5 takeaways for the Orlando Magic from the NBA Draft Combine
4. Shooters are going to shoot
The Orlando Magic's biggest need this offseason is undoubtedly their shooting. They need to find a way to space the floor to create driving lanes for Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner and boost their offense.
Orlando was 24th in the league in 3-point field goal percentage and 29th in 3-point attempts per game. One way the Magic can improve their offense is by simply taking more threes. They would feel a lot more comfortable with that if they had better 3-point shooters.
That is why a lot of the offseason focus is on free agents like Malik Monk, Klay Thompson and Paul George. It is why there is some focus on trades on shooters like Anfernee Simons and plenty others. Everything this offseason is focused on shooting.
The NBA Draft Combine provides at least some hint at shooting potential. There are a lot of shooting drills against no defense, so take all of that with a grain of salt.
Some of the expected names were at the top of the shooting numbers at the Combine so far:
Tennessee forward and likely Lottery pick Dalton Knecht hit 84.0 percent of his college 3-pointers. Duke guard Jared McCain impressed with his shooting, making 76.0 percent of his college threes. McCain could still be available when the Magic pick at No. 18, but he is expected to be gone just before.
The names to watch for the Magic from the shooting drills are there though. There were players who were more impressive than expected from the outside.
We should start with Pitt guard Carlton Carrington. Carrington averaged 13.8 points per game, 5.2 rebounds per game and 4.2 assists per game last year. He shot just 32.2 percent from beyond the arc and 78.5 percent from the foul line (on low volume).
Carrington though hit 80.0 percent of his college 3-pointers in the Combine shooting drills. That is a sign that he could be improved as a shooter. The reputation on him is that he is a jumbo-sized guard who can do things outside of his position and that he is a better shooter than his percentages in college suggest.
Carrington should be on the Magic's list.
So too should be Johnny Furphy. The Kansas forward hit 72.0 percent of his college 3-pointers at the NBA Draft Combine after hitting only 35.2 percent last season. Furphy is a dynamic, athletic forward that can run lanes in transition.
Dayton center DaRon Holmes also had an impressive shooting showing. Holmes hit 72.0 percent of his college threes at the Combine. He has grown as a shooter in his three years at Dayton, topping off at 38.5 percent last year.
Holmes is a bit of an undersized center. But he is a great rebounder (8.5 rebounds per game last year) and plays bigger than his position.
Take all the shooting stats with some grain of salt since it is against no defense. But it is at least a sign of some good shooting gains for questionable shooters the Magic could target.