2020 Official Draft Thread

[CTMagicUK 1,480]

7 minutes ago, Jason Funderburker said:

If shooting is a teachable skill, this staff has shown they can’t really teach it

Whether or not I disagree with this statement, Hayes doesn't really need to be taught how to shoot. 

People get too caught up in percentages when looking at prospects but Hayes has taken and made a bunch of tough 3s. He has every positive indicator you'd want from a prospect. He takes a lot of 3s, he takes 3s off the dribble (he's actually better off the dribble), he has great touch inside the arc and he has a high FT%. Luka Doncic only shot 28% from 3 in the ACB his final year in Europe but nobody worried about his shot and nobody should worry about Killian's either. A little strength + more space that the NBA offers + minor tweaks to his form and he'll be fine. He'll probably never be Steph Curry but he's got a big bag of tricks to get to his jumper off the dribble and if he hits at 33-35% that'll be good enough to force defenses to go over screens and allow him get into the paint and create.

[CTMagicUK 1,480]

https://twitter.com/ChaseHughesNBCS/status/1327317276928958465?s=19

I have no idea why the above isn't embedding. It says we've worked out Cole Anthony.

[CTMagicUK 1,480]

https://twitter.com/FredKatz/status/1326942057001328640?s=19

This is also not embedding. It says we worked out Devin Vassell.

 

[CTMagicUK 1,480]

9 hours ago, CTMagicUK said:

So so far we've got:

Killian Hayes

Kira Lewis

RJ Hampton

Nico Mannion

Devin Vassell

Cole Anthony

Immanuel Quickley

That leaves 3 more workouts.

EDIT: Also seen Immanuel Quickley apparently but can't find a source so I've added him.

[Soul Bro 1,419]

Maybe it’s just me, but I’d be thrilled to add a point guard and shooting guard in this draft while moving on from Augustin, Fournier and Frazier.

[jmmagicfan 301]

Killian Hayes, Kira Lewis, RJ Hampton, Nico Mannion, Devin Vassell, Cole Anthony, Immanuel Quickley.

This is a very interesting grouping of players to me, based on what most of the mock drafts have been saying. So far, Hayes and Vassell have been projected to go between picks #6-#11; Lewis, Hampton, and Anthony have been projecting in the #13-#19 range; Mannion seems to be in the #23-#26 range, and Quickley seems to be in the 40's. Typical of this front office - these workouts have told us they might be looking to move up, or they might be looking to move back and/or purchase the rights to a second, late first-round pick, and they might be considering Quickley in the second. Either they are trying to cover all their bases, as they have a ton of irons in the fire; or they are throwing up one hell or a smoke-screen; or possibly all of the above. Pretty much as clear as mud. Maybe they're trying for a late first and would consider Quickley in the late twenties, if Mannion isn't available then? The ONLY thing that seems clear from this list is that they are looking at backcourt/wing players, and not another Center, PF, or combo forward. Most of these guys seem to be combo guards, with Vassell being more of a combo wing. Mannion is the only player I would consider as a single-position, PG only. I do find it interesting that Mannion, Anthony, and Hampton were all considered top10 or higher at one point in time, but seem to have fallen down draft boards for some reason. I have a feeling it is going to be an interesting month and a half. It also signals me that we are probably not confident about re-signing Augustin, MCW, Iwundu, or retaining Frazier. 

[CTMagicUK 1,480]

Weirdly if we draft a smaller guard, particularly in the second round, I think it makes more sense to keep Augustin. I think DJ could teach someone like Mannion a lot on what it takes to succeed as a smaller, less athletic guard. Plus having a 2nd round rookie play actual minutes at PG sounds like a recipe for disaster.

[jmmagicfan 301]

51 minutes ago, CTMagicUK said:

Weirdly if we draft a smaller guard, particularly in the second round, I think it makes more sense to keep Augustin. I think DJ could teach someone like Mannion a lot on what it takes to succeed as a smaller, less athletic guard. Plus having a 2nd round rookie play actual minutes at PG sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Interesting point - but there are two problems with that - 1) how much will DJ command on the free-agent market, and 2) is that worthwhile to have him stick around to "train" a probable career-backup point guard? He just turned 33 earlier this week, so it's possible a contender throws $4-5M of the mid-level at him to bolster their roster. I don't see us offering much more than the $2.6M veteran minimum, if we try to retain him at all. I've heard he wants to finish his career here in Orlando, but as they say, money talks.

[CTMagicUK 1,480]

6 minutes ago, jmmagicfan said:

Interesting point - but there are two problems with that - 1) how much will DJ command on the free-agent market, and 2) is that worthwhile to have him stick around to "train" a probable career-backup point guard? He just turned 33 earlier this week, so it's possible a contender throws $4-5M of the mid-level at him to bolster their roster. I don't see us offering much more than the $2.6M veteran minimum, if we try to retain him at all. I've heard he wants to finish his career here in Orlando, but as they say, money talks.

It wouldn't just be 'training'. It'd also be that he's also a very good backup PG and PG more than any other position is one where you need 48 solid minutes of play.

[jmmagicfan 301]

36 minutes ago, CTMagicUK said:

It wouldn't just be 'training'. It'd also be that he's also a very good backup PG and PG more than any other position is one where you need 48 solid minutes of play.

I'm not saying DJ wouldn't still be playing, or that he isn't still a good backup PG, in point of fact, I think he might be too good for us to afford.

I can see either a contender, or a team in need of veteran leadership offering him more that we can afford to. I could see New Orleans or Atlanta making a serious run at DJ - the Hornets could use a good, veteran PG to backup Ball or step in to start if he gets injured. DJ also has deep ties to the city of New Orleans. The Hawks could use DJ to help Trae Young, the same way you suggested we could, since I doubt Jeff Teague will be back there. I think either team could afford more than we can without going into the luxury tax.  

I could also see either LA team making a run at him for $4-5M (1/2 the mid-level), as neither team is as concerned with the luxury tax as our owners. Beverly did not have a good year for the Clippers, and Rondo had a good playoffs for the Lakers, but he is 34-35 and had injury issues. 

[Nyce_1 311]

6 hours ago, All Eyes On Me said:

One thing with the timeline of this insane and unprecedented offseason, we’re gonna need to be super patient with any rookie. One month from draft to start of the season when rookies usually get 4 is gonna make a lot of these young guys look rough early on.

honestly, unless we make moves that full on tank this season, i'm not expecting any of our rookies (Okeke & whoever we pick at 15) to play early on. 

[jmmagicfan 301]

5 minutes ago, Nyce_1 said:

honestly, unless we make moves that full on tank this season, i'm not expecting any of our rookies (Okeke & whoever we pick at 15) to play early on. 

I think it's too early to say one way or the other - with Isaac injured, Clark a RFA, Ennis a Player Option, Iwundu a Free Agent, Aminu returning from injury, and Frazier a team option, we don't really know what our 3/4 rotations will look like. The same can be said with our backcourt, since Augustin, MCW, Iwundu are all Free Agents, and Fournier has a player option. We currently have eight players under contract. Assuming Fournier and Ennis opt in, then we are at ten.  

1) Fultz

2) Ross/Fourner(p.o.)

3) Isaac (i)/Ennis(p.o.)

4) Gordon/Aminu

5) Vucevic/Bamba/Birch

With Isaac out most of the year (all?), I think it definitely opens up playing time for Okeke. Depending on what free agents we sign, there may be playing time available for a backcourt player as well (PG?).