Orlando Magic: Would Kristaps Porzingis Fit?

The Orlando Magic have amassed a lot of young talent ever since their hand was forced and they had to trade away star player Dwight Howard.

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With players on the team like Victor Oladipo, Elfrid Payton and Nikola Vucevic, it may be time for this team to take the next step and see just what exactly they have in terms of competing for a playoff spot. That seems to be the main reason why the organization brought in head coach Scott Skiles, as he has a defensive-oriented system that has vaulted clubs into the postseason before.

However, the Magic still have a high pick in the 2015 NBA draft, and with that fifth pick, I’m not sure they’re looking to take a player who will need significant time to develop despite the kind of upside they could possess.

With that being said, a lot of draft insiders such as ESPN’s Chad Ford and Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman have the Magic going with a player who isn’t completely ready to hold his own as a star in the league, but has enough skill and upside to justify a high selection by any team in the lottery.

His name? Kristaps Porzingis.

Porzingis is a 19-year-old international forward from Latvia that possesses great size at 7-foot-1 and is capable of being a mobile big man who can shoot and pass the basketball like a smaller forward or guard.

In fact, it’s those two things that are driving his appeal among NBA scouts and front office executives.

Let’s start with his shooting touch.

Porzingis has an effortless stroke from deep that he uses to get a shot whenever he wants it. His clean form along with his size pretty much makes sure that if he gets a good look he’s going to hit it.

Even though he only hit on 35.6 percent of his attempts from three-point range in Liga ACB, considered the second-best professional basketball league in the world by many, there’s nothing wrong with his shot, and as he works with shooting coaches in the NBA his percentages have a chance to skyrocket into the 40s.

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Whether it’s off of a catch-and-shoot opportunity or spot-up, Porzingis can knock down shots with range, something that is certainly a plus at his size. He could stretch the floor for any team that drafts him and open things up for other players more oriented around the basket to operate.

His willingness to score was evident in his 11 points per game average last season in just 21.4 minutes played per game. Porzingis isn’t afraid to shoot, which is something that any team should appreciate as long as he can continue to do so efficiently.

Shooting isn’t all that Porzingis does, however. He’s also arguably the most mobile big man in the draft, which helps his case to be drafted high because that’s the direction that the league is headed in today. No longer is it good enough for a power forward to just be able to spot-up from three and knock down shots.

The Golden State Warriors are largely where they are because of Draymond Green, who has the mobility to run up and down the floor and be effective constantly moving in the halfcourt creating mismatches for his teammates off of screens and movement.

Porzingis has that same kind of motor, and he’s much taller than Green. He moves around the court like he’s always on the prowl for a chance to score or make a play, be it in longer sets or in transition.

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His awareness when it comes to making cuts and playing in the pick-and-roll game makes him a dangerous operator at the four spot, and a mismatch problem for virtually any team to deal with.

And when he has the ball in his hands, he’s no slouch in terms of taking his man off the dribble either. He may not be the most creative player with his dribble, but he has a quick first step, and if he gets a lane to the basket he will get there and finish the play.

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Defensively, Porzingis could improve upon his footwork and awareness in terms of playing help defense and covering switches on that end of the floor, but his length can be a game-changer in the post. When he gets a look at a block, he goes up emphatically and does whatever he can to reject the shot.

If Porzingis ever is apart of a system that has multiple wings and other bigs that are better switching onto opposing players and can sort of mask that weakness of his and just allow him to focus on protecting the rim, then he could put up decent numbers and rival other top rejection artists in the league.

With all of these positives do come a few limitations, as he’s never been a great rebounder (career 3.6 rebounds per game in European play) in large part to his lanky frame that needs a lot of added strength and muscle.

The good news for Porzingis is that almost every big man that comes into the league has that same problem, and it can be corrected within a few years provided he puts in the hard work necessary to do so.

As long as Porzingis plays active and aware, he could be a huge threat offensively, especially for the Magic. Orlando doesn’t have a power forward who can stretch the floor and play up-and-down basketball like Porzingis, so adding him to the mix could add a different dimension to their offense that could propel them into the playoffs.

Porzingis has the mobility and shooting touch to be effective in some kind of role in the NBA. What will take him over the top is if he continues to develop physically and could learn to be a better passer in the halfcourt off of his cuts and rotations.

If he could become even half the playmaker that Green is for the Warriors, then the Magic would have one of the bigger draft steals in recent memory on their hands.

If the Magic are looking to hit a home run and knock this pick out of the park, then they should take a very close look at Porzingis, as he’s potentially the biggest wild card in the entire draft. But if he pays off? We could be seeing Orlando as a lower seed in next year’s playoffs instead of back in the lottery.

*Statistics courtesy of Basketball-Reference.

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Would Kristaps Porzingis Fit With The Orlando Magic?

By Nathan Grubel | Jun 4, 2015

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