We are now less than two hours away! Here is an extensive Magic Draft Preview to get us ready. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The NBA Draft is less than a few hours away and the phone bills are running up at Two Magic Place. As everyone already knows, The Orlando Magic are working on making a trade up from #11 to the #4-#8 range. The Magic are in love with Washington guard Brandon Roy and Duke forward Shelden Williams. However, landing either of these players will not be possible unless the Magic make a trade up. Despite countless rumors, it does not seem like a trade is in the works at the moment. This means the Magic could very well be stuck to whoever falls to #11. Some possibilities and the options include Arkansas swingman Ronnie Brewer, Memphis guard Rodney Carney and Duke sharpshooter J.J. Redick. Reports are now stating the Magic are cooling on Brewer. That is understandable if Deshawn Stevenson is indeed returning as this team needs at least one shooter from the shooting guard position to spread the floor for Dwight Howard and Darko Milicic. However, while I believe there is an outside shot for a big, the only bigman the Magic won't let get past them is Duke Forward/center Shelden Williams. This will be a crazy draft though and there is a chance a player like Villanova guard Randy Foye or Connecticut forward Rudy Gay could drop. The Magic are really keeping things tight right now as I have been given a ton of different stories it seems from sources and nothing concreate other than the stuff we have already heard.. So, instead of trying to put all of the thoughts together, I'm going with what I think will happen. Here is my mock draft of the top-11 picks. 1) Toronto- Andrea Bargnani 2) Chicago- Tyrus Thomas 3) Charlotte- Adam Morrison 4) Portland- LaMarcus Aldridge 5) Atlanta- Shelden Williams 6) Minnesota- Randy Foye 7) Boston- Brandon Roy 8) Houston- Rudy Gay 9) Golden State- Ronnie Brewer 10) Seattle- Cedric Simmons 11) Orlando- J.J. Redick/Rodney Carney Analysis: I really think it is a toss-up between J.J. Redick and Rodney Carney. I think general manager Otis Smith will go with Redick here because the Magic have been in love with him this past year. Redick would give this team an outside shooter to spread the floor and despite concerns about him, he could florish with a team like the Magic with Dwight Howard and Darko Milicic backing him up on defense and the double teams those two could eventually draw. Carney might be the overall better player but questions about his desire make him a less safer pick even though I think he will be a nice player and one I would not mind at all seeing on this team. Despite the injuries, I just feel the Magic know what they are getting in Redick and why I feel they will pick him. Of course, the Magic did surprise us last year with Fran Vazquez and they could go big again this year with N.C. State forward Cedric Henderson, Connecticut center Hilton Armstrong or Bradley center Patrick O'Bryant. Do not rule out a trade here either or the possibility of Ronnie Brewer being picked here if he falls. In the 2nd round look for the Magic to select a bigman and a european player they can park overseas for a couple of seasons with their two picks #41 and #44. Assistant general manager Dave Twardik has been overseas scouting all year so it is safe to assume the later. After the Orlando Magic make their pick, I will live on RealGM Radio to give my analysis on the pick. Be sure to tune in throughout tonight's Draft. Until then, let's not worry about our mock drafts and enjoy the Magic's last time in the lottery for hopefully a long time to come.</div> Source
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TheFreshPrince:</div><div class="quote_post">the leading scorer of the acc is pathetic at number 11, please</div> When Brewer and Carney are on the board, yes. Those are future superstars.
Why??????????? Brewer and Carney would have been better picks. All I have to say is, Otis Smith better Resign Deshawn it would be a huge mistake not to (esspecially now)
As much as I was saying why we shouldn't draft Redick, I"m not too disappointed in the pick. I would have put money on it that we took Redick, so I'm not too surprised and I prepped myself for this pick before it, so I'm not as pissed off as I normally would be. I think he will be a valuable role player to our future. I do wish we would have drafted Brewer or Carney who would be much better fits and would be more valuable, IMO. As long as Redick comes off the bench and we resign Deshawn Stevenson then I'll be fine with this pick. If we pick him to start then I would absolutely hate this pick. He'll be instant offense off our bench and if we put him with Ariza off the bench, we have enough defense to make up for his lack of defense.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting GatorsowntheNCAA:</div><div class="quote_post">As much as I was saying why we shouldn't draft Redick, I"m not too disappointed in the pick. I would have put money on it that we took Redick, so I'm not too surprised and I prepped myself for this pick before it, so I'm not as pissed off as I normally would be. I think he will be a valuable role player to our future. I do wish we would have drafted Brewer or Carney who would be much better fits and would be more valuable, IMO. As long as Redick comes off the bench and we resign Deshawn Stevenson then I'll be fine with this pick. If we pick him to start then I would absolutely hate this pick. He'll be instant offense off our bench and if we put him with Ariza off the bench, we have enough defense to make up for his lack of defense.</div> I prepped myself for this pick too and I called it in my mock draft. I'm still pretty mad though but I hope it works out and he does good.
This makes Deshawn even more valuable to us now, if we don't resign him we better hope Grant Hill plays the whole season (at the 2 Hedo at sf) I don't think JJ will ever be a legitimate starter in this league esspecially guarding shooting guards in the east. This is a waste of a lottery pick IMO. at best I think he will be a bench/role player. I would have rather drafted Gansney in the 2nd round (and drafted Brewer or Carney) Reddick = Travis deiner just a few inches taller and not as good of a passer/ballhandler.
Defense is going to be difficult now when Redick is in because Jameer and Hedo aren't excellent defenders that can step up and make up for Redick's lack of defense. Also, his athleticism is in question and like I said before, hopefully he proves me wrong. We still have both of our second round picks so we still have a chance to improve.
How do you pass up two of the best swingmen(which the Magic definately lack) for a pure shooter that doesn't know what defense is? I don't like it at all I was really hoping that they would take Brewer or Carney. Utah lucked out though.
Here is some info about the big man James Augustine. NBA Comparison: Andrew DeClerq Strengths: Forward with good agility, solid athlete ... Runs the floor well, fluid bigman ... Nothing spectacular but plays hard and has developed his offensive game inside ... Works hard inside for rebounds despite small build ... A hustler, plays hard on both ends, good energy level ... Nine rebounds per game in the Big Ten is impressive ... Not a tremendous leaper, but solid ... Free throw shooting dipped to 65 percent in his senior year but is decent ... A team player. Unselfish ... Plays within himself. Makes good decision, doesn't force many bad shots ... Weaknesses: Has gotten stronger but still lacks the body to handle inside play on the next level ... Lacks the strength to grab rebounds inside the way he did in college ... Will need to add another 15-20 pounds, and it's uncertain how it will affect his quickness ... Lacks much of an offensive game, scoring on a lot of put backs and baskets close in ... Offensive skills are somewhat mechanical, predictable ... His mid-range jump shot has shown improvement, but still is not a huge strength ... Not a real shot blocker despite his good length ... NOOOOOOO NOT DECLERQ!!!! WHY?!?! WE ARE CURSED!
Now we just picked Lior Eliyahu. Here's some info on him. Eliyahu, a 20-year-old, 2.04-meter forward, "has improved a lot over the last two years, and is the perfect guy if an NBA team is looking for a prospect," Katash said. Often teams will select young international players in the draft, who have a great upside and potential to grow, but are a few years away from being ready to play in the NBA. These "prospect" players, as Katash called them, are most often placed on teams in their home countries to grow stronger and develop further before ultimately attempting the jump to the NBA. One advantage for NBA teams in keeping a player overseas is that it gives the player a chance to play basketball non-stop, whereas scores of American players who are drafted before their time wallow away on the end of a team's bench or in the NBA's Development League, until eventually being cut. Many experts feel that Eliyahu is a skilled, solid performer with what it takes to make it in the NBA. Katash says he "just needs to work on his perimeter game and size." Assuming Eliyahu is gearing up for an NBA career, he may be able to accomplish what he needs to do to become NBA-ready if he ends up playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv in the near future, as many people - including Katash - predict will happen. The consensus as Draft Day looms is that Eliyahu will one day play in the NBA. The question that remains is how many years he will play in Israel before that happens. So we just drafteda DeClerq and another Fran. Go Magic!
