The Orlando Magic don't appear to be too far away from challenging for a playoff spot. With the likes of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Markelle Fultz leading the way, the Magic roster is filled with young, up-and-comers whom we haven't seen the best out of just yet. But here the Magic are once more, in an enviable position, as they will soon add two more lottery picks to their ranks in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Rarely would anyone advise a team to draft for fit instead of taking the best player available, but given the lack of consensus outside the top-three, it'll be interesting to see whether the Magic take a prospect that would fill their need for a two-way marksman at the shooting guard position. The Magic could always trot out Jalen Suggs at the two, since Suggs can hold his own defensively, but Banchero, Wagner, and Fultz are all capable ballhandlers themselves, which may relegate Suggs into a less-than-optimal role.
Nevertheless, the Magic are on the up-and-up, and the 2023 NBA Draft will allow them to continue their rise as one of the most exciting franchises to tune into for the next few years.
With that said, here are the three draft prospects the Magic must target with the sixth overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft.
3. Gradey Dick
Picking Gradey Dick at six would be a massive reach, one that there's no way the Magic would do given the talent that should be available on the board at this point of the draft. But Dick would fit the Magic roster like a glove, as his game is the perfect complement to that of the Magic's three-best players.
For starters, the Magic had some difficulties with spacing the floor this past season. They ranked 27th in three point attempts this past season, and their efficiency on those shots wasn't great either, ranking 24th in percentage. Dick allows them to improve those numbers. Given Banchero, Wagner, and Fultz's abilities to draw defensive attention and make plays for others, Dick should flourish as a three-point rover, someone who can make defenses pay on pull-up threes. He can also keep the ball moving, and relocate for a higher-percentage shot.
Dick's defense may be an issue from day one, as he doesn't exactly possess the lateral quickness to keep up with the quicker guards in the NBA. That alone may push him out of the top 10. But Dick's potential of providing elite shooting on the move may be too much to pass up for the Magic, especially if he's still there for them at 11.
2. Cam Whitmore
The Magic love developing prospects with immense physical gifts, and chief among them in the 2023 NBA Draft class is Cam Whitmore, a man who jumps as if there's a spring in the soles of his shoes. But it's not like Whitmore is just an athletic marvel. The young man can hoop.
Whitmore showed flashes of being able to get to the rim at will due to the sheer force of his athleticism. He may not have shot the ball from deep at an elite level when he was at Villanova, shooting 34.3 percent from beyond the arc, but on a team with plenty of capable playmakers, Whitmore should have plenty of open looks.
Drafting Whitmore would give the Magic yet another defensively interchangeable wing, and his potential as an impact defender should also be enticing.
Nevertheless, it's not quite clear if the 18-year old forward out of Villanova will still be on the board when the Magic make their selection, as it seems like many analysts have mocked Whitmore to go to the Detroit Pistons at number five.
1. Ausar Thompson
Some may question whether the competition level for Ausar Thompson in Overtime Elite truly brought out the best in him. After all, that league is full of players who are quite younger than Thompson, so it's no surprise to see the 20-year old wing put his all-around game in full display.
This past season for the City Reapers, Thompson averaged 16.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.1 assists on 56.2 percent shooting from the field, making complete use of his athletic gifts to contribute in different facets of the game. His efficiency is a testament to his decision-making, shot selection, and the sheer force with which he attacks the rim. But just like his brother, there's one glaring question mark for Thompson — his shooting ability.
His free-throw shooting — an indicator of shooting ability — does not exactly bode well for his development as a knockdown shooter; he doesn't have to be Klay Thompson, but for him to flourish as an NBA wing, he will have to improve in that regard, especially if he were to share a backcourt with Markelle Fultz or Jalen Suggs.
But it's always a good idea to bet on talent, and Ausar Thompson has that in spades.