Could Magic Target Duke Star With Second Round Pick?
The Orlando Magic’s first selection on draft night may not be where they find their franchise player.
The Magic will pick first in the draft next month, but the team holds two second round picks.
In past years, we have seen plenty of NBA franchises strike gold with late first and second round picks. The Denver Nuggets selected their back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic with the 41st pick in 2015. In 2018, the Dallas Mavericks found Jalen Brunson, who is now due for a major pay day this upcoming offseason. Even seven-time All Defensive Team member and the glue for the Golden State Warriors dynasty over the past decade, Draymond Green, did not hear his name called until 35th.
So what will the Magic choose to do?
The team will certainly be taking a frontcourt player first overall, whether that be Gonzaga big man Chet Holmgren, or Auburn’s versatile forward Jabari Smith.
But things get a little more complicated when they pick again at No. 32 and again shortly after at No. 35. Despite not having a lot of time between picks, the team was in a similar situation last year where it took Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner at Nos. 5 and 8.
With one of those two picks there's a good change they could go after a 3-and-D type player. Players standing from 6-6 to 6-9, that can guard multiple positions, and knock down the 3-point ball consistently are becoming more and more valuable.
Bob Donnan/USA Today Sports
Duke's Wendell Moore Jr. comes to mind.
Moore may be a little bit shorter at 6-5, but he makes up for it with his 7-foot plus wingspan. That wingspan is a big reason why he has the making of a future all-defensive team player. Despite only shooting about three attempts per game from beyond the arc, his 41% shows that he has great mechanics that will translate to the next level.
Moore has experience playing under the greatest college basketball coach of all-time, and had he played at a smaller school, he might have had a greater opportunity to contribute and be more of a sure-fire first round pick.
For now, he's projected as a steal in the early second, and the Magic could be that team to pull the trigger.
