With the NBA Draft on the horizon, teams throughout the league are at least thinking a bit about their future. The Magic will likely have some presence at the Combine — at least to marvel at wingspans. But for the first time since 2009, the Magic will not hold a first-round pick.<\/p>\n
They traded it in the Desmond Bane trade — the second of four first-round picks the Orlando Magic owe the Memphis Grizzlies through the 2030 Draft.<\/p>\n
Certainly, part of the appeal of that trade for Memphis was getting an extra pick in a loaded 2026 NBA Draft. It is not just the top of the draft. Everyone expects to see quality players throughout the Draft, even at the No. 16 pick, where the Orlando Magic would have picked after their weird pick swap with the Phoenix Suns.<\/p>\n
Orlando will need to maximize its rookies moving forward. The team is bumping into the first apron and the luxury tax for the first time since Dwight Howard. And that means any contributions the team gets from rookies, and those smaller contracts are vital.<\/p>\n
Whether the Magic jump back into the first round — the team holds only the No. 46 pick in this year’s draft — they are not likely to lean on rookies for more than a bench role.<\/p>\n
Still, Orlando should be hunting for ways to improve the team anyway it can. That should include jumping into the draft to add necessary shooting, size, athleticism and scoring.<\/p>\n
The Magic will likely use the upcoming season as a chance for rookies Jase Richardson and Noah Penda to get more consistent playing experience (otherwise, those will be big misses considering the team’s cap situation).<\/p>\n
While fans can probably overlook the draft this year, the Magic cannot. They still need to do their due diligence.<\/p>\n
Since we are catching up, here are he prospects that fit the Magic’s need that would be available where the Magic would have picked. And perhaps the players the Magic should trade into the draft for.<\/p>\n
Cameron Carr, BaylorJ. Kyle Mann, The Ringer:<\/a> Pick 12 One of the Orlando Magic’s biggest needs is very quietly athleticism.<\/p>\n They have players with good length and versatility. Orlando is always going to thumb through the list of players with long wingspans. That theory is not going to go away. But finding a long-armed player with athleticism and offensive ability is a big piece of the puzzle.<\/p>\n In the latter part of the first round, there is a lot worse the team could do then get Baylor’s Cameron Carr.<\/p>\n Carr averaged 18.9 points per game last year in a bigger role with Baylor after two years with Tennessee. He shot 49.4 percent despite the increase in volume and 37.4 percent from three on 6.1 3-point attempts per game. He shot 80.1 percent from the line. The 6-foot-5 guard also had 5.8 rebounds per game.<\/p>\n He might not be much of a playmaker and might be a straight line-drive attacker. But he can get up. And as much as the Magic need spacing on the 3-point line, they also need more threats above the rim.<\/p>\n Getting that at center is more important, but having a guard to pair with Anthony Black off the bench who has length, defensive ability and above-the-rim potential would be a steal. He feels like a good fit if the Magic could move into get him.<\/p>\n Yaxel Lendeborg, MichiganAdam Finkelstein, CBS Sports: Pick 12 Yaxel Lendeborg was one of my favorite prospects from last year’s draft if he had stayed in. He was a versatile wing at UAB who could fill in gaps, playmake at the forward position and had a growing 3-point shot. Especially as a post-Lottery pick, it seemed like a good investment.<\/p>\n So too did returning to school to play for the eventual national champion Michigan Wolverines in an NBA system that indeed has NBA teams sniffing around coach Dusty May.<\/p>\n Lendeborg showed he could translate his numbers from the American to the Big Ten, averaging 15.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while shooting 51.5 percent from the floor and 37.2 percent from three (and 82.4 percent from the line).<\/p>\n Lendeborg, at 6-foot-9, looks like the player the Magic typically prefer. <\/p>\n He has gotten more comfortable handling the ball and making decisions after being mostly a putback specialist and simple reads player in his early days at UAB. His size stands out in the college game. He is just bigger than many players and moves really well.<\/p>\n His shooting is still a question mark despite his improvements in that area. But he has slowly grown and could be an easy player to fit into any system as a connector, able to make simple plays on the ball but doing all the dirty work without it. <\/p>\n Christian Anderson, Texas TechJeremy Woo, ESPN: Pick 17 Most Orlando Magic fans want the team to search for a point guard this offseason. If only to backup Jalen Suggs and give some backing or to trade Suggs outright and bring in a veteran starter to run the team. <\/p>\n There is definitely something to the Orlando Magic looking for a solid game manager and distributor. It worked with Markelle Fultz and worked with Cory Joseph. The team should be hunting for some stability at point guard, even if it is off the bench, to boost some lineups or fill in when necessary.<\/p>\n This is not a draft filled with point guards, however.<\/p>\n Texas Tech’s Christian Anderson is among the best options. He averaged 18.5 points per game and an SEC-leading 7.4 assists per game. He shot 41.5 percent from three and 80.5 percent from the foul line. He took 7.9 3-point attempts per game.<\/p>\n He can hit shots off the dribble and is considered one of the best shooters in the draft — look to him and Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz as smaller scorers at the guard position.<\/p>\n All of that is encouraging. The discouraging part is his size at 6-foot-2. That is going to limit his ability in the NBA.<\/p>\n Koa Peat, ArizonaAdam Finkelstein, CBS Sports: Pick 14 At one point, Koa Peat was a surefire Lottery pick. Especially in a soft center and bigs class in this Draft, Peat seemed like he would be the first player everyone would turn to.<\/p>\n Peat put up some crazy numbers early in the season, but he tailed off later in the season. He finished averaging 14.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. <\/p>\n His lack of size and explosiveness around the basket hurts him. But he is a good presence around the paint for his size. Even if he is stuck around there without much of a perimeter game.<\/p>\n There are not a lot of centers to look at in this draft. Houston’s Chris Cenac Jr. shows a lot of promise, but he is still very raw. Bigs like Aday Mara, Hannes Steinbach, Morez Johnson and Jayden Quaintance come with their own questions including their lateral movement to fit into, especially, the Magic’s desire for versatility from their big men.<\/p>\n
Christopher Kline, Fansided:<\/a> Pick 16
Jeremy Woo, ESPN:<\/a> Pick 18
Adam Finkelstein, CBS Sports:<\/a> Pick 21<\/p>\n
Jeremy Woo, ESPN
J. Kyle Mann, The Ringer: Pick 13
Christopher Kline, Fansided: Pick 14<\/p>\n
Adam Finkelstein, CBS Sports: Pick 19
J. Kyle Mann, The Ringer: Pick 22<\/p>\n
Jeremy Woo, ESPN: Pick 20
J. Kyle Mann, The Ringer: Pick 26<\/p>\n
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