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In his latest mock Draft for Basketball Insiders, analyst Yannis Koutroupis projects the Orlando Magic to select Jabari Parker with the third overall selection.
The 6-foot-9 forward is averaging 18.8 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.4 blocks for Duke in his freshman season. The first two selections belong to the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers, who pick Kansas teammates Joel Embiid and Andrew Wiggins, respectively. Those choices leave Parker, in Koutroupis' estimation, as the Magic's top available prospect.
With the Magic's second first-round pick, arriving via the Denver Nuggets, Koutroupis picks Syracuse point guard Tyler Ennis 12th overall. Ennis' stock has risen throughout his freshman season due to his steady play as well as his solid per-game averages of 12.1 points, 5.5 assists, two steals, and only 1.7 turnovers.
The Magic could be in the market for a point guard to replace 32-year-old incumbent Jameer Nelson, though that evaluation depends on how Orlando views Victor Oladipo, a natural shooting guard who has played extensive minutes at point guard in his rookie season. Coach Jacque Vaughn indicated in February that Oladipo could continue to shuttle between the two positions rather than transitioning to one on a full-time basis. "I don't think we're at a position where we're forced to say, 'you're only going to do this in the course of the game,'" Vaughn said. "I don't think as an organization that's where we want to be."