If the Magic get a top draft pick, who should they take?

[Neon1]

If we're among the bottom 3 or 4, we're good. Let the chips fall where they may.

If I'm reading this correctly, the only franchise to win the lottery back to back since 1964 was ours in '92 and '93.
http://www.nbauniverse.com/draft/number_1_picks.htm

The lotto system has only been around since either '84 or '85 The infamous "frozen envelope" Ewing to the Knicks...

[Def Swami]

If we're among the bottom 3 or 4, we're good. Let the chips fall where they may.

If I'm reading this correctly, the only franchise to win the lottery back to back since 1964 was ours in '92 and '93.
http://www.nbauniverse.com/draft/number_1_picks.htm

The lotto system has only been around since either '84 or '85 The infamous "frozen envelope" Ewing to the Knicks...

Ah, good catch.

[The1llness]

Andrew Wiggins is enticing but I would rather not have to sit through a season like this again for an at best 25% chance at him.

Besides, if the Magic are at the same spot this time next year that means their young guys; Vucevic, Harris, Harkless, and whomever they take this year aren't getting any better and that will be a real red flag.

I would like to see them fight for an 8th seed particularly in a weak conference with alot of aging teams (Knicks, Celtics), team about to go into rebuild (Hawks, Bucks) and teams that really should be no better than Orlando (Bobcats, Raptors, Wizards, Cavs, Pistons).

On a side note;
Can we merge this thread with the prospects thread? I think it's pretty obvious at this point the Magic are getting a top pick. It makes no sense to talk about players in two different threads.

[thelead]

Andrew Wiggins is enticing but I would rather not have to sit through a season like this again for an at best 25% chance at him.

Besides, if the Magic are at the same spot this time next year that means their young guys; Vucevic, Harris, Harkless, and whomever they take this year aren't getting any better and that will be a real red flag.

I would like to see them fight for an 8th seed particularly in a weak conference with alot of aging teams (Knicks, Celtics), team about to go into rebuild (Hawks, Bucks) and teams that really should be no better than Orlando (Bobcats, Raptors, Wizards, Cavs, Pistons).

On a side note;
Can we merge this thread with the prospects thread? I think it's pretty obvious at this point the Magic are getting a top pick. It makes no sense to talk about players in two different threads.

Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green won 23 games in 2008-2009 (the season before they drafted James Harden). You seriously think our core of players are better? It's going to take some time and the rewards will be drafting even better talent than what we have right now. It's a process.

[drsd]

Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green won 23 games in 2008-2009 (the season before they drafted James Harden). You seriously think our core of players are better? It's going to take some time and the rewards will be drafting even better talent than what we have right now. It's a process.

Do I think a second-year Durant, a second-year Green, and a rookie point guard in Westbrook, playing next to another PG in Earl Watson, with a team that had a three-headed scrub-center in Krstic/Wilcox/Collison, and very little depth was a better core? I guess the point is that Orlando has a much, much more balanced team. With a bunch more depth in the 4-8 range.

Yes it is my opinion that the 2012/13 Orlando Magic is better than the inaugural season of the OKC Thunder. No it is not my opinion that the 2012/13 has a better talent base to build around in the future.

What GM Hennigan is building is the 2004 Detroit Pistons. A starting five where every player is above average, but none is a star; and a good bench. I suspect the logic is that the current CPA will brutally punish to two-max player roster approach that led to previous titles. We will see.

[thelead]

Depth is highly overrated. I would trade our whole team for that second year 26ppg Kevin Durant. Let alone including the rookie 15ppg Westbrook.

Plus our "depth" is either not great or old.

[cedric76]

Smart or trade the pick

[Neon1]

Cant believe it took this long for McLemore to lose the lead.

[G-Heel]

Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green won 23 games in 2008-2009 (the season before they drafted James Harden). You seriously think our core of players are better? It's going to take some time and the rewards will be drafting even better talent than what we have right now. It's a process.

Do I think a second-year Durant, a second-year Green, and a rookie point guard in Westbrook, playing next to another PG in Earl Watson, with a team that had a three-headed scrub-center in Krstic/Wilcox/Collison, and very little depth was a better core? I guess the point is that Orlando has a much, much more balanced team. With a bunch more depth in the 4-8 range.

Yes it is my opinion that the 2012/13 Orlando Magic is better than the inaugural season of the OKC Thunder. No it is not my opinion that the 2012/13 has a better talent base to build around in the future.

What GM Hennigan is building is the 2004 Detroit Pistons. A starting five where every player is above average, but none is a star; and a good bench. I suspect the logic is that the current CPA will brutally punish to two-max player roster approach that led to previous titles. We will see.

Durant alone was already a better core than what we have. You don't need 10 above avg players to win a championship, you need at least 1 superstar and 2-3 good all-star level players and a few role players. Right now all we have is a bunch of role players, I'm not convinced any will ever make the all-star game, maybe just Vuc.

People need to stop referring to that Pistons team as having no stars.. Billups and the Wallaces were legit stars. Rip and Prince made all-star teams. If anything that team was full of all stars.

Many teams have or had better cores than what we currently have and they never amounted to anything. We need these next 2 picks to be high AND sign an all-star AND luck for Magic to have a chance to win the 'ship.

[tiderulz]

^^I agree. The Pistons were a team that didnt have a "Superstar" but they had star power in their core.

[KingRobb02]

^^I agree. The Pistons were a team that didnt have a "Superstar" but they had star power in their core.

Defense and rebounding are two of the three major factors of basketball. Ben Wallace dominated them both. He was a superstar.

[tiderulz]

^^I agree. The Pistons were a team that didnt have a "Superstar" but they had star power in their core.

Defense and rebounding are two of the three major factors of basketball. Ben Wallace dominated them both. He was a superstar.

disagree. If he was even average offensively, then maybe. But he was horrible on offense, shooting, FT's, if it wasnt a dunk it was an extreme effort to get it above the rim. He was a star, but not a superstar.

[KingRobb02]

^^I agree. The Pistons were a team that didnt have a "Superstar" but they had star power in their core.

Defense and rebounding are two of the three major factors of basketball. Ben Wallace dominated them both. He was a superstar.

disagree. If he was even average offensively, then maybe. But he was horrible on offense, shooting, FT's, if it wasnt a dunk it was an extreme effort to get it above the rim. He was a star, but not a superstar.

You can disagree all you want but this is the same league that has Dennis Rodman in the Hall of Fame. Not just because he was on winning teams, but because he rebounded and played defense. Unless you're saying that Rodman wasn't a superstar either.

[G-Heel]

^^I agree. The Pistons were a team that didnt have a "Superstar" but they had star power in their core.

Defense and rebounding are two of the three major factors of basketball. Ben Wallace dominated them both. He was a superstar.

disagree. If he was even average offensively, then maybe. But he was horrible on offense, shooting, FT's, if it wasnt a dunk it was an extreme effort to get it above the rim. He was a star, but not a superstar.

The term superstar is too subjective. I agree he wasn't a "superstar" in the traditional sense, but he dominated on defense. He's as important as anyone when he was in his prime.

[OrlChamps2030]

PGs and wings come out every year, gotta be Noel. Even Brian Cook would probably have his way with Vuc and Nicholson. Don't want to miss out on this yr's Drummond

[thelead]

PGs and wings come out every year, gotta be Noel. Even Brian Cook would probably have his way with Vuc and Nicholson. Don't want to miss out on this yr's Drummond

Drummond has a man's sized body. Can't compare the 2.

[Truth24]

It comes down to Cody Zeller, Otto Porter, or Marcus Smart for me.

[Cammo101]

It comes down to Cody Zeller, Otto Porter, or Marcus Smart for me.

Yuck. If we use a top 3 pick on Zeller I will cry. I love Porter, but SF is the one position we should not be picking. I like Smart a lot, but he is not the true PG many on this board seem to think.

In a perfect world I would take Noel, and then try to get a late lotto pick through trade and grab Burke.

[Truth24]

It comes down to Cody Zeller, Otto Porter, or Marcus Smart for me.

Yuck. If we use a top 3 pick on Zeller I will cry. I love Porter, but SF is the one position we should not be picking. I like Smart a lot, but he is not the true PG many on this board seem to think.

In a perfect world I would take Noel, and then try to get a late lotto pick through trade and grab Burke.

I'm not a huge fan of Zeller but he is the best center in this draft, I agree on Porter but I love his game so much it would be hard to turn him down, and I understand that about Smart as well.

I would pass on Noel not that great of a player and the bum knee just adds to it and I would hate to see Burke on this team he is the most selfish player in the draft this year.

[drsd]

Smart has now overtaken McLemore in this poll.