Chuma Okeke drafted #16 by the Orlando Magic

[SOUL]

Bol who has the best potential of them all.

This is just opinion and 29 teams disagreed with it. So while 29 GMs could technically be wrong, it doesn't make your statement true. Just have to wait and see.

[MagicFan101]

Seems like a convenient excuse now that he’s seen said reaction by fans etc etc.

The very last thing I want a GM to do is give a **** what fans think. That isn’t his job.

[FFBlitzace]

I don't think Jeff Weltman would say something just to address some hot takes from RealGM lol.

You don't know for a fact who everyone below you (or above you) is picking. They don't just tell you. There's always an amount of risk in trading back.

[Skin]

It feels like whole "masterplan" of Weltman and Hammond is just staling rebuild. Until somebody gets tired of their old a***s and fires them.

Evil in me tells me that i would do the same, being in 60s i would just stale and prolong things until i fill enough pockets to safe retirment.

Not saying that is what they are doing but... not gonna act like that didn't cross my mind couple of times in last year and half.

I mean :
Isaac- injury through rookie year
Bamba- injury through rookie year, sit out half of season
Trade for injuried player- sit out whoel season
Okeke, torn ACL , out for whole seasaon

It's kind a obvious that they collect players that have zero chance to contribute right away due injuries or lack of skill.
And we are entering third season with Hammon and Weltman.

Not to mention that if Vuc and Ross walk, they will just ride " now we need to tank " excuse for additional 2,3 years.

Who did you want them to take?

[basketballRob]

Said it earlier Okeke is practically a 6'7" Al Horford, not ideal for us.

And the notion of drafting another young PF to serve as a backup is ludicrous when we could address other positions. Too many young guys at that spot for us unless we went with Bol who has the best potential of them all. Go big or go home if you get an injured guy if that's the case.

FA is where we should've gotten a backup PF who we all see as a backup vs the draft.

Maybe more like Al Harrington with defense.

Sent from my SM-G965U using RealGM mobile app

[IllMagic04]

It feels like whole "masterplan" of Weltman and Hammond is just staling rebuild. Until somebody gets tired of their old a***s and fires them.

Evil in me tells me that i would do the same, being in 60s i would just stale and prolong things until i fill enough pockets to safe retirment.

Not saying that is what they are doing but... not gonna act like that didn't cross my mind couple of times in last year and half.

I mean :
Isaac- injury through rookie year
Bamba- injury through rookie year, sit out half of season
Trade for injuried player- sit out whoel season
Okeke, torn ACL , out for whole seasaon

It's kind a obvious that they collect players that have zero chance to contribute right away due injuries or lack of skill.
And we are entering third season with Hammon and Weltman.

Not to mention that if Vuc and Ross walk, they will just ride " now we need to tank " excuse for additional 2,3 years.

Its def crossed my mind. Dont forget about the draft flatened out trade, which lead to the Fultz trade. I wouldnt be shocked if Fuktz still aint playing to start next year. I doubt Okeke plays at all next year. Just keep kicking the can down the road. Keep eating off Hennys players and make the playoffs. So now some people actually think they've done something. Its brilliant actually.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using RealGM mobile app

[MagicFan101]

I have been really patient with WeHam and I will continue to be patient with this pick.

Still ... if NAW or Little or KPjr or one of the other highly discussed wings taken after us has a big time rookie year I’m going to lose it.

[MoMM]

I have been really patient with WeHam and I will continue to be patient with this pick.

Still ... if NAW or Little or KPjr or one of the other highly discussed wings taken after us has a big time rookie year I’m going to lose it.

Just choose one, because choosing 3 or more players is very likely that at least one of them will be better than Okeke.

My pick would be NAW, so let's see if he is better in the NBA than Chuma or not.

[jezzer45]

First the only other player the magic knowingly acquired injured is fultz. That narrative on stockpiling injured players is pure b.s. for some reason or another our draft picks get injured in the first year after the draft (ag, Isaac, bamba,)

Chuma at face value should bring more to the table then a lot of the guys who everyone else wanted based on the fact that he can shoot and defend. It was either or with a lot of the other guys.

I think he can transition into a Morris twin type player as his floor. If he can develop further I'm hoping for a smaller reshard Lewis.

[Xatticus]

I was going to say Barkley but he was only like 6'5". Maybe Zion Williamson.

Not a good comparison, but Anthony Bennett.

Measuring 6-7 in shoes at the Nike Hoop Summit eight months ago (and at the 2011 LeBron James Skills Academy), Bennett is somewhat undersized for a power forward, but makes up for that with his 7-1 wingspan, strong 239 pound frame, and excellent athleticism.

6-8, 245, and Steven A. Smith's biggest draft bust of all time, lol. And Love, 245 and 6-10. Don't dare mention AG, its my main criticism of him. He's the poster child right now for me. Keep trying.

You can actually look this stuff up for any players that attended the combine. I really only care about their height without shoes.

Love measured 6'7.75"
Gordon measured 6'7.5"

I tend to be highly skeptical of what's listed for players that dodge the combine or just that portion of it. You really can't trust the listings for players unless they are from measurements conducted at camps or at the combine. What is listed on NBA, college, or high school rosters is whatever the player claims and almost everyone lies about it to some extent.

Okeke was measured at 6'7" in shoes when he played for USA U19 basketball. He was listed at 6'8" for Auburn. My guess is that he is 6'6" at best. That's really not sufficient for a PF in the NBA.

There are a few exceptions (like Draymond Green), but most undersized guys struggle to translate their games against the bigger and more athletic competition of the NBA. I really don't expect that Okeke will be among the exceptions because of his matchups with PJ Washington this year. For what it's worth, this is why I wasn't that high on Grant Williams either.

This doesn't mean that Okeke can't succeed in the NBA. Robert Covington is a perfect example of one of those college bigs that had to carve out a role as a 3-and-D wing in the NBA. I think this is Okeke's future. You might be able to situationally get away with using him as a four in smaller lineups, but I think his long-term success is going to be tied to his ability to defend more athletic guys on the perimeter. If he can do that, he will be a good player.

[Message Boar]

sure but he can still get 25-30 min as backup to Isaac and Gordon at 16th pick..if he blows up that's not a bad thing..he will get min if he shows out

Not necessarily a knock on Okeke. I like the pick in a vacuum for what he can provide. NAW and others would have had more opportunity and could have possibly provided more.

Isn't Okeke a bigger version of NAW though , like small forward/ small ball power forward Version

NBA Draftnet Bio

I was having this same thought earlier today. Sadly also an injured version (but I'm confident he can bounce back) and at a position where the road to a significant role is a lot more muddled than at either guard position. But if you liked NAW as a prospect you'll probably also like Okeke.

[Message Boar]

Snip. double post

[Message Boar]

Triple post. Sorry mods, I'm not really sure what went wrong here

[Optimus_Steel]

Don't know much about the guy but I appreciate they picked a player with skill instead of length. He is clearly a skilled player and that was my ask coming into the draft. His excellent 3pt should translate well into the NBA.

[Instincts]

It feels like whole "masterplan" of Weltman and Hammond is just staling rebuild. Until somebody gets tired of their old a***s and fires them.

Evil in me tells me that i would do the same, being in 60s i would just stale and prolong things until i fill enough pockets to safe retirment.

Not saying that is what they are doing but... not gonna act like that didn't cross my mind couple of times in last year and half.

I mean :
Isaac- injury through rookie year
Bamba- injury through rookie year, sit out half of season
Trade for injuried player- sit out whoel season
Okeke, torn ACL , out for whole seasaon

It's kind a obvious that they collect players that have zero chance to contribute right away due injuries or lack of skill.
And we are entering third season with Hammon and Weltman.

Not to mention that if Vuc and Ross walk, they will just ride " now we need to tank " excuse for additional 2,3 years.

Its def crossed my mind. Dont forget about the draft flatened out trade, which lead to the Fultz trade. I wouldnt be shocked if Fuktz still aint playing to start next year. I doubt Okeke plays at all next year. Just keep kicking the can down the road. Keep eating off Hennys players and make the playoffs. So now some people actually think they've done something. Its brilliant actually.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using RealGM mobile app

I think people at this point have grown so used to the mediocrity that they have a hard time seeing change even when it is happening right in front of them. Not all these players will hit, but we suddenly have a stable of young talent. And it sounds like a Weltman cliche, but the value of compiling a group of young talented men who have high character, unselfish traits is being underestimated.

Character aside, I like the compilation, talent, and player type being established, reminds me of a young group of raptors, but bigger, faster, and stronger, sure we are still a Kawhi, but so was Toronto last year. We are becoming a real championship setup for right young star. And like or not, Weltman has developed a culture in the organization that is initiative and team focused, and players want to be apart of it. There was a time when Orlando was a free agent destination, I believe those days are close to returning.

[KillMonger]

i'm wondering if this pick opens up a path to trading AG, i wouldn't want it to happen but you trade AG and with Chuma in the wings you wouldn't have to change the way you play....you could plug him in and he would have a similar playstyle like AG, the only question is....can he be as good as AG?

[Bigmagicfan82]

i'm wondering if this pick opens up a path to trading AG, i wouldn't want it to happen but you trade AG and with Chuma in the wings you wouldn't have to change the way you play....you could plug him in and he would have a similar playstyle like AG, the only question is....can he be as good as AG?

Or you keep both of them and have depth. The team needs depth. Keeping both allows us to keep playing the same way even when a player gets hurt or in foul trouble.

[J_Magic]

Hopefully he is our Pascal Siakam.

[Skin]

Hopefully he is our Pascal Siakam.

Isaac is more similar. Okeke is more like a bigger Danny Green if anything on their roster.

[Nyce_1]

So absolutely hate Weltman explaining/rationalizing his pick by saying well “we had a GM picking behind us saying he would’ve taken him so we took him at 16”. Weltman also went on to say they had plenty of trade back calls but they were worried they’d trade back too far.


Seems like a convenient excuse now that he’s seen said reaction by fans etc etc.

I agree with this.