Orlando Magic: At Least Consider Frank Kaminsky

With the NCAA tournament coming to a thrilling conclusion, many prospects have improved their stock heading into this summer’s NBA Draft, arguably none more so than Frank Kaminsky of the Wisconsin Badgers. His first couple of years in college he barely registered at all, struggling to get onto the court ahead of more established players on the team.

After this truly breakout season for him, could he wind up playing for the Orlando Magic in the pros next season?

First off, a confession. I love this guy’s game and his somewhat rags to riches story, so stick me down as a fan. He first came to my attention through a SLAM article a while back, and I’ve kept tabs on him ever since. It’s often said that certain basketball players can do a little bit of everything, but in Kaminsky’s case, I believe it to be true.

Now, the Orlando Magic will most likely be drafting right around fifth this summer, and even for a guy like me, that’s probably too high to take Kaminsky. Sure, his rise has been somewhat remarkable, but there are better players in the country who have been highly touted for some time now.

Depending on who drafts ahead of Orlando and what their needs and wants are, somebody like a Willie Cauley-Stein or D’Angelo Russell could be available and make this team think long and hard about taking them.

But there are a couple of reasons to think Kaminsky could land in Orlando. Firstly, the Magic have a brief history since Dwight Howard left the team of mostly drafting well and filling their needs. Victor Oladipo, Elfrid Payton, both already looking like great picks. So this team draft according to what it needs over talent alone it would seem.

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Remember, this team also has a some experience in picking a player that surprised some people. Aaron Gordon, picked fourth by the Magic last year, turned some heads when his name was called so early. In a particularly deep draft, or so it was called at the time, it was somewhat surprising to see him go so early.

So far a mixture of injury and inexperience have led to not much more being said about him, but that’s besides the point. Orlando picked a player based on a franchise need, and Kaminsky could be the next guy who falls into that category.

You see, as good as Russell and Emmanuel Mudiay appear to be, this team’s backcourt is set. I’m also a fan of Mudiay’s, and questioned before whether taking him if he was available was the right thing to do for this team. But in Oladipo and Payton, the future of this team is so bright, and that’s without even taking into consideration center Nikola Vucevic.

Drafting another promising guard, or even another center full of potential, makes little sense to this team with Oladipo and Payton on board. Vucevic was recently given a four-year contract extension, so it’s clear he’s the big man of the future as well. So a forward, be it a power forward or a wing player, are what this team really needs.

Wing players in particular are hard to come by and are usually paid well as a result. Think Gordon Hayward for example. Kaminsky is certainly not one of those guys, and he does spend a lot of time playing the five on the court. But with his skill set, his ability to shoot the three ball and post up as well, I see him as more of a stretch 4 in the league.

Now, Channing Frye already does a good job fitting that exact description for this team. But he has failed to replicate the form he showed in Phoenix with the Suns last season, which led to a four-year, $32 million contract from the Magic in the first place. He’s a superb leader, mentor and smart basketball player. But he’s also ultimately expendable as this team moves forward.

He’s certainly not a game changing defender, although he tries on that end. He’s shooting 39 percent from downtown this season after a shaky start, and he’s slowly turning into the player the Magic envisioned when they signed him. But his contract is just so reasonable, especially with the incoming flood of money as a result of the new television rights deal.

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It’s hard to not see a contending team not want him on their team if offered. Like Arron Afflalo before him, who also had one of the most friendly contracts in the league, Frye’s future probably lies with a contender. Afflalo was somewhat surprisingly traded back to the Denver Nuggets before the season, but ultimately landed in Portland, a contender.

That route was somewhat winding, but I see Frye doing something similar.

The point is, Frye is a moveable piece, and Kaminsky would be a younger version with a similar style of play. This team has many needs, but with a young starting backcourt set, as well as the center tied down long term, a forward seems to be what’s needed most.

Free agency is where a backup guard (like a Mo Williams) and a reserve center (although I like Kyle O’Quinn off the bench as it is) can be gotten for reasonable prices.

Look, it’s unlikely to happen, and if Tobias Harris leaves in free agency (he’s an unrestricted free agent) drafting a wing becomes a priority. But Kaminsky has shot up draft boards. Could the Magic spring yet another surprise by snapping him up? Turn Frye into a couple of other role players, and let’s see what this team becomes.

I’d love to see it happen, and I feel I might not be alone either.

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