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We are now one week away from the NBA Draft.
That is when the Magic hopefully find a player that fills at least one of their most glaring needs.
To provide some insight on which player the Magic could target with the No. 15 pick, our draft aficionado Aaron Goldstone answered a second round of Orlando Magic draft questions during a Q&A session on Twitter Tuesday night. Check out his thoughts below, and be sure to check out Part I here.
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@jeremyfsmith: What are the chances that the Magic move up in the draft?
Goldstone: It’s a possibility. I say that because I think the depth/value in this draft is in the 8-20 range. So teams towards the end of the lottery may look to move down. Not sure this is the draft ORL should be looking to make a big move up.
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@dynainteractive: I‘m intrigued by Cole Anthony. He didn’t have the smoothest season at UNC, but he still seems like one of the more talented PGs in this draft. The thought of him sitting around 15, seems like an instant draft for me. He seems like a guy that can thrive as a score first backup PG
Goldstone: Completely agree. Maybe he doesn’t have the ceiling that people thought coming out of HS/AAU, but I think he has a relatively high-floor. Will have a long NBA career. Not the type of prospect ORL management has targeted in the past though...At 15, you could do a lot worse.
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@flbronc13: Any chance [Devin] Vassell falls to us, and if he’s there do we take him?
Goldstone: 1) If Vassell fell to ORL, I do think they would take him (I’m not as high on him at the moment as I was back in April, but he would still be BPA in that scenario) 2) I think he will be gone in the 9-13 range.
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@BandrewG: Who is the longest player in the draft?
Goldstone: Outside of the lottery...Poku, Jalen Smith, Achiuwa, Woodard, I. Stewart are all over 7-0 wingspan. <ducks>
@Guraka23: Thought’s on the Aleksej Pokusevski?
Goldstone: Honestly, I haven’t watched enough of him to solidly give you an evaluation either way. I don’t mind saying that either...I’d rather be honest than fake it. I’ve spent time over the last seven months watching tape on a lot of guys, but he wasn’t one of them. From people I trust, I’ve heard/read that he is very skilled for a young big. Nice handle, nice touch, vision is there. But he’s painfully skinny. His body needs a lot of work (weight, frame, strength) before you can even begin to envision is role/play on an NBA floor.
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@ACSchroth: It’s likely the Magic will go “best available” but in their opinion is best available someone that will contribute next season or is it someone that is a project that we can develop?
Goldstone: I think “best available” for ORL’s decision-making group is def. someone with long-term upside. Positional-fit/depth with the current roster hasn’t been a factor in their decision-making to date. That could change one of these years, but they certainly have had a brand thus far.
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@wavedaveyonfire: Who is the worst fit for the magic? Because that is who I can assume they will be drafting
Goldstone: LOL Spoken like a true Magic fan. I think he’s an elite defensive prospect, and he’ll be gone before they pick anyway, but Isaac Okoro comes to mind as a “not great fit”...that the Magic would likely take anyway if available (defensive upside)
Thank you to everyone who submitted questions. Be sure to follow @AaronGoldstone for NBA Draft and Orlando Magic insight and analysis.