Orlando Magic 2024 NBA Draft Preview: A weak class, but still lots of options
Intro to the 2024 Draft Class
The Shooters to Watch
Richard Stayman, Locked on NBA Big Board: Ideally for me, just going into names right away, I'd go right after Dalton Knecht if he is still there. He's tearing up the SEC.
He probably won't be there. But if he is, he's a shooter, he can attack closeouts and can create a little bit. He's super smart. Beautiful shot, by the way. If you are trying to teach someone how to shoot, just show them Dalton Knecht's form. I'd think he'd fit perfectly right here.
Philip Rossman-Reich, Orlando Magic Daily: Dalton Knecht is certainly one of the players to keep an eye on for the Orlando Magic.
The Tennessee forward is averaging 21.4 points per game (his second straight season average 20-plus points per game) and shooting 40.5 percent from three in his first season with Tennessee after transferring from Northern Colorado. He is coming off a 40-point game on 6-for-15 shooting from three in a loss to Kentucky on Saturday. ESPN currently has him mocked to the Magic at No. 18.
Obviously, we've hinted at this. Knecht is one of the guys I think you have to have on the list. But who are the other big shooters in this draft? Because obviously, most Magic fans would recognize -- and perhaps they addressed that in the draft although they are not using him in Jett Howard -- shooting is still the biggest need for this team.
Who are the other shooters if we are going to be obsessed with that the Magic should be looking at in this draft class?
Richard: Right now it's so hard too based on where mock drafts have guys right now. I think the Combine in a couple of months will do a lot of help.
To me, I think some of the best guys in that range -- Jared McCain. But the problem with Jared McCain, though, before I dive into him and the next guy: He is 6-foot-3. He is ideal for what the Magic need on the wings but he is three inches short of what he needs to be.
There is also Bobi Klintman. He is 6-foot-10 and has really good upside as a shooter. I really like Tyler Smith of the G-League Ignite. I think Alex Karaban is somebody who could really rise. Kyshawn George over at Miami.
There are a lot of different names where it's like how do you project them now necessarily to where they are on mock drafts. Guys like Johnny Furphy, for example. He is probably going to be in the Lottery at this rate. The Magic are only a couple of picks removed from the Lottery, they might actually have a play at him.
He's one of those combo, high-upside, he can help right now almost a floor guy. If the Magic need shooting, It's going to be like this in every draft. There's depth across the board.
This is a draft they can look at and there is value that we can take away from here. We may not find a superstar. But do the Magic need that? Absolutely not.
Philip: There are definitely a lot of options on this front.
Duke's Jared McCain is listed as a 6-foot-3 point and is shooting 40.6 percent from three. But he does not run point for Duke, averaging just 1.8 assists per game. He is still one of the best shooters in the draft.
Bobi Klintman is playing for Cairns Taipans in Australia Tyler Smith is in the G-League Ignite. We will leave them for a later date.
To show how wide the range can be, Alex Karaban of UConn is currently projected as a second-rounder in ESPN's mock draft. He is averaging 14.2 points per game on 40.1 percent shooting from three -- and better than 80 percent from the foul line).
And Miami's Kyshawn George is averaging 7.8 points per game on 41.7-percent shooting from deep.
Johnny Furphy of Kansas is probably the biggest name to watch out of this group. The 6-foot-9 wing plays with a lot of energy and is averaging 9.0 points per game. He is a solid defender. But is the weakest shooter of this bunch at 36.4-percent shooting from deep.