For the Orlando Magic, who’ve the No. 1 decide within the NBA draft, it’d appear to be the pre-draft course of would’ve been winding down by Monday.
The school basketball season ended over 2 1/2 months in the past and the Magic gained the draft lottery that secured them the highest decide within the draft virtually 5 weeks in the past.
Most pre-draft exercises and interviews wrapped up early this week, with a lot of the prime prospects touring to New York City for the draft.
But as Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman sees it, “it’s still early in the process” and there’s loads of time for Orlando to mull over what it’s going to do.
“My dad used to tell me if the paper is due on Friday, don’t turn it in on Monday,” Weltman mentioned when talking with reporters on Monday. “We’re going to continue to evaluate. New information comes in all the time.”
This “paper” is due Thursday night, however the sentiment stays — the Magic are going to make use of on a regular basis they will earlier than deciding what they’ll do with the draft’s No. 1 decide.
Weltman mentioned he expects the Magic to make use of the No. 1 decide.
It’s uncommon for the highest decide to be traded. Since the draft lottery began in 1985, the No. 1 decide has solely been traded 3 times on or earlier than draft evening (1986, 1993 and 2017).
But Weltman wouldn’t rule something out. Deadlines create motion, choices and presents that weren’t beforehand on the desk till the final potential second.
“It’s our job to explore any avenue to get our team better,” Weltman mentioned. “We’ll take as much time as we can to do that.”
Former Duke ahead Paolo Banchero, Gonzaga massive man Chet Holmgren and Auburn ahead Jabari Smith Jr. have been thought of the three prospects anticipated to attract consideration for the highest decide since earlier than the faculty basketball season ended.
Many rival executives and scouts have believed the No. 1 decide will come down to 2 gamers — Holmgren and Smith — for the reason that Magic gained the draft lottery.
But the Magic have introduced in numerous gamers all through their draft board for exercises in Orlando to get a better take a look at them forward of Thursday.
“The conversation doesn’t just stay on that pick because we have to be prepared to jump around,” Weltman mentioned. “We have to be prepared for conversations to become real. It’s not like we’re just talking about the top two or three guys.”
The Magic even have two second-round picks, Nos. 32 and 35.
Weltman acknowledged they’ve thought of consolidating these picks by making an attempt to commerce into the backend of the primary spherical or different avenues.
There might be restricted enjoying alternatives for an Orlando workforce that would have round 10 gamers below the 25 on the roster for subsequent season.
“How many young guys can we get through the woods? They’re not all going to make it through maybe, but they have to have a chance,” Weltman mentioned. “We do pay attention to that. We are having discussions with teams. Because we’re a team that has two early second-round picks and those are treated differently financially in the salary cap, especially to tax teams, it puts us in a position to have some conversations.”
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Khobi Price at [email protected] or observe him on Twitter at @khobi_price.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com