| No Lotto Luck but plenty of options at 11 Authored by Jonathan Watters - May 25, 2005 - 12:13 am
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Magic Front Office is committed to bringing fans of the Orlando Magic great coverage throughout the entire year. As you all know, it has been a very busy week with John Weisbrod's resignation and the surprising re-hiring of Brian Hill as head coach. While both are pressing issues, We felt readers would be more interested in a draft article tonight and thus we will begin our 2005 Draft coverage.
It was a shame that the Magic could not move up from #11 but at least they did not drop down either. There are plenty of options at #11 though and this year we have a treat for all of you.
Magic Front Office has brought in DraftCity reporter Jonathan Watters as our Draft Expert for this year's draft. Jonathan writes for DraftCity.com, scouting NCAA and high school prospects. We are honored to have him as our Draft Expert this year.
In this installment, Jonathan answers 5 question from Site Manager Howard Mass about this year's draft ranging from options at #11, If any of this point guards could beat out Jameer Nelson for the starting spot, all the way to if anything will be left for the Magic in the second round.
Without further adu, here is Jonathan.
Thanks for allowing me to answer a few of your questions, and for making me a part of Magic Front Office’s 2005 draft coverage. I’m looking forward to being able to help out. It’s too bad the Magic couldn’t defy the odds and move up in the lottery yet again, but the #11 pick should yield a very nice player this year. Anyways, on to the questions…
Magic Front Office asks:
Who are some players that could be available to the Magic at pick #11 and could you give us some background on each
Jonathan's response:
If the Magic want to go big, they have plenty of options. The middle of this year’s first round is practically bursting at the seams when it comes to big guys, and Orlando would pretty much have its choice of this group.
The Magic seem to be in a position where they could win sooner rather than later, and that could lead them to take one of several seasoned college stars, such as Hakim Warrick of Syracuse, Sean May of North Carolina, or Ike Diogu of Arizona State. Many people don’t have Diogu as high as #11, but I think he could be a great fit with Dwight Howard in the frontcourt. He is undersized, but put up some outstanding numbers at Arizona State, and has added a new facet to his game every season. People don’t realize how much he has improved as an athlete since he came in as a pudgy freshman.
If the new Orlando management is more willing to wait for a player to develop, some other intriguing options become available. High school behemoth Andrew Bynum would fit the bill, and would combine with Howard to form what could become the most physically imposing frontcourt in the league within the next couple of seasons.
There are also several foreign big guys that could be available around the #11 spot. French 7-footer Johan Petro is a truly unique athletic specimen, and his game seemed to turn the corner a bit this year over in Europe. Brazilian Tiago Splitter and Spain’s Fran Vasquez both got lots of experience and exposure in this season’s Euroleague, and could probably contribute something right away.
If it’s a wing the Magic are looking for, Antoine Wright of Texas A&M could be available. Wright really turned some heads by putting together a very complete season, after previously being known as just another athlete. Another wing possibility would be high school product Martell Webster out of Seattle, who might be the most ready to play of this year’s high school crop.
Magic Front Office asks:
Which of the above players do you feel would be the best pick for the Magic?
Jonathan's response:
If I were taking over as Orlando’s next GM, I might take a long look at Petro. He’s got an absolutely fabulous NBA body, has real potential as a defender/enforcer type, and appears to be improving. You just don’t see players with Petro’s physical package come along very often, and when they do, they are drafted in a raw, Kwame Brown-esque state. It might take Petro a year or two to develop the polish needed to be a real NBA difference-maker (especially on the offensive end), but the upside here is very significant.
The other player I really like in this range of the draft is Wright. He’s your prototype star athlete at the wing spot, at a lanky 6’7. He can put the ball on the floor, slash, and shoot it from deep. Wright really broke out as the college season went on, and put up some really impressive 3-point shooting numbers down the stretch. It’s a shame the Aggies just missed out on the tourney, because I think he would have blown up there. However, this might end up being a good thing for teams drafting the mid if late lottery this season, if Wright does indeed fall into that range and eventually develop into star.
Magic Front Office asks:
How deep is this draft in terms of point guards and which ones if any do you feel could beat Jameer Nelson out for the starting point guard spot?
Jonathan's response:
The depth at the PG spot is fairly standard in this draft, though there is quite a bit of talent at the top. After seeing how the lottery shook out, it’s my personal belief that four PG’s (Chris Paul of Wake Forest, Deron Williams of Illinois, Raymond Felton of North Carolina, and Jarrett Jack of Georgia Tech) could be taken within the first 7 picks. However, drafting a PG seems to be very need-based, and that means that at least one is likely to slip a bit. The Lakers could be looking PG right in front of Orlando, so that could be an issue as well.
Beyond those four, Croatian Roko Leni-Ukic is the only other PG projected to go in the first round. There are some intriguing second round possibilities, as players like Aaron Miles of Kansas, Filiberto Riviera from UTEP, Nate Robinson of Washington, Luther Head of Illinois, John Gilchrist of Maryland, and Marquette product Travis Diener should be there for the taking.
As for any of them beating out Nelson, that is a very difficult question. It’s tough to expect any rookie to come in and beat out a guy who has that year of experience under his belt, and had a successful one at that. I expect all four to be solid starters (at a minimum) in the NBA sooner rather than later, however.
Magic Front Office asks:
This team had a lot of defensive problems last year. Are there any good defenders in this draft?
Jonathan's response:
Projecting defense is always a tough task, as rookies are rarely any good at it. There are some players that project to be good on the defensive end in the pros, but it’s never a guarantee when it comes to this.
As far as big men go, Splitter and Petro both show some serious potential on the defensive end. Splitter has a slim frame, but is known for his aggression and some explosive shot blocking ability. Petro might need some time to develop into a “smart” defender, but nobody will be bowling through him on the block. He is a willing “banger”, and has potential as a shot blocker.
When looking at wings, a couple of players with “lock down” potential include Joey Graham out of Oklahoma State and Warrick. Graham is built like a tight end, and only recently moved his game out to the wing. You can rest assured that years of playing in the post have left him more than willing to use physicality to his advantage out on the wing. Warrick played almost exclusively in the post under Jim Boehiem, but has a lanky, wing-type build, and might just have the foot speed to stay ahead of wings in the NBA. If that is the case, his impressive length will allow him to lock up all sorts of perimeter players.
Magic Front Office asks: Will there be anything left for the Magic at #38 and #44?
Jonathan's response:I certainly think so. We would all hope that most of the number of underclassmen that have declared in record numbers would do the smart thing and return to school, but history tells us that a lot of these kids will stay in the draft. This means unprecedented depth, whether you are looking for a ready-to-contribute college senior, a high school kid to develop, or a Euro product to stash overseas for a few more seasons.
I mentioned the numerous intriguing PG prospects earlier, but Orlando could get itself a potential contributor at almost any position. Players like David Lee (PF, Florida), Ryan Gomes (F, Providence), Salim Stoudamire (G, Arizona), Dijon Thompson (Wing, UCLA), Linas Kleiza (F, Missouri), or Jared Homan (PF, Iowa State) might all have contended for first round status in next year’s draft (probably watered down because of the age limit), but will be nice finds for NBA GM’s this season. I mention a few of my favorites here, but there are plenty more. Former Michigan State Spartan Erazem Lorbek broke out in the Euroleague this year, but is only projected as a second rounder. Several high school kids, like Louis Williams, Monta Ellis, and Brandon Rush look like they are in the draft, first round or no.
With two picks early in the second round, I believe the Magic are in great shape to pick up a 2nd possible contributor for the 2005-2006 season, or a player that could develop into something special down the road.
How to contact Jonathan
I will be attending the NBA pre-draft camp in June, and am always happy to answer any draft-related questions, so feel free to shoot me an e-mail at jonathan_watters@msn.com. There is a lot going on over at DraftCity between now and draft night, so stop by often! |
