STUFF the Magic should consider with the 6th pick
The lottery played out just as expected for Magic fans; The Los Angeles Lakers kept their top-three pick this year and the 2019 they almost owed Orlando while the Magic landed the 6th pick overall, their projected outcome prior to the draft. Lucky for Acting GM Matt Lloyd, there’s 8 bonafide prospects and a plethora of sleepers hiding in the deep end of the draft pool available in the upcoming NBA Draft, June 22nd at 8pm, as noted by:
THE COUNTDOWN CLOCK!
Here’s some STUFF acting Magic GM Matt Lloyd may consider doing with the 6th pick:
Draft the player with the highest potential upside! Only a prospect whom acting GM Matt Lloyd considers to be a potential All-NBA level player, a true franchise-changer, should be in consideration. With Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball, Josh Jackson, Jayson Tatum, and De’Aaron Fox expected to be the first five taken off the board, Orlando is left with half of a cupboard full of prescription cornerstones: Jonathan Isaac, Malik Monk, and Dennis Smith.
The Magic will consider any of the first five who slip, as they should, but don’t be fooled by certain pre-draft hype. All of these players project to have long NBA careers, wherever they land on their development scale. Jonathan Isaac’s lengthy stature, messy hair, and range from downtown project him to have as high an upside as anyone in the draft, my biggest sleeper and someone I’ve questionably already nicknamed Giannathan Isaactekounmpo. Malik Monk could develop anywhere between a 3pt-maestro in C.J. McCollum to a streaky J.R. Smith type, a comp Monk shares with every undersized shooting guard entering the draft. Dennis Smith, although flashing Steve Franchise level greatness in highlights, would theoretically replace Elfrid Payton, and although we need more depth at the 1, I’m not ready to sell my share of rent at the Floptop Penthouse; the views surrounding the Eyesore off I-4 are too pleasant to simply leave without real incentive.
Move down a few slots in the draft. As previously mentioned, over the next month the top 8 picks are each viewed as golden tickets by other GMs. Let me ask you: did all the golden-ticket factory-tour winners make it to the elevator scene with Charlie, Grandpa Joe, and the Wonk? that’s what I thought.
This draft is deep enough with above-average talent where the Magic can look at a multitude of maneuvers. The Kings are in full rebuild-mode; Sacramento could be interested in overpaying for a move up from #10 to #6 to grab “their guy” De’Aaron Fox while double-downing on another elite prospect at #5. Perhaps they’d throw in WCS, Tyreke, Papagiannis, or McLemore if that’s something the Magic are interested in; this allows Orlando to gain a few assets while adding Lauri Markkanen, Frank Ntilikina, or a possible draft-day stud who falls a few spots from his annointed projected slot on everyone’s Big Board ala 2015 when Justice Winslow slipped to Miami at #10.
Stan Van Gundy and the Pistons stayed at the 12th pick in this year’s draft, and although the pickins ain’t slim, Detroit doesn’t have much of a shot at one of the “potential franchise changers” in the top-8. If Stan Van is so low on Drummond, would he consider a potential flip of bigs, wings, and 1st round picks based around Andre?
Detroit recieves: #6, Bismack Biyombo, Evan Fournier
Orlando recives: #12, Andre Drummond, Stanley Johnson
If Stan Van wants Vucevic over Biz as his rim-protecting pick-setter to play down-low, the trade can be modified. Either way, the Magic land one of the few elite bigs in the league at the plump age of 23 years old, the former 8th overall pick in Stanley Johnson, now 20 years of age, and the 12th pick where elite value can be found. Assuming Drummond’s career path to develop into Dwight-lite isn’t obstructed at this point, Andre’s a big man worth more time and investment.
Trade that sucker for a STAR! GMs around the league are (rightfully) freaking out over the top of this draft; the top-8 picks are officially overvalued. While this class has been hyped up as one of the best since the LeBron, Darko, Wade, Bosh, Melo group, which as you might remember turned out to be pretty dope, the lottery is still full of projects who most likely wont make a relatively huge impact on actual wins for 3–4 seasons. Jimmy Butler and Paul George are the obvious targets of available stars capable of adding wins right away; C.J. McCollum, Carmelo Anthony, or Kristaps Porzingis may be rocking a slightly cheaper price tag at the moment due to organizational crossroads, and Andre Drummond isn’t exactly unattainable. Depending on the asking price, any of these all-star caliber players are worth looking into for acquisition via a trade around #6 overall. (other than straight up for Carmelo this late in his career)
Does Phil Jackson have a cell phone? Can acting GM Matt Lloyd locate his home-phone number? Is there any chance he can ROOK the Knicks without them realizing it? Would Carmelo waive his no-trade clause to join an upstart in the “rains while it’s sunny out” city of O’Town where he can shine brightly with no income tax, a supporting cast built to surround an elite wing scorer, and his new Latvian chum of a sidekick Kristaps Porzingis joining alongside him? Maybe if we don’t have to gut the seemingly bare roster in the process…
Knicks receive: #6, Evan Fournier, Nikola Vucevic, Terrence Ross ($38M)
Magic receive: Kristaps Porzingis, Carmelo Anthony, Courtney Lee ($40M)
By holding onto our core three guys in Elfrid, Mario Hezonja, and Aaron Gordon, these three newcomers would fit in perfectly while raising the team’s overall play to another level. Carmelo can relax from the daily grind of N.Y. Media and focus on nothing but buckets, Kristaps can finally take control of his rightful destiny of the new-NBA, small-ball center, and Courtney Lee would slide gracefully into starter minutes at the 2 for a homecoming to the team that drafted him. The Elfrid-Aaron pick-and-roll is now surrounded by nothing but shooting threats, while Hezonja is given more time to grow into himself serving as the primary ball-handler for the 2nd unit. A rotation of
Elfrid, Lee, Melo, AG, Kristaps, Hezonja, Biz, DJ, and the #25 pick each receiving consistent minutes in a defined role looks wondrous on paper; in the Eastern conference, one would thing this group could even contend for a lower playoff seed by next season! Hashtag #TrustTheProgress
