The Orlando Magic have rarely been aggressive in the second round. Under Jeff Weltman, they have more often punted on second-round picks, kicking things down the road, rather than adding talent. They were never truly aggressive in adding talent to the team.
Everything has changed this offseason. The Magic not only aggressively pursued Desmond Bane to boost the main roster, the team even traded up in the second round, continuing to spend Draft capital to bring in the players they wanted.
In other words, the Magic targeted Noah Penda, a raw French forward who fit all of the boxes the Magic typically look for in a win. He has the size and versatility that the Magic typically target in their draft picks.
The question was: How would Penda put all that talent together? How would he develop? How quickly can he find his niche and his style? What did the Magic have in a player like him?
That is something the team will discover over the next few years. His trip to Summer League was merely about seeing just what the Magic had in this young player and what all the possibilities are.
Judging by his pre-Draft tape, there were a lot of possibilities. He was something of a blank canvas. Already big with a long wingspan and defensively oriented, showing potential to be a playmaker and ball-handler at 6-foot-6.
How big is that canvas?
After three Summer League games under his belt, including Wednesday's 17-point, six-rebound showing in a 94-90 loss to the Brooklyn Nets, Penda looks like he could do a lot of things. He looks like the exact kind of versatile player the Magic always seek.
Through three Summer League games, Penda looks like a steal in the draft and the exact kind of young player the team wants to grow and develop.
Wednesday's game was a chance to stretch those possibilities. With Jase Richardson and Tristan da Silva out (and likely done for the Summer League), Noah Penda was the only rostered player on the floor. The Magic put the ball in his hands and gave him a green light to do everything.
In many ways, he delivered, providing a hint of all this possibility.
Noah Penda showed out in Summer League
Noah Penda already had stellar showings in his first two games. He may not have scored the most points -- just 17 total points in his first two games -- but he showed flashes of his vast potential.
He brought the ball up the court on several occasions, showing of his potential as a playmaker. He stepped into shots confidently, even if his 3-pointer still needs a ton of work. He attacked the offensive glass and rebounding in general, cleaning up possessions in the margins.
His biggest impact was on defense. He is a big body who is tough to move, and he found a way to stay stable and composed. Penda, for as big as he is, has great body control. He took and absorbed contact well and found ways to impact games.
It all came together in Wednesday's game. As the featured player, Penda scored 17 points on 7-for-11 shooting. He added six rebounds. He made two of his four 3-pointers.
"I thought Noah did a great job for us," coach Ameer Bahhur said after Wednesday's loss. "To start the game, he was under control. He was making plays for both himself and for his teammates. We asked him to pick up full court most of the game, and he did a great job making them uncomfortable. I thought on both sides of the ball, it was his best game yet."
In the process, he showed his defensive versatility, defending center Danny Wolf and wing Egor Demin throughout the game. He slowed down Demin (Demin did most of his damage in the fourth quarter when he made three critical threes to hold off the Magic's comeback attempt) and battled Wolf to a draw, at least.
This is what it looked like to see Penda put all the pieces together.
To be sure, Penda is still rough around the edges. He is not ready to take control of a team and run the show. He is not ready to play an expanded role. He can still get over his skis and try to do too much. These are normal things for such a young player.
Penda said entering Wednesday's game that he knows he can play better. He was not happy with how inconsistent he was and some of his turnovers. He had another four in Wednesday's game.
"I had a good start," Penda said after Wednesday's loss. "But after, I have to stay confident in the fact that when I have a good start, I have to keep playing and not shy away from taking over control of the game. It was definitely encouraging for my game and my future career. But now I have to stay focused and stay 100 percent controlling the game when I have the opportunity."
Part of Summer League is giving him the freedom and space to make these mistakes and figure out where his limits are. When Penda was composed and confident, it was easy to see the talent and ability that is present.
It is easy to see why Penda was a player the Magi broke the bank for.
Penda has work to do, but has a lot of potential
Noah Penda is the kind of player the Orlando Magic have built their entire philosophy around. They want players who are versatile and can handle the ball on the perimeter just as easily as they can go to the block. They want players who can defend multiple positions just as much.
When the Magic looked at Penda as a prospect, they saw all of this potential. They saw the chance to add a player who would fit their defensive identity and be a blank slate for them to build with on both ends.
They saw a player who could do just about anything they needed. Those are the kind of players the Magic want. They want players who can do everything.
Penda was billed as that player. He may not be there yet, but he looks like that kind of player with what he showed in Summer League.