Magic NBA Draft: Duke Big Man Dereck Lively II Bringing 'Defensive Intensity'
ORLANDO - Drafting a Duke Blue Devil worked out very well for the Orlando Magic last season, and it could be a possibility for this summer as well.
Paolo Banchero was the top overall pick by the Magic last year and went on to win Rookie of the Year, and while it isn't likely for Duke center Dereck Lively II to succeed him as the award recipient this year, he could be an option for Orlando with the No. 11 overall pick.
"I think I'd fit in there very well," Lively said at the NBA Draft Combine. "I know that they definitely need a rim protector, someone to always back up Paolo. And I know they are a run-and-gun type of team, so they get a lot of fast breaks... I know I can run the floor well, I know I can be a transition help, and of course, I'll bring a lot of defensive intensity."
Lively, who declared for the draft after his freshman year, started 25 games for the Blue Devils this past season, averaging 5.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. While the offensive numbers don't stand out, the 7-1 center can be a force on the defensive end, averaging 2.3 blocks per contest.
If there is any weak spot for the Magic roster, it comes at the center position. Wendell Carter Jr. is firmly supplanted as the starter, but there isn't much depth behind him. Moe Wagner is a free agent this offseason and Goga Bitadze's contract has a team option that may not be picked up. If either player doesn't return, it opens up a spot in the center rotation for a player like Lively, who would give the Magic some valuable rim protection that currently isn't on the roster.
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