The Orlando Magic know simply in addition to any staff how having the No. 1 choose within the NBA draft can alter a franchise’s trajectory.
The final thrice the Magic had a draft’s No. 1 choose, they knocked it out of the park: Shaquille O’Neal in 1992, Chris Webber, who Orlando traded to the Golden State Warriors for Penny Hardaway and three future first-rounders, in ‘93 and Dwight Howard in 2004.
Now, president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman will get his first shot with Orlando at No. 1 in Thursday’s NBA draft, together with the stress that comes with choosing the form of franchise-altering gamers related to the highest choose.
The Magic even have two second-round picks — Nos. 32 and 35.
“I never would put the pressure on anyone picking 15, 8 or 1 that you are getting a franchise guy,” Weltman mentioned forward of the draft, which begins at 8 p.m. from Barclays Center in New York. The draft might be broadcasted on ABC (first spherical) and ESPN (first and second spherical).
Weltman added: “I don’t think that’s fair to a guy who hasn’t played a minute in the NBA yet.”
Nonetheless, these are the expectations that include the No. 1 choose. The clock has been ticking on Orlando because the mid-May draft lottery, and it’s Weltman’s and the Magic’s basketball operations management jobs to get the choose proper.
Duke’s Paolo Banchero, Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren and Auburn’s Jabari Smith are thought-about the highest gamers within the draft, with most rival executives and scouts believing the No. 1 choose will come right down to Holmgren or Smith.
Each prospect brings their very own distinctive skillset and argument for being the highest choose.
The case for Banchero: He could be the closest factor to a go-to offensive possibility on this draft class due to the high-level scoring and passing he confirmed with the Blue Devils. Banchero could make performs in a myriad of how with the ball in his arms.
The case for Holmgren: A skillset on each ends of the ground not usually seen from a participant his dimension (7 toes and 195 kilos with a 7-foot-6 wingspan). He has the mixture of rim safety, defensive versatility, handles, contact close to the rim, basketball IQ and floor-spacing capability that make some consider he may turn into a defensive anchor and offensive focus.
The case for Smith: A mixture of dimension, taking pictures/scoring capability and flexibility on each ends that’s uncommon. Smith can rating in quite a lot of methods without having to create vital benefits and brings a defensive depth that might assist him turn into a two-way star.
“In terms of these three [players], as well a number of others, [they] can be future All-Stars,” Ryan Blake, who’s helped direct scouting providers for the NBA since 1996, mentioned in a current cellphone name with the Orlando Sentinel. “The old cliché [is] it’s in the eye of the beholder. It’s close.”
Ultimately, Smith is the participant the Magic ought to take at No. 1.
Smith would supply the defensive versatility the Magic and coach Jamahl Mosley worth and the shotmaking Orlando wants off spot-ups, pull-ups, from the elbows and posts or coming off screens.
He’s essentially the most confirmed shooter (42% from past the arc on 5.5 makes an attempt with the Tigers) and would open up the ground for the Magic, which they want after taking pictures 33.1% from past the arc (league’s third-worst mark) in 2021-22.
His ball dealing with and playmaking want to enhance, however the Magic have ball handlers (Cole Anthony, Markelle Fultz, Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr.) to hold the creation obligations whereas he works on these abilities to turn into the full-time go-to possibility he has the potential to be.
Defensively, Smith will be capable to change throughout most, if not all, positions. There shouldn’t be a defensive protection he can’t play. The Magic prided themselves on protection their first season underneath Mosley and Smith suits into that.
Smith would unlock lineup combos for the Magic on each ends of the ground greater than another participant on this draft, elevating their collective ground and ceiling whereas becoming into what Orlando began constructing after kicking off a rebuild in March 2021 centered round youthful expertise.
He’s additionally essentially the most malleable participant of the three on the courtroom, permitting the Magic to assemble quite a lot of rosters round him relying on which path their entrance workplace decides to take the rebuild in and the way the NBA’s future seems.
Banchero and Holmgren would fill wants for the Magic in their very own methods, however Smith ought to be the participant the Magic goal at No. 1.
“I’m very confident that we are going to get a guy with size, talent, IQ, skill, character — everything that we want to be about,” Weltman mentioned. “We’re going to add him to our group of already exciting young players. We’ll put him in a position to fully maximize his potential. Beyond that, it goes where it goes.”
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Khobi Price at [email protected] or observe him on Twitter at @khobi_price.
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com