Orlando Magic: 3 takeaways from the 2021 NBA Draft
By Luke Duffy
Orlando Magic NBA draft night takeaways: 3.They finally got lucky
Ever since Dwight Howard left town almost a decade ago, the Magic have had simply terrible draft luck. Not that fans of other teams cared. After all, this is the same team who won draft lotteries to select Howard and Shaquille O’Neal in the first place. But for all of the losing and mediocre rosters the team trotted out there, it never resulted in a player who even got close to an All-Star team.
Players like Mario Hezonja (fifth), Aaron Gordon (fourth) and Mohamed Bamba (sixth) always felt like they were selected with the pick that came after the sure-fire successes in their draft class. In the case of Hezonja and Bamba, it has been even worse than that. High lottery picks that were either a waste (Hezonja) or are close to being one (Bamba).
Even when the Magic had the second overall pick in 2013 (the highest they would draft after the Howard era came to an end), they were able to take Victor Oladipo in what was a pretty weak class. A player who would go onto much better things once he had left the organization, who never really got going in Orlando and who fans did not mind seeing the back of.
The return for Oladipo may have been horrendous (the infamous Serge Ibaka rental that represented a real low point in short-term thinking for the franchise), but few could have predicted the ascent of Oladipo from that moment onwards. With the Toronto Raptors surprisingly taking Scottie Barnes fourth overall, however, the Magic finally got their slice of luck.
Barnes may yet be an excellent player in the NBA, but his skill set was a lot closer to the defensively-minded players that the Magic have drafted in the past. Another forward who could absolutely help the team to win if the right players were put around him. The problem for the Magic though, is that those players are yet to materialize, although they are getting closer.
Suggs on the other hand is an exciting guard who has the same chip on his shoulder mentality that teammate and fellow guard Cole Anthony does. Anthony was something of a revelation for the Magic last season in how he approached the game. He is relentless, has the bit between his teeth. So too does Suggs, and an identity around those two could lead to great things down the road.