NBA Draft: 3 Magic Scenarios, Including Trade Possibilities

The Orlando Magic holds the Nos. 6 and 11 picks in the NBA Draft. What will the team do with them?
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ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic is in the next phase of its offseason after learning that the team would have the Nos. 6 and 11 picks in the NBA Draft.

The Magic has a couple options with the pair of picks, making Orlando one of the most intriguing teams going into the draft.

Here's three possible scenarios the Magic could look into ...

Keep the Picks, Take Best Players Available

This is the easiest route since it requires the Magic not to get involved in anything the team already isn't in. With two more lottery picks, Orlando can continue its trajectory towards becoming one of the most promising teams in the NBA.

There isn't a specific need for the Magic since the team has a lot of upside at each position, but Orlando could use some long-distance shooting. In The Athletic's latest mock draft, the Magic addressed that with UCF forward Taylor Hendricks at No. 6 and Kansas sharpshooter Gradey Dick at No. 11.

The downside is that there may not be enough minutes to spread around for both rookies with a number of other players on the roster needing playing time. That's why even though this is the path of least resistance, it's probably the least likely to happen.

Trade Up

If Orlando could package these two picks to move up in the draft and take one top player, the Magic could be well on its way to the playoffs this season.

An easy scenario looking at the teams ahead of the Magic is a trade with the Charlotte Hornets. Perhaps Orlando could deal Nos. 6, 11 and a future first-round pick to its division rival for No. 2, which could allow the Magic to draft point guard Scoot Henderson or small forward Brandon Miller, both of whom should be off the board before Orlando's first pick.

Trade Down or Out

The Magic wants to be in the playoffs next season, and in order to do that, some veteran leadership infused into the roster could be beneficial for Orlando.

For a team like the Toronto Raptors, who are slated to pick No. 13, trading veterans and starting fresh with a new coach is a likely solution. Toronto has a number of players that could be traded, like OG Anunoby or Pascal Siakam, that could intrigue the Magic into trading one or both of its picks.

Another team that could look to make a trade is the Chicago Bulls, who don't have a first-round pick because the Magic has theirs. Maybe the Bulls would be open for business to trade a player like DeMar DeRozan or Zach LaVine, and that could open up a ton of opportunities for the Magic.


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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.