The Orlando Magic can put the finishing touches on their rebuild with two lottery picks in the 2023 NBA Draft. Which prospects should they target?
The Orlando Magic built strong winning habits last season. While their record didn't always reflect it, the Magic were scrappy defenders who showed more than enough offensive promise to get the fanbase revved up for the next decade of Orlando basketball.
With two legitimate franchise pillars in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, plus an array of quality supporting pieces like Wendell Carter Jr., Markelle Fultz, and Jalen Suggs, the Magic could be on the precipice of contention. Or at least a playoff berth.
John Hammond, Jeff Weltman, and the Magic front office have the opportunity to put the finishing touches on their young core in the 2023 NBA Draft. The Magic own their own pick (No. 6) along with Chicago's pick (No. 11), courtesy of the Nikola Vucevic trade. The right prospect combination could land them more star upside as well as two immediate contributors for a potential winner.
Perfect NBA Draft combinations for the Orlando Magic:
3. Anthony Black and Nick Smith Jr.
Orlando double-dips in the Arkansas talent pool, nabbing college teammates Anthony Black and Nick Smith Jr. The Magic already have several young guards on the roster — Markelle Fultz, Jalen Suggs, Cole Anthony — but by that same token, the backcourt still feels like an area of need relative to Orlando's frontcourt depth.
The Magic have the extreme luxury of quality players at every position. Quality young players, at that. Black and Smith are both extremely talented in ways that complement one another. There's also a built-in familiarity and chemistry that could appeal to the Magic.
Black is built like a wing, 6-foot-7 with bursty athleticism and tremendous basketball instincts. He's the perfect Orlando Magic prospect — they love positional size and versatility. Black is a wrecking crew on defense and he's one of the savviest playmakers on the board. He has drawn some comparisons to Lonzo Ball because of his knack for rapid-fire processing; Black won't hammer the ball into the earth before making a decision. He either heads for the rim or keeps the ball popping.
Smith is a silky scorer who is comfortable playing off the ball. He's an active cutter and he's deadly attacking off the catch, using stop-start handles and dynamic footwork to shake his defender and get to his spots in the mid-range. Neither Smith nor Black were great shooters in college, but Smith's soft touch around the rim should translate to positive long-distance shooting at some point. Black's shooting upside is far murkier.
2. Cam Whitmore and Dariq Whitehead
Wing city! Orlando double-dips at the wing position in this scenario, grabbing Villanova's Cam Whitmore and Duke's Dariq Whitehead. This is probably on the riskier end of the spectrum as far as potential Orlando outcomes go, but both Whitmore and Whitehead have legitimate star potential if properly cultivated.
In Whitmore, the Magic are getting one of the draft's truly special athletes. With the sleek, powerful build of an NFL running back, Whitmore can charge down the lane and glide toward the rim with unrivaled grace and power. He can accelerate from standstill to full speed in the blink of an eye and he's already stronger than your average NBA wing at 18 years old.
The Magic do, again, love big, versatile athletes. Whitmore isn't quite as polished as his potential top-6 peers, but he puts pressure on the rim, his 3-point shot projects favorably, and he's a monster defender in the making. Orlando won't need Whitmore to be a go-to scorer right away; he'd be able to space the floor, attack off the catch, and provide a vertical threat at the rim. It's a good spot for him to grow.
Whitehead enters the NBA with a slightly more complicated reputation. His high school tape was suggestive of a top-10 pick. His Duke tape, not so much. Whitehead recently underwent his second foot surgery of the year. Lingering health concerns can scare teams off, but Orlando has the luxury of extreme depth and two lottery picks. Why not take the gamble? At worst, Whitehead is a 42.4 percent collegiate 3-point shooter with positional size, touch around the rim, and plus instincts as a passer.
1. Ausar Thompson and Gradey Dick
There has been a lot of positive buzz around Ausar Thompson lately, with NBA teams allegedly getting eyes on his improved jumper. He might not even fall to No. 6 — or maybe it's his twin brother, Amen, who ends up falling here. Either one would be an excellent outcome for the Magic who, say it with me, love athletes and positional versatility.
Thompson is 6-foot-7 with the handles and playmaking instincts of a point guard. Ausar spent more time off the ball than Amen in the Overtime Elite league, so he'd probably be the more natural immediate fit with Orlando. Both Banchero and Wagner will demand touches, which could force Ausar (or Amen) to spend time cutting, relocating, and attacking off the catch.
The shooting concerns are valid with Thompson and the Magic definitely need more shooters. The primary hurdle between Orlando and offensive respectability right now is the lack of 3-point volume. Banchero will spend a lot of time on the elbow or bullying mismatches in the post, so the Magic would probably need some level of confidence in Ausar's alleged jump shot improvement being real.
There's also the No. 11 pick, in this case, Gradey Dick, who can help assuage spacing concerns. Dick is arguably the best shooter on the board at 6-foot-8, flying around screens or sizing up his man before unleashing side-steps and step-backs from deep range. He's not the springiest of athletes, but Dick has some hang time around the rim and he's a very adept basketball mind. He's always moving and he's a slick playmaker. There might not be a more ideal prospect-to-team fit in the draft than Dick to Orlando.
