2023 Orlando Magic Draft Day Thread (#6, #11): THE DAY IS HERE!

[SOUL]

I think Giddey actually plays SF-PF.

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That's my point though. Billed as PG/SG, comes over, plays primarily SF/PF because of lineup flexibility. Now I realize there are some limitations because of SF/PF being Paolo/Franz but at least this upcoming year, there will be a lot of lineups that can work with shooters - i.e. Black/Cole/Jett/Isaac/Carter when doing some on-off bench stuff, or sub in C/SF/PF we potentially sign, etc etc

[Message Boar]

Ultimately, given what was actually available and based on my limited youtube scouting and our needs, I would've picked Hendricks at #6. Then probably Dick at #11. Or well, that's working under the assumption that I have some inside info about Cam Whitmore's medical/interviews that us fans didn't have leading up to the draft, otherwise I might've just double dipped on that high upside forward depth. Not really looking to start a huge discussion again, just wanted a record of it that I can search for, years from now. Kind of like a time capsule. I hope Black and Jett make me look foolish by then.

[eyriq]

Read on Twitter

[bigdogdylan5]

Great article on Black background:

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/2023-nba-draft-inside-anthony-blacks-winding-journey-from-bright-football-future-to-top-10-pick/amp/

This guy will be successful. There might be a lot of room to improve on his shot and his game as well since he really came on late as a basketball player. Also if his playmaking is already this good with him coming on scene late that could get better

[bigdogdylan5]

Going through some Jett Howard highlights and actually really liking what I’m seeing offensively. He’s nowhere near as stiff as I had previously thought.

Going to try to watch some full games tomorrow to get a better idea of what we are working with but I’m nowhere near as angry as I was two hours ago.

This is kinda what I beg people to do. Everyone saying Howard was a reach I think just hasn’t watched him play. Guy can be a great shooter and scorer. We all have jobs and lives part of reason we rely on **** mocks to narrow down our watching of players. Mocks are flawed.

I feel like he was mocked way higher at the beginning of the college basketball season and just gradually fell as the season went on. He's a good player. The pick reminds me of the Suns picking Cam Johnson a few years ago. They got killed for "reaching" for Johnson in the lottery, but he proved to be worth that pick.

He was injured and played through it which clearly was part of our calculus. Just take your guys. Dick and Jett will be compared together for a while because of this decision.

[bigdogdylan5]

I have no idea how a) we determined that Jett was a better selection that Dick and b) how we didn’t trade back after settling on Jett. Just baffling. There is absolutely no way we couldn’t have jumped back to grab him. Really disappointing evening.

Welman was clear: upside.

In particular it was stated that Howard played injured and was actually a better player.

But I got lost in the defense of "let's draft the injured guy".

It was an ankle injury and he played through it similarly to Suggs I really don’t think it’s cause for long term concern. Basketball players get ankle injuries. I think his upside as a scorer playmaker is a little higher than Dick. Defense is really about the same.

[tiderulz]

Great article on Black background:

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/2023-nba-draft-inside-anthony-blacks-winding-journey-from-bright-football-future-to-top-10-pick/amp/

This guy will be successful. There might be a lot of room to improve on his shot and his game as well since he really came on late as a basketball player. Also if his playmaking is already this good with him coming on scene late that could get better

i could just as easily say "this guy will not be successful" because his jump shot never improves enough, his weight gain to hold his ground slows him down, his bad FT%, etc, etc. no offense meant, but anyone saying he will absolutely be successful are just the other side of the coin to the people saying he wont because of his weaknesses

[I Rasharted]

Reason #1,096,212 why tanking just a little harder and getting Scoot Henderson at #3 would've been best.

[stormi]

Read on Twitter

Such a delicious meal. The Magic are back.

[basketballRob]

Reason #1,096,212 why tanking just a little harder and getting Scoot Henderson at #3 would've been best.

I will be comparing Black and Scoot a lot. I'm curious who the best PG will be.

Black is two weeks older than Scoot. Both are in similar spots, with the teams already having starting PGs.

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[MAGICian619]

A+ Draft (in the 1st round)

Got my #1 guy in Anthony Black who will be our star guard to complete the trio with Paolo and Franz.

We all wanted a shooter at #11 and we got one. Most wanted a few other slightly higher mocked guys, but clearly our FO see's more upside in Jett. He brings everything I wanted with this pick (shooting, offensive skill, SG depth) so I'm happy.

Edit: The trading of the 2nd round is ridiculous. I understand the too many rookie issue but there are ways around that. Every other team deals with it but we seem to be the only team to consistently punt 2nd round picks. D- 2nd round grade for lack of creativity if nothing else.

[bigdogdylan5]

Great article on Black background:

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/2023-nba-draft-inside-anthony-blacks-winding-journey-from-bright-football-future-to-top-10-pick/amp/

This guy will be successful. There might be a lot of room to improve on his shot and his game as well since he really came on late as a basketball player. Also if his playmaking is already this good with him coming on scene late that could get better

i could just as easily say "this guy will not be successful" because his jump shot never improves enough, his weight gain to hold his ground slows him down, his bad FT%, etc, etc. no offense meant, but anyone saying he will absolutely be successful are just the other side of the coin to the people saying he wont because of his weaknesses

Come on man I guess I have to define successful. I am just saying he won’t be a Mo Bamba bust. Maybe he is just a great defense connector bench guy but he will bust his ass to get better. I am fine with that as his floor. I think this pick screams the magic are not happy with the guard room. They brought in basically 2 more guys to compete. Don’t extend Fultz don’t extend Anthony. Let them all fight it out and see what happens. Everyone keeps saying the guard room needs to be changed the front office is throwing a grenade in there and saying fight for what you think you deserve.

[tiderulz]

Great article on Black background:

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/2023-nba-draft-inside-anthony-blacks-winding-journey-from-bright-football-future-to-top-10-pick/amp/

This guy will be successful. There might be a lot of room to improve on his shot and his game as well since he really came on late as a basketball player. Also if his playmaking is already this good with him coming on scene late that could get better

i could just as easily say "this guy will not be successful" because his jump shot never improves enough, his weight gain to hold his ground slows him down, his bad FT%, etc, etc. no offense meant, but anyone saying he will absolutely be successful are just the other side of the coin to the people saying he wont because of his weaknesses

Come on man I guess I have to define successful. I am just saying he won’t be a Mo Bamba bust. Maybe he is just a great defense connector bench guy but he will bust his ass to get better. I am fine with that as his floor. I think this pick screams the magic are not happy with the guard room. They brought in basically 2 more guys to compete. Don’t extend Fultz don’t extend Anthony. Let them all fight it out and see what happens. Everyone keeps saying the guard room needs to be changed the front office is throwing a grenade in there and saying fight for what you think you deserve.

now that i can completely agree with.

[bigdogdylan5]

Also who knows decisions on extensions might still be coming but I think this hints that Anthony and/or Fultz extension talks might not be going well. Weltman has said it twice now you will not have minutes gifted anymore.

[Fortune Teller]

My biggest takeaway on the Black pick is that the FO doesn't believe Suggs will become what they thought -- or hoped -- he would. If you draft a defense-first football player point guard with the #6 pick two years after taking a defense-first football player point guard with the #5 pick, you are obviously hoping for a different result.

[swarlesbarkley]

My biggest takeaway on the Black pick is that the FO doesn't believe Suggs will become what they thought -- or hoped -- he would. If you draft a defense-first football player point guard with the #6 pick two years after taking a defense-first football player point guard with the #5 pick, you are obviously hoping for a different result.

Yeah I'm trying to decide if the Black pick says more about Suggs or Fultz. Maybe taking Black will force Fultz to shoot a regular looking 3 pointer now since Black basically is a younger and taller version of everything Fultz does well (plus he gets to the line). If Black develops a 3 faster than Fultz then Fultz is 100% gone.

But like you pointed out, Black is basically a carbon copy of Suggs on draft night. Suggs, albeit streaky, is a better shooter than Black right now.

[Cammo101]

I don't mind the Black pick. While it wasn't my preferred player at 6, given how the board fell, I don't hate it. Jett Howard at 11 is the pick I really struggle with. He's a good shooter, but a liability on defense and not much else on offense. Given there were better, more well rounded shooters available with the pick, it just doesn't make a lot of sense.

Except of course for the unwritten rule that we must have 6 former Michigan players on our roster at any given time.

[yoyojw17]

Whelp ... I was a bit shocked... But... Hey... I trust the FO.... And they do not have to go with the consensus. They know what they wanted and now I'm excited to see Jett Black hit the court!

When is Summer League now?!? Lol

Edit: July 7th can't come any quicker!

[Skin]

Biggest loser is Fultz?

Anthony Black. Markelle and Cole will both beat him out.

Black is already a better PG than Cole. Cole has a tough time just making a simple pass. He has a better handle than Suggs, which is why he's been the PG so far.

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I said that half jokingly. Mosely has already chosen Fultz over Cole. Suggs takes over the role of 6th man. I think Cole ultimately loses his minutes and ends up needing to find a new team because we won't extend him. That's why I created the Cole Anthony extension thread. To see where everyone's head was at. I bet nobody would vote on giving him a $20M/yr extension now. I had voted to let him go and draft a replacement. Sorry Cole lovers.

We drafted Black for future salary cap implications in addition to hoping he reaches his potential.

[Black and Blue]

Great article on Black background:

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/2023-nba-draft-inside-anthony-blacks-winding-journey-from-bright-football-future-to-top-10-pick/amp/

This guy will be successful. There might be a lot of room to improve on his shot and his game as well since he really came on late as a basketball player. Also if his playmaking is already this good with him coming on scene late that could get better

i could just as easily say "this guy will not be successful" because his jump shot never improves enough, his weight gain to hold his ground slows him down, his bad FT%, etc, etc. no offense meant, but anyone saying he will absolutely be successful are just the other side of the coin to the people saying he wont because of his weaknesses

Come on man I guess I have to define successful. I am just saying he won’t be a Mo Bamba bust. Maybe he is just a great defense connector bench guy but he will bust his ass to get better. I am fine with that as his floor. I think this pick screams the magic are not happy with the guard room. They brought in basically 2 more guys to compete. Don’t extend Fultz don’t extend Anthony. Let them all fight it out and see what happens. Everyone keeps saying the guard room needs to be changed the front office is throwing a grenade in there and saying fight for what you think you deserve.

Great post. It’s safe to say last season laid a ton of pressure on the guard room this season to catch up to the success of our forwards or GTFO. As of today the only ones safe are Black and Howard because they are have time on their side.

Genuinely curious once free agency opens if the plan is for the Magic to keep every guard and do a battle royale or to thin out the room for shooters/future assets. Safe money is always on the Magic doing nothing (and they hinted on pt not being guaranteed), but I hope there is at least a rough plan to get our rookies involved in actual games. If they are nightly healthy DNPs the Magic have failed.