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Draft day has arrived.
The consensus on mock drafts from around to web is that the Magic will draft a guard, a sensical move with just three backcourt players currently on the roster.
Based on the findings below and the results of our last roundup, it seems R.J. Hampton, Tyrese Maxey and Aaron Nesmith are the favorites to be selected by the Magic if the team does indeed remain at No. 15.
Trade rumors surrounding Aaron Gordon - which may or may not be true - could change that.
“We’ve had discussions to move up, we’ve had discussions to move down and, as I always say, the greatest likelihood is that we pick where we are,” Jeff Weltman told reporters earlier this week. “It is our job to talk to teams, and it is our job to explore all options and to explore all avenues. Obviously, I won’t comment on kind of what we’re looking to do, but I will say that there’s an awful lot of stuff that’s been reported or rumor that has no basis in reality. I won’t say which does or which doesn’t, but that’s always the case this time of year.”
Odds are the Magic remain at 15. And there should be plenty of attractive options still on the board. Click on each link for the full mock draft...
SB Nation - R.J. Hampton / Desmond Bane
Why the Magic would take him: Is Hampton’s wingspan (reportedly 6’7) long enough to earn consideration in the first round from the Magic? We kid, but targeting length is what Orlando has been known for under John Hammond. After focusing on adding big forwards and centers to the front court mix in recent years, it’s about time Orlando drafts a guard. Hampton has a strong argument as the best one available at this point. While he’s not yet a natural floor general, the 6’5 Dallas native can aggressively attack the rim and run offense as a secondary creator. He gives Orlando some long-term upside while also filling a need on the bench right now.
OUR PICK: Desmond Bane, G, TCU. Bane has emerged as everyone’s favorite sleeper — I credit the fantastic work of draft scout Spencer Pearlman — after a stellar four-year career and excellent senior season at TCU. Bane has a case as the best shooter in the draft, hitting 44 percent of his three-pointers and finishing in the 90th percentile on spot-up attempts nationwide. Bane also has some secondary creator potential and holds his own defensively. He may not have the flashy upside of a one-and-done prospect like Hampton, but he’s a more complete player right now. — Ricky O’Donnell
ESPN - R.J. Hampton
Finding a guard who complements Markelle Fultz is probably a priority with D.J. Augustin and potentially Evan Fournier entering free agency. Enter Hampton, who has excellent size and speed with considerable room to grow on both ends of the floor and no glaring flaws that can’t be overcome in time. — Jonathan Givony
The Athletic - Tyrese Maxey
The Magic are said to be interested in Lewis, but he’s long gone by this stage. There is also a thought that they’re looking to move up on draft night into the lottery. A lot of the traditional Magic picks — long, athletic, high-upside guys — are gone in the backcourt by this stage. Here, I’ve gone with Maxey. He’s a strong scoring guard who can really get his shot in a variety of ways, something that might be a really solid fit with Fultz. The key though would be hoping Maxey could improve that shooting percentage... — Sam Vecenie
Bleacher Report - Kira Lewis Jr.
No. 15 appears to be Lewis’ floor, with the Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks both potential top-10 suitors. Scouts love his speed and ability to break down defenses, plus the fact that he’s younger or near the same age as most one-and-done freshmen. — Jonathan Wasserman
The Ringer - Tyrese Maxey
League sources say the Magic are attempting to move up into the lottery by packaging this pick with Aaron Gordon. If they stay put, Maxey would potentially provide lottery value and immediately inject life as an energetic presence and a hard-nosed defender. Though Markelle Fultz’s resurgence makes for a nice story, he’s still yet to prove he can reliably shoot the ball. Maxey is further along as a scorer off the dribble, which could push Fultz into his ideal role as a supercharged Shaun Livingston. — Kevin O’Connor
CBS Sports - Patrick Williams
Patrick Williams only shot 32.0% from 3-point range in his one season at Florida State. Regardless, he’s a long and strong 3-and-D wing who has reportedly performed well in pre-draft workouts. — Gary Parrish
NBC Sports - R.J. Hampton
Team Needs
Orlando is surprisingly well stocked with talent, although the mix of players needs some tweaking. So far they are ahead on the Markelle Fultz gamble, which might take care of the point guard spot long-term. They have Evan Fournier, Aaron Gordon, Jonathan Isaac and Nikola Vucevic filling out the remainder of the starting five. They could use an offensive spark plug and someone to help fill backcourt minutes in the future.
Why Hampton?
Hampton hurt his value slightly with his play in Australia, but it appears that he’s turning some heads during the draft process. He’s incredibly fast from one end of the court to the other and he has the ability to change speed and direction at an elite level. There is a possibility that Hampton could continue to move up draft boards in the coming week. He has a skill set that should translate well to the NBA game. — James Ham
Sports Illustrated - Tyrese Maxey
There’s some talk the Magic may want to move up in the draft, but they can pick from a number of solid guards and wings on the board at this spot. They’ve lacked a dynamic backcourt scorer for some time, and Maxey would be a nice match, with potential to evolve into a quality two-way contributor. Although he’ll need to move the ball more consistently, Maxey has a utilitarian style, plays with confidence, and has solid defensive potential with his body type and toughness. If his jump shot improves, his ceiling is as high as anyone’s in this range. Don’t expect him to fall too far out of the lottery. — Jeremy Woo
Rotoworld - Aaron Nesmith
...With Terrence Ross being one of the NBA’s streakier shooters, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to add one of this draft’s most consistent in that regard. Nesmith, who was limited to 14 games due to injury, fits the mold as he made 52.2 percent of his 8.2 3-point attempts per game. The 6-foot-6 wing is a capable scorer at all three levels, and he also averaged 1.4 steals per contest as a sophomore. — Raphielle Johnson