Magic Starting 5: Orlando New Mock Draft

The Orlando Magic could net another lottery pick to its arsenal if it misses the playoffs next season.

Jeremy Brener | Aug 6, 2023

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Orlando Magic

1. MAGIC MOCK DRAFT "He could be a fun center option for Orlando, potentially the only position they somewhat need right now," Parker continued.

2. ANTHONY BLACK INJURY “(The Magic) already know I got a bum ankle, so they’re not going to really trip if I don’t have as much burst,” Black said in his YouTube docuseries. “I’m just going to go out there, get a couple of buckets, make a couple of shots, get some assists and rebounds.”

3. COLE HITTING FREE AGENCY "He can be a change-of-pace guard who gets shots and buckets up in a hurry and changes the complexion of a game with a hot streak right when his team needs it," Bleacher Report writes. "In a contract year that happens to coincide with the Magic potentially being ready to push for a play-in spot, teams around the league will take notice."

4. PAOLO'S PICK “You’ve got to pick one or the other," Banchero said via Ben Golliver. "Someone’s going to be left out. … It was a hard decision but it had to be made, and hopefully it was no hard feelings. … I feel like respect was shown on both sides.”

5. NTILIKINA SIGNS WITH HORNETS A rival of the Orlando Magic is bolstering its guard rotation.

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Charlotte Hornets have signed Frank Ntilikina to a one-year deal.

Ntilikina, 25, began his professional career as the eighth overall pick of the 2017 draft with the New York Knicks. Now, he's back in the Eastern Conference.

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Published Aug 6, 2023

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.