The Orlando Magic are in the middle of a playoff push right now.
Development has taken a back seat to figuring out which players and rotations will help the team win in the postseason. The Magic's two first-round draft picks are not even in the rotation.
One of them has spent the majority of the season in the G-League -- Jett Howard continues to perform well though, averaging 18.4 points per game and shooting 36.4 percent from three.
The fact both Anthony Black and Jett Howard are not in the playoff rotation is not a sign the team has given up on their development or that they will pass on the upcoming NBA Draft. Even though the team is likely to pick closer to No. 20, the team still has to find every way to add talent to the roster.
The draft process is well underway -- president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman is away from the team right now to do some college scouting. The NCAA Tournament does not represent the end of the evaluation, but it is a midpoint. When the games stop, all that tape and information stops as teams prepare for the Combine in May.
So while this week's conference tournaments and the NCAA Tournament that begins next week is a turning point for fans -- a major event that draws even NBA people to watch the college game -- it is only another chapter in the book for teams evaluating these prospects.
It is worth pointing out that many of the top prospects in this year's draft are coming from foreign leagues and from the G-League Ignite. This is not considered a particularly strong class, especially at the very top.
Still, there is no reason to pass on an opportunity to add talent to the team.
What we do not know when it comes to the Orlando Magic though is what the Magic are looking for. Aside from shooting and some ball-handling and point guard help, the Magic's immediate needs are a bit of a mystery.
They sat tight at the trade deadline seemingly wanting to see how their young team responds to the Playoffs before making any major changes to the roster.
The Magic's draft pick is not likely to crack the starting lineup or signifiy some significant shift in the team's plans this year. But what kind of player the team targets may be a direct effect of what happens in the playoffs and what flaws become apparent in the postseason.
That bit of information for the Magic is still a month away. And no matter who they pick, they will have to find a way to fit in Black and Howard to this puzzle too -- along with whatever major moves the team may make with their ample cap room.
It is seemingly fairly likely the Magic may go the G-League route once again with whomever they pick.
For now, we are still getting introduced to the players the Magic might pick in this year's draft. Sitting at No. 19 or 20 in the current draft order certainly opens up more possibilities. Orlando will be casting a wider net this year than five or six players like they did the last few seasons.
As the draft experts submit their mock drafts ahead of the NCAA Tournament, we want to look less at the players they project the Magic to pick (although, definitely log those names away for your brackets) and more about what those players say about the Magic's needs and what they are looking for as the draft enters this critical phase.
Orlando Magic 2024 NBA Mock Draft Roundup
Kevin O'Connor, The Ringer - Hunter Sallis, Wake Forest
Hunter Sallis is a 6-foot-5 guard out of Wake Forest who is averaging 18.1 points per game and 4.1 rebounds per game while shooting 41.3 percent from three and 77.3 percent from the foul line. The third-year guard transferred from Gonzaga, where he saw limited playing time, bursting onto the scene this year with his first bout of real playing time.
The idea with Sallis is simple: He is a big guard who can shoot. That checks off two seeming needs for the Magic. They are a team that loves their size and needs shooting. So Sallis seems capable of checking both of those boxes for them.
On top of this, he is described as a solid defender too. He has the size and the ability to grow into a strong 3-and-D type player with the experience to attack of the dribble, even if that will not be his role with the team.
Orlando needs more multi-dimensional players and two-way players. They need players who can step up their scoring when called on. Sallis seems to be that kind of player if he can develop into more of a catch-and-shoot and movement shooter.
That is the difficult thing. He is the star for Wake Forest (and they are not likely to make the NCAA Tournament) and has not really succeeded in a secondary role for a 21-year-old with three years of college experience.
But the Magic need guards who cna shoot and create. And they love their size too. Sallis is someone to have an eye on -- he scored 29 total points on 5-for-12 shooting from deep in two ACC Tournament games this week.
Orlando Magic 2024 NBA Mock Draft Roundup
Kyle Boone, CBS Sports - Bobi Klintman, Sweden
Gary Parrish, CBS Sports - Johnny Furphy, Kansas
Two different approaches from CBS Sports' draft experts from their mocks in early March. But still a lot of the same principles for the Orlando Magic.
We know the Magic love players who can play multiple positions and have athleticism at every spot. They want to play a truly interchangeable lineup with guards who can screen, forwards who can handle the ball and attack off the dribble and everything in between.
That is what these two players represent.
Bobi Klintman is a 6-foot-10 forward with good athleticism. He left Wake Forest after last season to play in Australia for Cairns Taipans. He is averaging 9.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in 21.7 minutes per game this season.
That is a big step forward for him. But he likely will need some time to develop. He is not quite ready to make an immediate impact. But he has the versatility and skill to be a solid player if he develops.
Johnny Furphy of Kansas has grown by leaps and bounds this year as he became a key part of Kansas' season. Furphy is averaging 11.4 points per game in Big 12 play, shooting 36.5 percent from three and 78.5 percent from the line.
Furphy at 6-foot-9 is known more as a dynamic defender and someone who can get to the basket in transition and finish at the rim. But there is a lot to like about him with his size. He coudl easily sneak into the Lottery.
Orlando Magic 2024 NBA Mock Draft Roundup
Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo, ESPN - Dalton Knecht, Tennessee
Christopher Kline, Fansided - Dalton Knecht, Tennessee
A lot of Orlando Magic fans are going to know the name Dalton Knecht. If not, they probably should at this point in the draft process.
Quite simply, this guy is a bucket and a shooter. At 6-foot-6, the guard has the size the Magic want with the ability to hit a ton of shots that this team is missing.
Knecht is averaging 21.1 points per game and shooting 39.7 percent from three, transferring over similar numbers from his last year at Northern Colorado last year. Knecht has had a long journey to get to this point and he is an older player, which might mean he is closer to contributing quickly.
It is a good sign that he worked hard to go from junior college to Northern Colorado to the SEC Player of the Year at Tennessee. That shows a willingness to work and believe in himself that will be important.
But the shooting and scoring is the big thing for him. He has a 40-point game in a loss to Kentucky at the end of the season and 11 games of 25 points or more this season. That is some elite scoring at the college level.
ESPN's last mock draft came out in February. It feels more likely that Knecht has played himself into the Lottery with these big scoring performances. Ignore his poor 14-point showing in the SEC Tournament, he will be one of the players to watch in the NCAA Tournament.
Orlando Magic 2024 NBA Mock Draft Roundup
Sam Vecenie, The Athletic - Kyshawn George, Miami
Everyone knows the Orlando Magic are obsessed with size. They want players who can play multiple positions and do things that players of their height do not typically do. Thus, drafting a 6-foot-7 point guard in Anthony Black.
The Magic do not ever seem to feel they have an excess of these kinds of guards, although imagining they would draft a second big guard like Black in back-to-back years when Black is struggling to crack the rotation is a bit difficult. There is going to be a backlog of young players at a certain point -- all while the team is trying to win and advance up the playoff tables.
Perhaps many of the mock drafts at this point are less focused on these kinds of needs and thoughts and more about seeking talent. Or perhaps everyone knows the Magic's type and knows they are not concerned with positions but rather having the versatility of guys who can play more than one kind of role.
Sam Vecenie of The Athletic had the Magic picking Miami's Kyshawn George in his last mock draft in February.
George checks the boxes as a 6-foot-8, 205-pound guard. He has the positional size and length the Magic love. While his 9.0 points per game in conference play do not impress, he shoots 43.2 percent from three and 71.4 percent from the line.
George will need a bit more development and could be a good player to stash in the G-League for a year if needed (Miami will not be heading to the postseason after finishing 15-17 this year). But he is someone who is on radars for his size and untapped potential.
Orlando Magic 2024 NBA Mock Draft Roundup
Krysten Peek, Yahoo! Sports -- Tyler Smith, G-League Ignite
The sort of secret need for the Orlando Magic is at center.
Wendell Carter has become something of a Rorschach Test for fans who see what they want to see in the Magic's starting center. He has some clear flaws but he can overcome a lot of them.
The early season run with Goga Bitadze at center showed the potential of having a more traditional rim-protecting big. Bitadze was a bit limited offensively. But there was some proof of concept.
The biggest thing the Magic are likely to learn in the playoffs is whether Carter can stand up in the postseason as a positional defender and not an above-the-rim threat.
I think in a lot of ways the Magic could easily split the baby and use their draft.
They are likely to retain Wendell Carter and Moe Wagner this offseason. So they could look to use their draft pick to fill that third center spot, keeping that player in reserve and simplifying his role when he comes onto the main roster but also enabling him to develop and gain experience with the Osceola Magic.
There is something there. And I would be looking at a lot of the center prospects in this year's draft.
G-League Ignite big Tyler Smith fits that bill. Smith is averaging 13.7 points per game and 5.1 rebounds per game with 1.0 block per game for the Ignite this season.
He is a 6-foot-11 forward with good size and weight who can also step out and hit jumpers. He is a baby Carter in a lot of ways.
It will be interesting if he can scale up to play center or fit the kind of needs the Magic have for the position as they plot what they need for future playoff success.