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Welcome to another edition of the Orlando Pinstriped Post Mailbag. If you have an Orlando Magic question for either me or Tyler Lashbrook to answer, please submit it to OPPMailbag@gmail.com or the OPP Facebook page.
Let's turn to today's question.
Glenn asks:
What is Orlando's draft pick situation looking like over the next few years? I am having difficulty figuring out what draft picks we have coming to us that are still remaining from the Dwight Howard trade and what our own picks look like.
It can be difficult to sort out the Magic's pick situation, but the headline news here is that Orlando doesn't owe any of its future first-rounders via trade: it owns them all. In fact, the only pick of its own Orlando doesn't have is its 2014 second-rounder, which selection it conveyed to the Cleveland Cavaliers on the night of the 2011 NBA Draft in exchange for Justin Harper, currently Hapoel Tel Aviv's third-leading scorer. The Magic also sent their 2013 second-rounder to Cleveland in that deal.
Here's the complete picture, courtesy of this indispensable page on RealGM.
2014
In addition to their own first-rounder, the Magic will have a first-rounder from either the Denver Nuggets or the New York Knicks, whichever pick is less favorable. At OPP, we've termed this selection the WoNK pick. Through Thursday's games, the Magic would be in line to take the Nuggets' first-rounder, 14th overall.
2015
The Magic own their first- and second-round picks in 2015. They might also have the Los Angeles Lakers' second-rounder, but this selection is protected in the 31-40 range, RealGM says. In other words, if the Lakers finish with one of the league's 10-worst records in the 2014/15 season, then they will keep this pick for themselves and Orlando will receive no compensation of any kind.
2016
Again, the Magic have their first-rounder and their own second-rounder this year. If the Philadelphia 76ers somehow make the playoffs in 2014--which they won't, given that they're 12-23 and clearly rebuilding every bit as much as the Magic are--then the Magic would get Philly's first-rounder in 2016 as well. More about this pick in a moment.
2017
Orlando has its first-rounder and second-rounder this year, but could have a few more Draft selections coming its way in 2017.
The Magic will get Philly's first-round pick if it falls outside the top 11.
In addition, the Magic might snag a first-rounder from the Lakers in 2017. Due to the Steve Nash trade, L.A. owes the Phoenix Suns its first-rounder in 2015, but only if the pick falls outside the top five. If the Suns get that 2015 first-rounder, then Orlando will get the Lakers' first-rounder in 2017. The pick the Magic would receive has top-five protection.
2018
Once again, the Magic have both their first- and second-rounders in 2018. They could get that first-rounder from L.A. this year if the Lakers convey their first-rounder to Phoenix in 2016; again, the 2018 pick Orlando would receive has top-five protection. If the pick falls inside the top five, then the Magic will get L.A.'s first-rounder in 2019, and this pick has absolutely no protections on it.
If the Magic haven't already received the Sixers' first-rounder in either 2016 or 2017, then they'll get it in 2018... provided it falls outside the top eight. If the Sixers' 2018 first-rounder is within the first eight, then the Magic will instead get Philadelphia's second-round picks in 2018 and 2019.
One note when considering that Lakers pick: if L.A. doesn't convey that first-rounder to Phoenix by 2017, then the Magic won't get any first-round picks from the Lakers at all. Instead, they'll get L.A.'s second-rounders in both 2017 and 2018.
The most promising pick that Rob Hennigan managed to pry in the Howard trade might just be the WoNK pick, but watch that L.A. first-rounder: if the Lakers can't pull off an on-the-fly rebuild, then that selection could be valuable even if Orlando doesn't get it until 2018.
