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2018 NBA Mock Draft: Trae Young seems destined for Orlando

A compilation of post-lottery mock drafts, many of which have the Magic drafting the Oklahoma point guard

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Basketball Hall Of Fame Classic Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

The draft order is set and the mock drafts are in.

And the player most commonly penciled into the Orlando Magic’s sixth pick is none other than Trae Young.

No big surprise there given the Magic’s need for a point guard and explosive scorer. But still, Magic fans seem to be divided on Young, who is undersized, turnover-prone and not exactly a defensive stopper.

Below is a round-up of post-lottery NBA mock draft results from around the web. Click on each publication for the full draft....


SB Nation - Trae Young, PG, Oklahoma

Yes, Trae Young is undersized and turnover prone. He’s a below the rim athlete who will struggle to survive defensively in the league. He’s also the best shooter and second best passer in this draft, and those are important skills that will translate to the NBA. Young will be such a unique offensive threat on and off the ball that opposing defenses will have to game plan for every night. In a league that’s more three-point happy than ever, Trae Young is worth the risk. -- Ricky O’Donnell


ESPN - Trae Young, PG, Oklahoma

Young is a deadly pull-up shooter with deep range who loves transition quick hitters. He would add a much-needed scoring punch to Orlando’s backcourt. While his physical profile for a PG is underwhelming and he struggles to finish in traffic against top athletes, he’s an excellent passer who should look even better at the NBA level. -- Jonathan Givony


CBS Sports - Trae Young, PG, Oklahoma

Scouts seem to be all over the place on Young -- who was the story of college basketball for much of this season while leading the nation in points (27.4) and assists (8.7) per game. Some believe he could become something similar to Stephen Curry thanks to his shot-making ability and range. But others think the player who mostly struggled in February and March is a truer version of this little point guard literally nobody projected as a one-and-done lottery pick coming out of high school. My opinion: Young will be really good. Probably not good enough to be a two-time NBA MVP like Curry. But good enough to make him a worth pick in the top half of the lottery. -- Gary Parrish


Syracuse v Duke
Wendell Carter of Duke
Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

SI.com - Wendell Carter, C, Duke

For the second year in a row the Magic will pick at No. 6, dropping a spot after the Kings’ lucky draw. Orlando will be looking for the best player on the board, and at this stage it’s Carter. The Duke big man was often overshadowed by Bagley, but isn’t far behind him as a player, viewed by many scouts as a bankable player who should be able to stick around the league for a long time as a quality starter. He brings a nice mix of talent and intangibles, with his main knocks being a lack of elite vertical lift. Carter has good size, great hands, rebounds the ball well and will be able to play inside-out. He presents both safety and upside here. -- Jeremy Woo


NBA.com Part I - Michael Porter Jr., SF, Missouri

Teams will be wary of his back injury which limited him to just three games at Mizzou, but he can shoot, which with his length, makes him a valuable weapon. -- Drew Packham


Alabama v Villanova
Collin Sexton of Alabama
Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

NBA.com Part II- Collin Sexton, PG, Alabama

There will be higher regarded big men here, but they are most desperate for a point guard after trading Payton. There’ll be talk about perhaps Trea Young, but Sexton makes more sense as an athletic, physical leader type. He doesn’t pass much and is more in the mold of Dennis Smith Jr. from last year’s draft to Dallas. They don’t have great bigs, but they have enough. -- Sam Smith


The Ringer - Marvin Bagley III, C, Duke

A complicated prospect: He’s a modern tweener who has athletic center skills but an unreliable jump shot and the body of a forward. -- Ringer staff


Sporting News - Trae Young, PG, Oklahoma

Although Orlando general manager John Hammond has previously shown a preference for length and athleticism in draft prospects, the team’s need at the point guard spot is glaring.

If everything clicks, Young has the potential to be the best player in this draft because of his pull-up shooting ability. The 19-year-old possesses extreme range and a quick release that can bend defenses. He’ll be a risky selection because of his defensive downside, but if the offense comes through, watch out. -- Chris Stone


NCAA Basketball Tournament - First Round - Nashville
Michael Porter Jr. of Missouri
Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

USA Today - Michael Porter Jr., SF, Missouri

Orlando’s front office likes drafting for size and length, making Porter a possible target. It’s fair to wonder whether Porter did himself any favors by returning from back surgery to play in the SEC tournament. Individual workouts, the draft combine and medical evaluations are going to be integral to Porter’s value. -- USA Today staff


The Big Lead - Collin Sexton, PG, Alabama

The Magic went upside last year with Jonathan Isaac, so they make the sensible pick here and fill their biggest need. This might be high for Sexton but the team has a ton of wings and big men, it desperately needs punch on the perimeter. If things play out this way, don’t be shocked if Orlando trades out of this spot. -- Vik Chokshi


UPROXX - Trae Young, PG, Oklahoma

Candidly, my guard is up on Young and I’m not convinced he’s a top-six player in this class. The Magic need an infusion of talent, though, and point guard is definitely a position of need. That makes the partnership come together, but there is at least a chance that the front office isn’t ready to take the plunge. -- Brad Rowland


Texas  v Texas Tech
Mo Bamba of Texas
Photo by John Weast/Getty Images

Yahoo - Mo Bamba, C, Texas

Yes, they were foolish to pay Bismack Biyombo. But the Magic have lacked a true center for quite some time and they get a potential home-run pick in Bamba, the man with the 7-foot-9 wingspan who averaged more than 4 blocks per game. He’s the best player remaining and fills a need for the Magic. -- Mark Strotman


New York Post - Trae Young, PG, Oklahoma

The Magic are in their perennial rebuild and need a point guard and people who can put the ball in the basket from beyond arm’s length. Young, though undersize, fits needs. He has quality range and is an excellent passer (8.7 apg). -- Fred Kerber


Bleacher Report - Trae Young, PG, Oklahoma

After passing on Dennis Smith Jr. last year, the Orlando Magic won’t let another point guard slip past them. They’ll grab their floor general of the future in Trae Young, who’ll give them a much-needed playmaker in the backcourt.

They should value his ball-screen offense (76th percentile), isolation game (85 percentile) and shot-making (118 threes).

Orlando is already dealing with a frontcourt logjam with Aaron Gordon (restricted free agent), Jonathan Isaac and Nikola Vucevic. And though the Magic could use Michael Porter Jr.’s scoring ability, adding him would create an even clunkier frontcourt.

There isn’t an enormous difference between Young and the remaining prospects. With that in mind, the Magic will fill the biggest need on their roster with one of the draft’s most exciting shooters and passers. -- Jonathan Wasserman