NBA Mock Draft: Magic Takes G League Ignite Star
ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic are gearing for a playoff run, but there are still people within the organization who have their sights set on the future.
The NBA Draft is a little more than three months away, and the Magic are projected to have their lowest pick in years with a likely playoff run in Orlando.
Sports Illustrated's Draft Digest conjured a mock draft just before the start of March Madness coming up, and he has the Magic projected to take G League Ignite big man Izan Almansa with the No. 22 overall selection.
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Almansa, who turns 19 in June, is originally from Spain, but he made the move to join G League Ignite last summer after two years in the Overtime Elite league, which produced a pair of top-five picks in 2023 with Amen and Ausar Thompson.
So far this season, the 6-10 big man is averaging 10.6 points and seven rebounds per game for G League Ignite.
Almansa has great touch close to the basket and is a solid free throw shooter. He projects to have the ability to develop a 3-point shot that's efficient enough for him to space the floor while also playing the center position.
As a young forward, Almansa would be able to use his feel for the game along with his size to fit right into the Magic's system, and would help the team maintain their style of play that keeps everyone involved.
If Almansa were to be drafted to the Magic to help with center depth, he would need to work on his perimeter defense to get better at switching. That development would likely have him in Osceola with the G League team next season before making frequent appearances in the NBA.
