Orlando Magic: 3 takeaways from the 2021 NBA Draft
By Luke Duffy
In what was an enjoyable and unpredictable 2021 NBA Draft night, the Orlando Magic emerged as one of the organizations that can be happy with their night’s work. After weeks of speculation around the team being just outside the sure-fire players in this draft, they had Jalen Suggs fall to them with the fifth overall pick.
This was a move that surprised many, and once Suggs was secured it threw open the possibility of the Magic going in a wildly different direction with their eighth pick. With names like James Bouknight, Jonathan Kuminga and even Moses Moody being linked to the franchise, once an exciting guard like Suggs was available for selection, the prospect of another big joining the ranks increased.
In a surprising turn of events, the Orlando Magic were one of the real winners of the 2021 NBA Draft, as they selected Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner.
This is exactly what happened, with the Magic selecting forward Franz Wagner, younger brother of Magic player Moritz. Wagner has enjoyed a steady rise on many people’s draft boards before the big night, with a lot of buzz that other organizations such as the Sacramento Kings were interested in him.
Suggs feels like a bonus because he wasn’t expected to be available, while Wagner is the kind of calculated gamble that you can take once you have gotten somebody like Suggs. On top of that, the front office now has players they could trade, such as Gary Harris, Terrence Ross and Mohamed Bamba, to really begin to fill out the roster in their vision for a better future.
That is for discussion later on though, as there is plenty of growing, and most likely losing, to do before then. Right now feels like a celebration for how this draft went for the Magic though, and here are the three main takeaways from a satisfying night.