The Magic Need To Trade Up For These 2026 NBA Draft Prospects

With all the excitement and noise in every direction, Draft day comes and goes like dust in the wind.

That's what makes Day 2 of the NBA Draft a fun premise on its own; everyone has a whole morning to digest the first thirty selections, before the teams move onto the second round of thirty picks.

This gives front offices, teams, players, agents, fans and the basketball community at large a collective moment to collect their breath, reevaluate the landscape around the league, and prepare extra strategy for maneuvering through the back half of the draft.

Perhaps this extra time to negotiate opened a window for Orlando to move up in the 2025 Draft to target and acquire their guy, Noah Penda. Weltman sent out 2 late 2nds (46, 57) with 2 future 2nds, to move up to the 32nd overall pick to land a player with actual, tangible first round value, unlike those collection of 2nds with little to no value, especially starting around the 45th pick.

Jeff Weltman's Magic have shown they are not afraid to push chips in from their treasure trove of valued pieces to help this team improve as quickly as possible into a sustainable winner; the expectations to contend grow by the day, the saxophones demanding success are getting louder.

However, Orlando's treasure trove isn't as deep as it was a year ago, after sending out 4 firsts for Bane, 4 2nds for Penda, and another 2nd to shed the Tyus Jones signing that didn't quite pan out.

The Magic still have future picks to play around with, plus the 46th pick in this Draft, along with a deep roster of young talent that other teams seem to value around the league; if they want to move up for their guy again this year, they have the capabilities to do it again.

If this Orlando squad isn't going to add shooting from a more proven player already in the NBA, which is another reasonable route with these trade pieces, then finding one legit rotation player who can be serviceable for this playoff team needs to be the goal with this 46th pick and anything attached to it.

Here are 5 players the Magic can target in the 2nd round who could be huge steals if they somehow slip to 46th, and in my opinion, would be worth adding another 2nd or lesser prospect to go get.

Six Orlando Magic 2nd Round Targets to Acquire

Bruce Thornton

A walking bucket with incredible shooting touch, a promising defender and outside shooter who makes putting the ball in the hoop look easy, Bruce Thornton fell to the 2nd round because of how scouts view his athletic limitations, worried about a general lack of advantage creation and defensive upside.

But if Thornton rounds out a way to play his game, to get to his spots at his pace with body and ball control, while continuing to make his tough shots like this, he is a clear candidate to provide first round value among the options in the second round as a potential scoring creator, a player who can score first with good feel and touch to make good decisions for the team out of his overall gravity.

Orlando can't have enough scorers who can shoot and punish defenses for leaving them open off the downhill creation of the Magic's lead ball-handlers n Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, Jalen Suggs, Anthony Black.

Henri Veesaar

Veesaar celebrates — North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) celebrates after scoring Thursday, March 19, 2026, during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament first round game against the VCU Rams at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. VCU Rams won 82-78 in OT. | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

At this point, Veesaar's fall in the Draft is starting to feel a little like Kalkbrenner's last year, in that a team like Charlotte could see a rotation level big fall into their laps who could bring immediate winning impact doing the dirty work down low for his team while offering a promising perimeter jump shot.

Henri's blend of scoring, impact around the rim, and defensive qualities offer a different archetype of player than Ryan, but in terms of finding draft value of which 2nd round big man is likeliest to provide 1st round or rotation player level two-way impact, it's probably Veesaar.

His skillset is highlighted by his shooting ability as a stretch five who can protect the rim, score a little bit, rebound well, screen hard for rim rolls and pick and pops, making Veesaar a malleable modern big man talent. Despite maybe not having that one ultra outlier elite trait to fall back on, Henri's complete game between his D&3 base, scoring finesse, rebounding instincts, and pick-and-roll versatility should translate quickly to helping his team win basketball games at the next level.

Hard to ask for more as a Magic fan than filling out the frontcourt next to Paolo and Franz with the best stretch-five prospect on the board who doesn't have many holes in his game to boot; talk about a prospect who can slide right in with everything Orlando already does, needs, and wants.

Braden Smith

Braden drives — Braden Smith (3) drives to the basket in 2025. Smith scored 1,932 points between 2022-26. | Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Braden Smith is arguably the best passer in this draft class, a tough senior out of Purdue who has a knack for playing incredibly hard; maniacally pushing the pace; keeping his Nash dribble alive; making precise passes; wreaking havoc in passing lanes with anticipation for digs, deflections, and steals; and generally being a walking good decision making winning play machine for his team.

Smith will provide instant playmaking relief to whichever team takes a swing; despite concerns defensively at his size, Braden makes up for it with real two-way feel, forcing live ball turnovers, creating points in transition off those turnovers, and general offensive execution as arguably the most laser-focused basketball assassin left on the board.

Orlando adding Braden Smith would give them one of the best point guards the franchise has ever seen, he'd immediately solve table-setting needs for any lineup he plays in as an ultimate basketball problem solver with realistic two-way impact and a special outlier skill in executing his passing vision.

Meleek Thomas

Meleek drives — Mar 21, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Meleek Thomas (1) drives against High Point Panthers guard Chase Johnston (99) in the first half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Meleek Thomas wakes up and eats buckets for breakfast, with a side of 3&D for lunch. Thomas is one of the most creative ball handlers and on ball scoring creators in the class, a player confident in his handle, shooting, scoring, and feathery smooth game.

Thomas should instantly provide scoring relief to any team he's picked by, with 3pt shooting being his most NBA-ready skill, Thomas also has shown sound read-and-react feel for hunting assists out of his scoring gravity, along with defensive instincts to jump passing lanes for steals for two-way impact.

A combo guard who swishes fadeaways and asks questions later, Thomas is a potential sixth man scoring option streaky shooter with enough 3&D talent and two-way feel for the game to see some starter potential in the right role and a real two-way rotation player on the right team that activates all these skills out of him in the right role.

Orlando can't use enough floor-spacers who hold their own defensively and bring a little on-ball juice, especially with all the open threes their big wings create.

Trevon Brazile

Brazile shoots — Mar 26, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks forward Trevon Brazile (7) shoots over Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Peat (10) in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the West Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at SAP Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Trevon Brazile is a high-flying rim-runner ready to rock rims in the NBA, bring versatile defense, and develop his already capable 3pt shot.

Brazile should walk into the league on any team and bring winning two way impact by doing little things that help teams win like crash the glass, make team first decisions with the ball, spread the floor from deep, run the floor hard, and defend with energy, focus, and spirit.

Orlando has options with this slot, but Brazile is one of the most NBA-ready option of all, and while he might not have some crazy high on-ball star scoring potential, he's the type of hard working good basketball player who could eventually star in his role in the NBA, and by affecting the game in so many areas on both ends of the floor, that could even translate to Playoff winning impact one day too.

Ugonna Onyenso

Onyenso defends Boozer — Mar 14, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) goes to the basket against Virginia Cavaliers center Ugonna Onyenso (33) during the men's ACC Conference Tournament Championship at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

One last name to watch is Ugonna Onyenso, Virginia big man, who has been in some Mocks for Orlando at 46.

Onyenso is one of the best defenders in the draft, and could be the big, athlete, and player available left at the Magic's 46th draft slot. While he's not mocked high enough to need a trade up, it might be worth it anyway.

Onyenso had an incredible 100 blocks and 22 steals to just 44 blocks at Virginia, officially breaking my chart measuring defensive prospects with Effective Length vs Activity and Feel.

Projecting 2026 NBA Draft Defenders with Cerebro Data | Ryan Kaminski/@BeyondTheRK

Onyenso's wingspan is over 5 inches longer than his height, and he's already 7'0" 250lbs, making him one of the strongest tanks of the class. Onyenso taking this special combination of physical tools, athletic instincts, and feel for the game will pave the way to him being an impactful defender capable of forcing turnovers without fouling at the next level.

Upon new information...

Ugonna Onyenso is a tank

100 BLK + 22 STL with only 44 Fouls at Virginia

7'0" 250lbs with a +5.75" Wingspan

Breaking my chart attempting to measure Effective Length vs Activity & Feel for projecting NBA Defenders pic.twitter.com/1jiRXSAarc
— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) June 24, 2026

Three more names Orlando could move up for include Isaiah Evans, Otega Oweh, and Tamin Lipsey, all interesting perimeter talents who may be gone by 46, but could slide right into this Magic roster.

If the Magic stay put at 46, a light laundry list of names to also consider could include but not be limited to: Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Baba Miller, Jack Kayil, Felix Okpara, Richie Saunders, Dillon Mitchell, Emanuel Sharp, Milos Uzan, an Maliq Brown.

Orlando leaving this 2nd round with Bruce Thornton, Henri Veesaar, Meleek Thomas, Trevon Brazile, Braden Smith, Ugonna Oneynso, Isaiah Evans, or Tamin Lipsey, would be the best bets for delivering rotation player value at the NBA level with talents and skillsets that complement Orlando's core with realistic opportunity to compete and develop.

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