NBA mock Draft 2014: Magic projected to pick Joel Embiid and Marcus Smart, analyst says

In his latest 2014 NBA mock Draft, ESPN Insider analyst projects the Orlando Magic to select two players at what may be the league's toughest positions to play.

With the third overall pick and Jabari Parker and Andrew Wiggins off the board, Goodman selects Joel Embiid for Orlando. "The only reason Embiid would slide this far is due to concerns about his back, but he's a skilled 7-footer who is exactly what the Magic need to pair with Nikola Vucevic," says Goodman.

In his freshman season at Kansas, Embiid posted per-game averages of 11.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks on 62.6 percent shooting. In picking Embiid here, the Magic would pass on Julius Randle, Dante Exum, and Noah Vonleh, among other stud prospects. Recently on Orlando Pinstriped Post, Tyler Lashbrook discussed how and why Randle would fit well in Orlando.

With the Magic's second first-round choice, the WoNK, Goodman picks Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart. The combo guard made the surprising decision to return to Stillwater for another season, improving his per-game scoring to 18 and assists to 4.8 while boosting his field-goal shooting to 42.2 percent. Despite those small improvements, Goodman says "Smart's stock has dropped a bit over the past year." Smart fits the Magic's need for a point guard and would make a great value pickup for Orlando if he were to slip this far.