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The Orlando Magic are armed with the no. 1 pick, the 32nd pick, and the 35th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Coming off of a 60-loss season, the Magic have a chance to get a game-changing prospect, a well as a potential diamond in the rough later in the draft.
At the top of the board, three names jump off the page: Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren, Auburn's Jabari Smith and Duke's Paolo Banchero. At this point, it would be a shock if this trio wasn't off the board after the first three picks of the draft.
That means that the Magic are likely to end up with one of the most talented prospects in the draft no matter who they take, right? Wrong.
This article will focus on the player who the Magic should not take. And what better pick to focus on than the first one in the draft?
Without further ado, let's get to it. Here's the one player the Magic should avoid in the NBA Draft.
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1 Player Magic Must Avoid In NBA Draft
The Magic must avoid drafting Chet Holmgren in the NBA Draft. Let's get this out of the way. This is by no means a slight at Holmgren or a dig at the kind of player he is. Holmgren possesses as much upside as any player in the draft, is the prototypical NBA big man and is an elite defender. Whoever selects the Gonzaga product will be getting a franchise player.
So, what's not to like? The Magic should avoid Holmgren because he doesn't exactly fit onto their depth chart. Orlando already has centers Wendell Carter Jr. and Mo Bamba, who took a big step forward this past season.
Not only that, but the center roster crunch drafting Holmgren would create is something that the talented prospect himself has been rumored to have noticed. In reality, the Magic could likely make this situation work, especially if they let Bamba walk in free agency and trade Carter.
However, the Magic have more of a need on the wing for a scorer, such as Smith or Banchero. Would it be nice to add a stretch big man like Holmgren who can also defend exceptionally well? Of course.
Would the Magic also be negating perhaps a greater need on the roster in doing so? Yes. There's also the matter of Holmgren's durability. Not ability but his potential to stay available in the NBA.
Scouts have expressed concerns with his build and its implications for his health, as well as his potential to pack on pounds, via The Athletic. Of course, the Gonzaga star may not even need to bulk up to have a successful career.
Still, there's no denying the risks inherent if selecting Holmgren, who is over 7 feet tall and under 200 pounds. Do the Magic really want to take such a risk with the first pick in the draft?
They shouldn't. Holmgren could very well make this article look foolish 10 years down the road. However, the Magic are better off getting a primary scorer, such as Smith, with the first pick.
