ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Magic began their latest rebuilding phase Thursday night with Gonzaga point guard Jalen Suggs falling right in their laps at No. 5. They then turned around and snagged Michigan forward/center Franz Wagner at No. 8.
Orlando also already has Wagner’s brother Mo Wagner on its roster.
With their first pick in the 2021 NBA draft, the Orlando Magic found Suggs still sitting on the board when they were on the clock to make their No. 5 selection. Sticking with their intention to take the best available players, Orlando drafted the Gonzaga point guard to begin their rebuilding project.
This past season, Suggs averaged 14 points, 5.3 and 4.5 rebounds a game at Gonzaga.
Suggs is also an accurate shooter, hitting 50% of his floor shots going 155 of 308, and he also hit 34% of his 3-pointers (35-104).
Suggs was Gonzaga’s go-to player when the Zags needed a bucket during a season that saw the Zags lose just one game, the NCAA championship game to Baylor. His buzzer-beating 3-pointer in the national semifinals sent UCLA packing and pushed Gonzaga into their first-ever appearance in the national title game.
The Magic might have been thrown another NBA draft-night curve ball when FSU and Montverde Academy product Scottie Barnes was selected at No. 4 by the Toronto Raptors, but the selection of Suggs was a big hit with most draft experts.
As for the German-born Franz Wagner, in 55 career games at Michigan, he averaged 12 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists. He also made 46.5% of his field goals.
Taking a look at players selected at those positions over the past five seasons doesn’t exactly scream optimism for a team looking to add immediate impact.
There was one exception, however, considering that 2018 produced two players the Magic would have loved to be sitting with right now. Trae Young went No. 5 to Atlanta that year and Collin Sexton went No. 8 to Cleveland.
Young is Mr. Everything in Atlanta and led the Hawks to the NBA Eastern Conference finals this year. Sexton has been impressive, as well, but the Cavs have not taken advantage, continuing to mire themselves in mediocrity that only LeBron James seems to be able to remedy.
Aside from those two, it hasn’t exactly been a who’s who in draft selections at the Nos. 5 and 8 spots. Isaac Okoro, Darius Garland, DeAaron Fox and Kris Dunn are the other No 5 picks since 2016. Fox has delivered an impact, but the rest aren’t exactly going to help carry a franchise to the next level.
At the No. 8 spot the other four years were Obi Toppin, Jaxson Hayes, Frank Ntilikina and Marquese Chriss — poor selections at critical draft positions. Other than Fox, these have been wasted picks, and teams cannot do that when drafting in the top 10.
That’s why draft preparation for this, arguably the most important draft in Magic history, is crucial to the future of the Orlando franchise. Pick an average player at both spots and you’re stuck with another less-than-average season and more lottery picks next year.
Interestingly, it was the No. 5 pick in 2018 that proved quite costly for the Magic and sent them into their 2020-21 season of dismay, a season in which they threw up their arms and said that it’s time to start over. They traded Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier to rid themselves of salary and age. Now they’re back to Square 1.
In 2018, the Magic were ready to celebrate. They had the No. 6 pick and seemingly falling into their laps was Young. But Dallas drafted Young and then quickly traded him to Atlanta for Luka Doncic. The Magic could have made a move for Young and it would have been brilliant. Instead, they were left scrambling.
Soon thereafter NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was saying that the Orlando Magic had drafted Texas center project Mo Bamba. Young was an instant success. Bamba is stilling finding his NBA feet. Even Sexton might have been better at the No. 6 spot, but that’s easy to say in hindsight. The Magic just know they can make no blunders in this 2021 draft.
Of course, players such as Young don’t come around very often, but doing your homework can sometimes be the difference in a playoff run and next year’s lottery. Over his first three seasons, Young has averaged 33 minutes a game and put up an average of 24 points, nine assists and four rebounds while shooting at 43%, including 39% from 3-point range. Oh what the Magic could have done with that selection.
Thursday night, the Magic were looking for their own Trae Young. He likely doesn’t exist in this draft, but guys who can make an immediate impact will be critical.
