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Draft Notes: Edwards, Okoro, Toppin, Haliburton, Hampton

November 11th, 2020 at 4:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Former Georgia guard Anthony Edwards has long been considered a strong bet to be one of the first three players off the board in the 2020 NBA draft, and his list of workouts confirms as much. Speaking today to reporters, including Mark Medina of USA Today (Twitter link), Edwards said he has worked out for the Timberwolves, Warriors, and Hornets, the teams that hold 2020’s top three picks.

That doesn’t necessarily guarantee that Edwards will be selected by one of those three teams, but he also said today that he hasn’t had any contact with the Bulls, who hold the No. 4 pick, per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link). That’s a reasonably solid sign that Chicago doesn’t expect him to be available.

Here’s more on the draft:

Lottery prospects Isaac Okoro, Obi Toppin, and Tyrese Haliburton have only worked out so far for teams holding top-eight picks. Okoro has worked out for the Timberwolves, Warriors, and Cavaliers (Twitter link via Rod Beard of The Detroit News); Toppin has auditioned for the Wolves, Cavs, Hornets, and Knicks (Twitter link via Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com); and Haliburton has had workouts for the Wolves, Warriors, Bulls, and Pistons (Twitter link via Beard).
RJ Hampton has auditioned for a wider range of teams, telling reporters today that he worked out for the Cavaliers, Pistons, Wizards, Celtics, Magic, Nets, and Nuggets (Twitter link via Ian Begley of SNY.tv). While three of those clubs have top-10 picks, three are outside the lottery, including Denver at No. 22.
After announcing earlier this week that 86 early entrant prospects had remained in the 2020 draft pool, the NBA announced today that two of those prospects submitted their paperwork in time to withdraw. Spanish forwards Sergi Martinez and Joel Parra have pulled out of the draft, per the league, leaving 84 early entrants – including 13 international prospects – eligible to be picked next Wednesday.

Assistant GM Matt Lloyd Discusses Draft Prep

November 6th, 2020 at 7:35pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Magic assistant general manager Matt Lloyd spoke with Josh Robbins of The Athletic about his team’s 2020 NBA draft planning, addressing the challenges of limited in-person player evaluations, psychological assessments, and Zoom interviews.

“We’re not allowed to bring any of the players to Orlando this year,” Lloyd noted of the Magic’s limitations this offseason. “The NBA has said that each of the teams can make the decision to go to a draft prospect or go see a draft prospect work out. We’ve been in the advantageous position of having a couple (of prospects who) were within driving distance, and we took advantage of that.”

As we recently relayed, the Magic will need to assess all options for offseason roster improvement, from the draft to a litany of potential trades.

Lowe: Leaguewide Interest In Aaron Gordon Unclear

November 5th, 2020 at 3:51pm CST by Luke Adams

It’s unclear what sort of leaguewide interest there is in Magic forward Aaron Gordon. Lowe points to the Trail Blazers as a potential match, but says the two teams have never seriously discussed a swap involving Gordon and CJ McCollum and isn’t sure whether lesser assets like Zach Collins or Anfernee Simons would appeal to Orlando.

[SOURCE LINK]

How Magic Might Approach Offseason

November 3rd, 2020 at 6:42pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Magic have plenty of decisions to make this offseason as the team continues to build its roster. In a new mailbag, The Athletic’s Josh Robbins reflects on how the team may look to improve its personnel.

Robbins notes that finding shooters has not been a priority in the draft for Magic president of basketball Operations Jeff Weltman and general manager John Hammond, who in recent drafts have focused instead on adding athletic, lengthy prospects.

If the Magic plan to build around point guard Markelle Fultz, Robbins opines that it would behoove the team to at least look for a shooter in 2020 free agency. Robbins also stresses the import of trades to the Magic’s offseason.

Celtics, Magic, Wizards Exploring Trading Up In Draft?

November 3rd, 2020 at 9:12am CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics, Magic, and Wizards are among the teams exploring the possibility of moving up from their current spots in the first round of the draft, league sources tell Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer.

Boston, which currently holds the 14th, 26th, and 30th overall selections, have offered all three of those picks in an effort to move up into the middle of the lottery, but no one is biting so far, according to O’Connor.

Orlando has the 15th overall pick and is also trying to move into the middle of the lottery, per O’Connor, though it’s not clear what the club is offering to sweeten the pot for potential trade partners. The Magic do hold all of their future first-rounders and could make one of those available if they want to move up badly enough.

As for the Wizards, they’re currently set to pick at No. 9, but O’Connor hears they’re angling to move up from there. General manager Tommy Sheppard acknowledged immediately after August’s draft lottery that trading up would be a possibility for his club, though it’s unclear whether Washington is targeting a specific player or spot. O’Connor wonders if a high-upside prospect like LaMelo Ball might pique the Wizards’ interest, especially if he slips beyond the top few picks.

Plenty of teams picking in the top half of the lottery, including the Timberwolves (No. 1), Warriors (No. 2), and Bulls (No. 4) have reportedly looked into trading down or would have interest in doing so. In other words, there should be options for the Celtics, Magic, Wizards, and any other teams that would like to move up.

However, given this year’s unusual pre-draft process and the perception that the 2020 class lacks star power, it may be a challenge for teams to agree on fair value for swapping picks separated by a few spots. The draft is still more than two weeks away and the league’s transaction moratorium has yet to be lifted, so we’ll have to wait a little longer to see how much movement there is in the first round.

Predicting Which Players Magic Sign, Let Walk In Free Agency

November 1st, 2020 at 3:31pm CST by JD Shaw

Josh Robbins of The Athletic predicts which players the Magic will sign and let walk in free agency this year. Orlando finished with a 33-40 record last season, good for eighth-best in the Eastern Conference. Evan Fournier ($17.15MM) and James Ennis ($2.13MM) both hold player options for next season, with D.J. Augustin and Michael Carter-Williams set to reach unrestricted free agency. In addition, Wesley Iwundu ($2MM) and Gary Clark ($1.8MM) are eligible for qualifying offers that would make them restricted free agents, and the club must make a decision on Melvin Frazier Jr.‘s $1.66MM team option.

Magic Work Out Kira Lewis Jr.

October 29th, 2020 at 3:16pm CST by Luke Adams

Alabama’s Kira Lewis Jr. is generating some buzz among teams in the top half of the first round, according to Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, who hears that Lewis has worked out in person for the Magic, Knicks, Pistons, and Bulls within the last week. A previous report indicated that Lewis has had multiple virtual interviews with Phoenix as well.

Isaac Doesn’t Think He Returned Too Soon From Knee Injury

October 26th, 2020 at 11:42am CST by Luke Adams

After being diagnosed in early January with a severe left knee sprain and bone bruise, Magic forward Jonathan Isaac returned to action during the summer restart at Walt Disney World. His comeback was short-lived, however, as he went down with a torn left ACL during Orlando’s second seeding game.

Having suffered such a significant injury to the same knee that had just sidelined him for months, Isaac faced questions about whether he should have returned at all this summer, especially with the Magic viewed as an extreme long shot to make any noise in the postseason. However, he tells Josh Robbins of The Athletic that he has “no regrets” about the decision.

“In retrospect, no, I don’t think I came back too soon,” Isaac said. “I really was ready to go. I didn’t have any doubts about where I was in terms of moving or playing. I mean, you can watch from the clips of when I was playing — I was fine. I was in great shape outside of just my wind getting back. But I was in great shape. I think I was jumping my highest that I’ve done so far in my career.

“So I have no regrets about coming back or the timing that I did,” Isaac continued. “I trusted the staff, and we came to a decision: ‘I’m ready to play.’ It was my decision at the end of the day, and I went with it. And I’m glad I did.”

While his ACL tear is expected to cost Isaac the entire 2020/21 season, he has maintained a positive attitude about his recovery, telling Robbins that he’s not getting “down” or “upset” about the lengthy process. Isaac added that he has been comparing the steps of his recovery to those of teammate Chuma Okeke, who missed the 2019/20 season with a torn ACL of his own.

“I think he’s upbeat,” head coach Steve Clifford said of Isaac. “He’s attacking the rehab with a good, positive attitude, and that’s who he is. That’s the way he’s always been.”

Isaac is eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason, though it remains to be seen if he and the Magic will seriously attempt to negotiate a new deal while he’s still on the way back from his injury.

Magic Face Offseason Questions

October 22nd, 2020 at 9:05pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

In a new mailbag, Josh Robbins of The Athletic examines the Magic‘s 2020 offseason, including the fate of Wesley Iwundu and which position 2019 first-rounder Chuma Okeke could slot into given the current roster.

Sixers Expected To Add Peter Dinwiddie, Prosper Karangwa To Front Office

October 16th, 2020 at 4:42pm CST by Luke Adams

4:42pm: Dinwiddie will become the Sixers’ executive vice president of basketball operations, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

1:40pm: Having vowed to make changes to their front office this offseason, the Sixers are expected to bring in Pacers executive Peter Dinwiddie and Magic executive Prosper Karangwa to join GM Elton Brand‘s group, reports Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Dinwiddie has been with the Pacers for nearly a decade and a half, getting his start in ticket sales before eventually transitioning to a front office role, as Scott Agness detailed in a story for The Athletic last year. He received a promotion in 2017 from VP of basketball operations to senior VP of basketball ops, and has played a key role in Indiana’s salary cap management.

Karangwa, meanwhile, joined the Magic as a scout in 2012 after spending several years playing professionally overseas. He was promoted through the department in recent years and was named Orlando’s director of scouting in 2019.

It’s not clear yet what titles Dinwiddie and Karangwa will have in the Sixers’ front office, but reports since August have indicated the team was looking at changing its front office personnel and structure.

The expectation is that Brand will retain his GM role – or receive a promotion and a new title, per Pompey – and be the primary decision-maker going forward, but there are a number of changes happening around him. Executive VP of basketball operations Alex Rucker isn’t expected to return and – as we wrote on Thursday – VP of strategy Sergi Olivia has also left the organization.