Noah Goldberg
NBA Mock Draft: Magic Selecting Hometown Hero?
In this story:
ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic may soon officially be eliminated from playoff contention, but the organization still has a lot to play for.
After falling on Tuesday to the Memphis Grizzlies, Orlando now holds sole possession tied for the fifth-worst record in the association. And with that comes the potential for a high draft pick...or two?
Part of the Nikola Vucevic deal at the 2021 trade deadline was the Chicago Bulls sending its 2021 and 2023 first-round picks to Orlando, with both picks being top-four protected.
And with Chicago sitting at 36-39 and in the tenth spot of the East, that pick has a good chance of belonging to Orlando.
On Tuesday, The Athletic released its latest 2023 NBA mock draft with Orlando selecting at the No. 5 and No. 9 spots - which would mark its second time selecting twice in the top-ten since 2021.
With the first of those two picks, the site predicted the Magic drafting Villanova freshman and Big East Freshman of the Year Cam Whitmore.
"He’s a terrific driver and above-the-rim finisher," The Athletic writes. "Athletically, he’s a powerful 230-pound force; defenders bounce off him on his way to the basket...The Magic would be an ideal landing spot, as they could use a play-finishing, scoring wing next to Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. On top of that, Whitmore fits the organization’s emphasis on length and athleticism when making draft decisions."
Standing at 6-7, Whitmore averaged 12.5 points, 5.3 rebounds to go along with 1.4 steals in 27.3 minutes per game this season.
Following their fifth pick, the Magic could stay close to home with their No. 9 pick, and select UCF freshman phenom Taylor Hendricks.
"If the Magic believes in either Markelle Fultz or Jalen Suggs as a lead creator and also buys into Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner being able to initiate offense long term, they might actually be able to play four 6-foot-9 or taller guys on the court at once," The Athletic writes.
Hendricks, UCF's highest-rated recruit in program history, averaged 15.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game this season. He also shot 39 percent from beyond the three-point line.
The Magic is back in action Friday night against against the Washington Wizards. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
You can follow Riley Sheppard on Twitter @RileyDSheppard.
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Magic? Click Here.
Follow The Magic Insider on Facebook.
Follow The Magic Insider on Twitter.
Want even more Orlando Magic news? Check out the SI.com team page here.
