Trading Up Would Help Orlando Magic Land Coveted NBA Draft Prospects

As one of six teams with multiple first-round selections, the Orlando Magic could be a serious player in the June NBA Draft. Neither selection is in the lottery, but if they can package picks No. 16 and 25 to move up or sweeten an offer with one of them and a player to land a spot right around No. 10-11, president John Hammond can take a bigger swing at adding another piece to his team’s young puzzle. 

Experienced draft analysts are in agreement in calling this one of the deepest talent pools in recent years. Finding a way to move as high as No. 7 by trading with the New Orleans Pelicans or even moving up a few spots with the Rockets (10), Trail Blazers (11), Bulls (12) and Spurs (14) all reportedly open to offers, is worth exploring.  Word is a number of teams in the Top 10 are willing to listen to offers.

With that in mind, who would be worth trading up for who almost certainly wouldn’t be available at No. 16?

Kaspars Jakucionis, G, Illinois

The Lithuanian guard looks to be a lock Top-10 pick after measurements showed he grew an inch while at Illinois, which means he’ll play at 6-foot-6. An excellent passer and shooter, he’d be a strong complement to Jalen Suggs, who would be able to cover for some of his potential defensive shortcomings when he returns from surgery. Jakucionis averaged 5.7 rebounds for the Illini, regularly flirting with triple-doubles. He turns just 19 on May 29 and wore down some late in his lone college season, but any stamina issues should disappear as he gets older and stronger.

Kon Knueppel, G, Duke

The ideal target, he’s not just a prolific shooter. Knueppel is the wing who would serve Orlando best due to the improved spacing he’d generate, and was also lauded for his competitive spirit and instincts. Knueppel is always willing to mix it up, is a better-than-expected rebounder and isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. While he’s unlikely to ever become a standout defender, he’ll be an asset if he’s serviceable.

Khaman Maluach, C, Duke

The defense-oriented Magic want to add more offense, but the one thing they’re missing is a true rim protector. Maluach won’t turn 19 years old until mid-September, but he’s already played in an Olympics and a Final Four. He’s raw, but has skills beyond being impossibly tall. He shot 12-for-25 on 3-pointers in both catch-and-shoot and on the move shooting drills. You also can’t teach 7-foot-2, his wing span was measured just shy of 7-foot-7 and he’d likely be a top-five pick in most other drafts.

Derik Queen, C, Maryland

Having already interviewed with Orlando, Queen is worth considering since he projects to being an above-average offensive asset in the pros. There are questions on whether he’ll be able to defend consistently, but he was a matchup problem in college due to his ability to put the ball on the floor at 6-foot-10. He’s going to improve as his conditioning does given his elite footwork, and has a 7-foot wingspan to help him hang with NBA centers.

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