The Orlando Magic entered the offseason with two picks in the NBA Draft.
They were not expected to take both picks. In the first big move of the offseason, they shuttled the 16th pick to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of the Desmond Bane trade. Orlando, to say the least, is happy to have Bane in the fold. He has brought championship expectations to the Magic for the first time in more than a decade.
Everyone was then curious who would be taken with the 16th pick. Especially after the Memphis Grizzlies sent the 16th pick, along with the Magic's 2028 first-round pick acquired in the Bane trade, to the Portland Trail Blazers for the draft rights of Cedric Coward, one of the Magic's clear trade-up targets in this draft process.
The Blazers ended up making the most stunning pick of the night.
Portland had Memphis select Chinese 7-footer Hansen Yang with the 16th pick, stunning the entire NBA world. This was quite a reach for the Blazers and certainly would not have been who the magic took at 16 -- with Rasheer Fleming, Nique Clifford, Hugo Gonzalez and Walter Clayton still on the board.
Yang was on the Magic's board. The 7-foot-2 center had all the measurables and was a veritable force in China's basketball league. He averaged 16.6 points per game, 10.5 rebounds per game and 2.6 blocks per game.
Some reports were suggesting the Magic had Yang on their board as a potential option for their second-round picks at Nos. 46 and 57. Few had Yang as a legitimate first-round option, much less two picks outside of the Lottery.
The Magic certainly feel like they could have gotten a much more valuable, proven and reliable player with that pick. Whether it was their own pick or even picking for Portland.
Fan-favorite target Walter Clayton went with the No. 19 pick, being traded from the Washington Wizards to the Utah Jazz. But that still leaves them with plenty of good options and the draft ticks on to No. 25.
They could grab another versatile wing like Rasheer Fleming. They could target a point guard like Jase Richardson. They could grab a versatile wing like Nique Clifford.
Even Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis, a favorite early trade-up target, is still on the board. The Magic should be able to get their shooter or a useful player to boost their championship-hungry roster.
All of them were more highly rated and more accomplished than Yang was. Yang was nowhere near their board.
As things stand, the Magic are still in position to grab one of these key players. As of writing, with six picks before the Magic are picking, they are certain to get one of Rasheer Fleming, Nique Clifford, Kasparas Jakucionis, Liam McNeeley, Will Riley or Maxime Renaud. They could take a chance on bigger projects like Hugo Gonzalez or Ben Saraf.
Even with many of them likely to come off the board before the Magic pick at No. 25, Orlando should be happy who the team gets.
It certainly feels like Portland squandered Orlando's pick.