Orlando Magic: 5 Players To Target at No. 2 Overall

With the 2013 NBA Draft rapidly approaching, Orlando Magic general manager Rob Hennigan faces arguably his second-biggest decision since taking over the franchise last June.

After trading away franchise big man Dwight Howard last offseason, Hennigan now has to decide who the second overall pick of the upcoming draft will be.  The Magic had the biggest chance of winning the lottery after finishing with a league-worst 20-62 record last season, but the lottery was unkind to them as the landed the second pick.  Either way, Hennigan can go in a variety of directions with the talent in this draft.  Though this draft class is deemed “weak” by most NBA pundits compared to other recent drafts with potential franchise players, it is a class that is extremely deep.

Is Hennigan really entertaining the idea of trading the second pick, as reported by Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel?  Such a move would enable the Magic to gain more picks in either this draft or in the future.

The Magic, a franchise deep into rebuilding mode, are in desperate need of adding overall talent to its roster.  Hennigan and second-year coach Jacque Vaughn need a player who can develop into a quality starter in a few years.  This draft does not necessarily have that one special player a franchise can build around, but there are a handful of players the Magic should target who can add talent to its roster.

Here are five potential players that the Magic should consider drafting and we detail how each would fit in Orlando.

5. Victor Oladipo, SG, Indiana

According to most draft experts, Oladipo is seen as a lock to go in the top five.  He has exceptional athleticism and that will be the biggest attribute he brings to an NBA team.  At 6’4”, he can guard multiple positions on the court and defensively that is where he will earn his money in the league.  Offensively, he is dynamic in transition and his quickness enables him to blow by defenders, but will he be able to finish at the rim at the next level?

Arron Afflalo is the starter and Doron Lamb backs him up at shooting guard, so Oladipo would have to improve his jump shot considerably to earn playing time his rookie season.  Defensively he is already very comparable to Tony Allen and NBA scouts are always looking for lock-down perimeter defenders.

Bottom line: Oladipo would compete for playing time and has the potential become a key defensive starter for the team in a few years.

4. Anthony Bennett, SF-PF, UNLV

Bennett is a big body who’s also surprisingly athletic for a man of his size.  He is a bit of a tweener at 6’7” and 240 pounds, where he does not quite have the quickness to defend small forwards or the size to guard bigger NBA power forwards.  Bennett is at his best when he is in the paint, as he can face up or play the power game with his back to the basket.  He can also shoot the 3 and Orlando throughout its history has always had somewhat of a stretch 4 man who can shoot from the outside (Rashard Lewis, Tobias Harris, Andrew Nicholson).

In terms of fitting in with this roster, Bennett could battle it out with the likes of Harris, Nicholson and also veteran Glen Davis for playing time.  It is somewhat of a logjam at power forward, so Bennett would not see much playing time his first few years in Orlando.

3. Trey Burke, PG, Michigan

Hennigan needs to find a playmaker at point guard.  Burke is an undersized one but is a legit scorer with top intangibles.  He led the Wolverines to the national championship game against Louisville and also won the Naismith Player of the Year Award.

Burke has drawn comparisons to current Charlotte Bobcats point guard Kemba Walker.

Burke could eventually replace

as the starter. Photo Credit: Adam Glanzman, Flickr.com

Walker is a bit quicker and has a little more explosion to his game, but Burke is stronger and can finish better at the rim.

Burke would automatically compete for the starting job next season with Jameer Nelson, though Nelson may appear to be the odds-on favorite to win.  Nelson has one more year left on his contract and then a team option, which will most likely be declined, so Hennigan could select Burke in hopes of developing him in a year to eventually succeed Nelson as the team’s starter in the future.  Another issue Hennigan has to decide is if Burke is worth the second overall pick or could he trade down and select him later?

2.  Nerlens Noel, C, Kentucky

Noel is considered by many to develop into the best player in this draft.  Still recovering from knee surgery, Noel is a defensive shot blocker who can effortlessly alter every shot in the paint.

His incredible length and leaping ability was on full display this season as he led the nation in blocked shots at 4.4 blocks per game as a freshman.  He is extremely raw offensively, even more so than–dare I say–Dwight Howard was coming into the league, but look how he turned out.  Noel has got to put on more size and strength, though, to become the dominant defensive force NBA scouts foresee him being in the league.

Nikola Vucevic at center is more of a finesse player who can hit the 18-foot jumper and attack the offensive glass, but his interior defense was severely lacking this past season.  The Magic gave up way too many layups and having a guy like Noel jump all over the place in the middle would do wonders for the Magic defense as a whole.  Noel projects to dominate defensively and if he develops just a hint of an offensive repertoire, he will be the best player to come out of this draft.

1. Ben McLemore, SG, Kansas

Is this guy the next Ray Allen?  The 6’5″ shooter may have the best looking jump shot since the current Miami Heat player. At times, he may lack aggression and become too passive but his talent is undeniable.  He can shoot from anywhere on the court and finishes well in transition.

Jesus Shuttlesworth, part two? McLemore has got serious game. (Photo by Ashleigh Lee/Flickr.com)

He needs to develop a tighter handle though so that he can attack off the dribble more.  Other than that, McLemore has a complete offensive game.  Ideally, he displays every attribute you want an NBA shooting guard to have: a jump shot, athleticism, and defensive ability.

If the Magic proceed to make the trade that has long been rumored for Los Angeles Clippers point guard Eric Bledsoe, the spot vacated by Arron Afflalo could be McLemore’s for the taking.  Bledsoe and McLemore together could give the Magic a dynamic young backcourt.

McLemore may be the most talented player in this draft class and Hennigan cannot pass up top talent at this point.  Selecting McLemore would just be another important step in the right direction for a franchise desperately looking to rebuild through the draft.