s the kind of talent who could unlock Banchero as a scoring threat off-ball, take pressure off Wagner as a creator, and form one of the best young perimeter duos in the league alongside Suggs. And with his defensive upside, he fits the Magic’s gritty identity perfectly.
What a trade could look like
This is where Orlando’s patient asset management pays off. They’ve got picks. They’ve got depth. And they’ve got the motivation.
Orlando receives: No. 2 overall pick (to select Dylan Harper) Spurs or Sixers receive: No. 16 overall pick, No. 25 overall pick, Wendell Carter Jr., and a 2026 top-10 protected 1st-rounder.
For San Antonio, it’s a chance to add a versatile big to pair with Wemby and bring in more picks for their future as an organization to continue building around Victor Wembanyama. For Philly, it’s a way to add immediate help with Embiid’s window ticking and avoid overlapping developmental timelines in the backcourt. This is the kind of swing that turns Orlando into a contender. The East is vulnerable. Outside of Boston, no team is unbeatable. The Magic don’t need to tank or retool, they need a spark. Dylan Harper could be that spark.
If either the Spurs or Sixers are smart enough to move back and capitalize on Harper’s value without actually needing him, the Magic must be ready to pounce. It’s not often that a top-2 pick is available for the right price. And this time, it just so happens that the fit makes too much sense for all parties involved.