Orlando Magic: 2018 NBA Draft Lottery odds
The Orlando Magic once again find themselves back in the draft lottery. Here’s a look at their odds of getting the top pick in the 2018 NBA Draft Lottery.
The Orlando Magic are back in the 2018 NBA Draft Lottery with minimal results after Year 2 under head coach Frank Vogel.
The Magic selected 6’10” forward Jonathan Isaac with the sixth pick in last year’s draft. He averaged 7.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks in 10 starts as a rookie. Isaac appeared in just 27 contests through the season, but with experience under his belt, he should be given the starting nod in 2018-19.
As far as this year’s 2018 NBA Draft, the odds currently favor the Orlando Magic with at least a 29.1 percent chance of getting a top-three selection. Their biggest odds favor another sixth selection in the 2018 NBA Draft, which isn’t a bad position considering the amount of talent in this year’s draft pool. Here’s a breakdown of their odds for each pick:
- 1st: 8.8%
- 2nd: 9.6%
- 3rd: 10.6%
- 5th: 26.2%
- 6th: 35.9%
- 7th: 8.4%
- 8th: 0.4%
Another pick in the top five isn’t exactly out of the picture, but it’s pertinent the Magic hit a home run with this selection. Orlando finished 5-2 in the first month of the regular season before things fell apart in a hurry.
The Magic finished with a 25-57 record in 2017-18, finishing 14th in the Eastern Conference. They were without the best player, Aaron Gordon, for 24 games, but he managed to finish their final regular season game on April 11 against the Washington Wizards.
Gordon averaged 17.6 points and 7.9 rebound per game, both career-highs, in 58 appearances this past season. He played sporadically due to a number of different injuries but managed to complete the regular season.
Big man Nikola Vucevic appeared in just 57 games, nursing injuries of his own. By the end of the season, the Magic were so beat up they had to enter Jonathon Simmons into the starting lineup.
The team finished 24th in points per game (103.4) and 21st in opponents points per game (108.2), so they’ll need somebody with a presence on both ends. Names like Michigan State Spartans big man Jaren Jackson Jr., and 6’7″ Villanova Wildcats wing Mikal Bridges instantly come to mind — Jackson for his paint presence and Bridges for his winning pedigree.
The Orlando Magic could have other plans, though. They traded away Elfrid Payton to the Phoenix Suns for a second round pick in this year’s draft, so all signs point to a need in the backcourt, even though they signed former UCONN point guard Rodney Purvis to a multi-year deal in March.
Next: Full two-round 2018 NBA Mock Draft
We’ll have to wait and see where the Magic land in the 2018 NBA Draft Lottery Selection Show Tuesday night.