2. PJ Hall
After a down year from Wendell Carter Jr., the Magic’s center position was a bit of an issue throughout the season, and the draft is an opportunity to add some depth at the center position. PJ Hall is a 6'10” center, that can do a little bit of everything. He is a 22-year-old senior, so he is ready to contribute right away.
Hall averaged 18.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game on 48.8/31.5/77.9 shooting splits in 28.9 minutes per game. Offensively, Hall has a really mature and developed game. He is great around the rim, and he is really good at sealing defenders and getting great position. He also has a plethora of post moves at his disposal, including a nice post fade.
Hall can also stretch the floor—don't let the 31.5% fool you. Hall is great off the catch-and-shoot, he has really nice form, and he shoots the ball with confidence. Although the shots do not always fall, he shows signs that, with some development, he could be a really good 3-point shooter. Bigs like Brook Lopez and Al Horford have shown before that bigs can develop a reliable shot over time.
He had 19 games with multiple threes made, including a game with four, and he also had 14 games with at least 20 points, including a game with 31 points. He even showed that he can make some plays. If he gets the ball in the post, he is really good at finding a cutting teammate.
Defensively, Hall is a good on-ball defender, a good rim protector, and a solid rebounder. He is really strong and knows how to use that to his advantage. Hall had seven double-doubles and a game where he pulled down 17 rebounds.
Hall showed great leadership throughout Clemson’s surprising Elite 8 run and seems like a very coachable winner. The Magic could use a good shot blocker since Wendell Carter and Mo Wagner are not the best rim protectors. Hall is definitely more ready to contribute now for the Magic than Edwards, but I have him at #2 since Edwards’s ceiling is a little bit higher.