Magic should not trade down in NBA Draft

With the NBA Draft inching ever closer, more and more scenarios pop up regarding seemingly every team in the league. For the Orlando Magic, one of those is the potential of trading back, something that Orlando Sentinel scribe Josh Robbins laid out on Monday.

Currently sitting with the fifth pick, the Magic are in a prime position to fill out one of their glaring needs early on in. With the need for a shot blocker, a power forward and shooting, the Magic could go in a plethora of different directions, choosing to fill out one, two, or even all three of those needs with a single pick.

Now, it would likely take a combination of veterans who can come in and have an immediate impact, coupled with, at the very least one pick, to get the Magic to consider to trade their top-five pick. That being said, if the team did choose to trade down, they would have some intriguing options in the later half of the lottery.

Kansas' Kelly Oubre Jr, who has been mocked in the 10-16 range, could come in and fill a couple of potential needs. Oubre, a 6-foot-7 forward with an even better frame with a wingspan of over 7-feet 2-inches, has potential to become one of, if not the best small forwards in this class. His smooth shooting stroke and natural scoring instincts make him a player who could come in and have an immediate impact for the Magic. He is streaky at times, but with a better shot selection, could be turned into a sharp shooting wing.

Oubre is still raw on the defensive end, but his size should allow him to become a solid defender with some time. He has good instincts in crashing the boards, grabbing 7.6 defensive rebounds per-40 minutes last season. He moves his feet well, and can play passing lanes, allowing himself to get out and push the ball, something the Magic will undoubtedly do this season.

Another option for the Magic in trading down could be Arkansas power forward Bobby Portis. Portis, who many project to go in the 12-to-18 range, is as solid as they come on the defensive end. His good size makes him a prototypical power forward, and his energy helps him be an even more intriguing prospect on the defensive end.

Portis runs the floor extremely well, and isn't afraid to dive on the floor and get dirty to get a loose ball. He can step out and shoot the ball some, and would give the Magic's offense another level of depth that it currently misses. Portis is also able to step out and guard perimeter players, which would give the Magic some more options with switches on the defensive end.

While moving down is easier said than done, it's certainly something that the Magic could do. Making it known that they're open to moving down does nothing but help them, should that be the route they feel most comfortable with.

Now, is it what would be the best route for the Magic? I'm not so sure. While there are some more than formidable options in the later parts of the lottery, giving up a top-five pick, no matter how many needs you may fill, is tough.

Is it worth giving up the chance to get a star and a possibly transcendent type player? Would there be a guarantee that you could get the guy that you want with the lower pick?

These questions, and many more, are some things that general manager Rob Hennigan will have to consider before making his ever so important decision on Thursday night.