For the Orlando Magic, who have the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft, it would seem as if the pre-draft process should have been winding down by Monday.
The college basketball season ended more than 2 1/2 months ago and almost five weeks ago, the Magic won the draft lottery that secured them the top pick in Thursday night’s draft.
Most pre-draft workouts and interviews wrapped up early this week, with many of the top prospects traveling to New York City for the draft.
But as Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman sees it, “it’s still early in the process” and there’s plenty of time for Orlando’s organization to mull over what it’s going to do.
“My dad used to tell me if the paper is due on Friday, don’t turn it in on Monday,” Weltman said when speaking with reporters on Monday. “We’re going to continue to evaluate. New information comes in all the time.”
This “paper” is due Thursday evening, but the sentiment remains — the Magic are going to use all the time they can before deciding what they’ll do with the draft’s No. 1 pick.
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Weltman said he expects the Magic to use the No. 1 pick.
It’s rare for the top pick to be traded. Since the draft lottery started in 1985, the No. 1 pick has only been traded three times on or before draft night (1986, 1993 and 2017).
But Weltman wouldn’t rule anything out. Deadlines create movement, options and offers that weren’t previously on the table until the last possible moment.
“It’s our job to explore any avenue to get our team better,” Weltman said. “We’ll take as much time as we can to do that.”
Former Duke forward Paolo Banchero, Gonzaga big man Chet Holmgren and Auburn forward Jabari Smith Jr. have been considered the three prospects expected to draw consideration for the top pick since before the college basketball season ended.
Many rival executives and scouts have believed the No. 1 pick will come down to two players — Holmgren and Smith — since the Magic won the draft lottery.
But the Magic have brought in various players throughout their draft board for workouts in Orlando to get a closer look at them ahead of Thursday.
“The conversation doesn’t just stay on that pick because we have to be prepared to jump around,” Weltman said. “We have to be prepared for conversations to become real. It’s not like we’re just talking about the top two or three guys.”
The Magic also have two second-round picks, Nos. 32 and 35.
Weltman acknowledged they’ve considered consolidating those picks by attempting to trade into the back end of the first round or other avenues.
There will be limited playing opportunities for an Orlando team that could have around 10 players under the age of 25 on the roster for next season.
“How many young guys can we get through the woods? They’re not all going to make it through maybe, but they have to have a chance,” Weltman said. “We do pay attention to that. We are having discussions with teams. Because we’re a team that has two early second-round picks and those are treated differently financially in the salary cap, especially to tax teams, it puts us in a position to have some conversations.”
NBA Draft 2022: Ivey, Daniels headline list of point guards
JADEN IVEY
The 6-foot-4, 195-pound Purdue guard is a top-5 prospect with his potential both as a scorer and playmaker.
STRENGTHS: With athleticism to play either guard spot, the 20-year-old Ivey went from a complimentary piece as a freshman (11.1 points per game) to a second-team Associated Press All-American averaging 17.3 points and 4.9 rebounds. Ranked as the draft’s No. 4 prospect by ESPN, Ivey has proven the ability to score off the dribble or finish at the rim, whether gliding gracefully through traffic or throwing down with power.
Notably, his improved shooting helped elevate his game beyond highlight-reel moments. Ivey shot 46% from the field (up from 39.9% as a freshman) from the field and 35.8% from behind the arc (up from 25.8%) last season. That included going from having eight games with at least two made 3s as a freshman to 21 such games last year.
CONCERNS: Ivey has the tools to develop into a quality defender but needs more consistency there. Offensively, he had a tendency at times to play out of control with his aggressive edge, making him prone to turnovers (2.6 per game, close to his 3.1-assist average) and forced shots.
DYSON DANIELS
The 19-year-old bypassed the college ranks to play for Ignite, bringing size and versatility to the pro ranks.
STRENGTHS: The 6-7, 195-pound Daniels has the size to play and defend multiple positions, particularly as a point guard who added another inch and roughly 20 pounds of strength to his frame in the past year.
Ranked No. 6 by ESPN, Daniels has a nearly 6-11 wingspan and posted the fastest time (2.81 seconds) of any player tested at the NBA scouting combine in the shuttle run, which measures agility and ability to change direction. He averaged 11.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.9 assists for Ignite.
“For me, playing the point guard position and being 6-7 is really beneficial to me,” Daniels said in an interview with the AP in late March. “I'm able to go play down in the low post, play with the ball in my hands off pick and rolls and stuff like that. It was a big focus for me putting on size and weight this year.”
CONCERNS: Daniels' outside shot is still developing. He made 13 of 51 (25.5%) 3-pointers in 14 games with Ignite.
TYTY WASHINGTON JR.
Kentucky’s latest one-and-done player is a first-round prospect with his playmaking ability.
STRENGTHS: The 6-4, 196-pound freshman showed quickness and versatility at both guard spots. That included time at the point for injured Sahvir Wheeler and setting a single-game school record with 17 assists in a January win against Georgia.
Ranked No. 17 by ESPN, Washington was second on the team in scoring (12.5 points) while shooting 45% and averaging 3.9 assists. He also committed more than two turnovers in just six of 31 games.
CONCERNS: The outside shot must improve after making just 36 3-pointers and shooting 35% from behind the arc. Durability also became an issue as he missed three games because of injury and twice failed to hit double figures in the final four games, including going 2 for 10 in the stunning upset loss to No. 15 seed St. Peter’s in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
KENNEDY CHANDLER
The 6-0, 172-pound Tennessee freshman is a first-round prospect with speed and the defensive skills to rank among the nation’s best in steals (2.2). ESPN’s No. 19 draft prospect also shot 38% from 3-point range, including 17 of 30 (56.7%) over seven games in March, and had the best max vertical leap (41.5 inches) of any player measured at the NBA scouting combine.
DALEN TERRY
The 6-7 sophomore brought size and defense to the Arizona backcourt as a potential first-round prospect while taking a leading role late in the season due to teammate Kerr Kriisa’s ankle injury.
ANDREW NEMBHARD
The 6-5 senior was a starter in Gonzaga's run to the 2021 NCAA title game, then averaged 11.8 points and 5.8 assists last season while improving his 3-point shooting (38.3%). Nembhard could be a late first-round pick.
JEAN MONTERO
The 6-2, 172-pound Montero bypassed the college ranks to play for the Overtime Elite developmental program, and is a second-round prospect.
