It didn’t take lengthy for the Orlando Magic’s draft lottery celebration to show into hypothesis.
Moments after the Magic received the draft lottery Tuesday in Chicago, questions rapidly began to encompass the winner of the No. 1 choose within the June 23 NBA draft.
What would be the Magic’s strategy to having the highest choose?
Will their philosophy in the course of the scouting mix and predraft machinations change?
Are they drafting based mostly on want?
Jeff Weltman, president of basketball operations, made it clear they’re not going into the method trying to draft based mostly off want.
“We’re at the stage right now where we’re not a need-based team,” he stated. “We’re looking for talent, character and guys who fit the way we want to play and the way we want to grow the team.”
Coach Jamahl Mosley echoed Weltman.
“It’s constantly adding the high basketball IQ, the competitiveness, the toughness, the fighter — the guy that’s willing to come in and work with this group of guys,” he stated. “Jeff and those guys do a phenomenal job of evaluating the talent, getting to know these guys over time and then we’ll go from there.”
Orlando has one other month to resolve what they’ll do with the No. 1 choose. Here are the three most closely fits:
1. Jabari Smith (Auburn)
Height: 6-foot-10 | Weight: 220 kilos | Age: 19
Smith’s finest offensive ability — taking pictures — is an space the Magic can enhance.
Orlando’s 33.1% 3-point proportion throughout 2021-22 was the league’s third-worst mark and it’s been a bottom-five taking pictures crew the previous two seasons.
Taking Smith, who shot 42% from past the arc on 5.5 makes an attempt throughout his lone season with the Tigers, would immediately assist make life simpler for the Magic’s playmakers within the half-court.
Smith isn’t simply harmful in spot-up conditions. At 6-foot-10 with a excessive launch level, he can shoot over defenders with ease from a number of areas of the ground while not having to create a lot of a bonus.
His measurement, size and athleticism make him a disruptive perimeter defender and somebody who doesn’t have hassle switching throughout a number of positions.
Because of his shaky ballhandling and inconsistent inside scoring, there are issues about whether or not Smith will turn into the go-to scorer/creator the Magic want. But Smith can be the cleanest slot in what Orlando already has began to construct with its roster.
2. Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga)
Height: 7 toes | Weight: 195 kilos | Age: 20
Holmgren is arguably probably the most polarizing participant on this yr’s draft.
His mixture of rim safety (3.7 blocks with the Bulldogs), handles, contact close to the rim, basketball IQ and floor-spacing capability for his measurement make him one of many extra distinctive prospects shortly.
Holmgren’s measurement, size and flexibility — he’s gentle sufficient on his toes to protect on the perimeter — is a profile Orlando has proven an affinity for in earlier drafts.
The Magic began two-big lineups with Wendell Carter Jr. and Mo Bamba, and Holmgren may very well be a seamless match subsequent to Carter within the frontcourt to allow them to keep rim safety always, a core precept of Mosley’s defensive system.
There are vital issues about how efficient Holmgren will be within the publish on each ends of the ground and as a finisher on the rim due to his skinny body for his peak. Holmgren’s outdoors jumper (39% on 3s with Gonzaga) must be constant for him to be an offensive risk.
Holmgren’s potential is obvious and he matches into what the Magic have already got, however there are questions of whether or not he’ll maximize his skillset.
3. Paolo Banchero (Duke)
Height: 6-foot-10 | Weight: 250 | Age: 19
Banchero’s skillset suggests he is usually a go-to choice on the subsequent stage.
With the Blue Devils, Banchero thrived in creating alternatives for himself and others off the dribble. He’s a flexible scorer who completed properly across the rim due to his power, footwork and contact.
Banchero is likely one of the higher passing high prospects (3.2 assists as a ahead) who can function an offensive hub, which the Magic might use after having the league’s second-worst offensive ranking in 2021-22.
His outdoors taking pictures (33.8% from past the arc) is an space he’ll want to enhance.
Banchero additionally wasn’t persistently locked in as a defender at Duke and it’s not clear how switchable he’ll be on the subsequent stage.
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Khobi Price at [email protected] or comply with him on Twitter at @khobi_price.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com