#4 Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic own the 5th and 8th picks in this year’s draft and they have a lot of options on what they could do with these picks. One of the options they have in terms of keeping the picks is James Bouknight, a more experienced guard coming out of college that can have an impact immediately with a team that is rebuilding.
With Cole Anthony, Markelle Fultz, Michael Carter-Williams, Gary Harris and R.J. Hampton all under contract for next season in Orlando’s backcourt, they may not want to add yet another guard like Bouknight to the equation, but he could be the best player on their draft board with the 8th overall pick.
With a 6’8” wingspan, Bouknight is one of the more lengthy guards in this draft class and his abilities to create instant offense are definitely above-average. The Magic need playmakers and guys that can help them improve for the future, which is exactly the kind of player James Bouknight is.
Wherever he is drafted, Bouknight is going to have an impact strictly on offense, which is why the Magic are a team that would make sense for the 20-year-old guard. He could immediately see big minutes in the NBA and make his presence known, but overall, Orlando could have their eyes on other guys with more potential for the future.
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The Magic are in no rush to win games and they will be using the 2021-22 season as a “ladder” into future seasons. Evaluating talent and focusing on player development will be the points of emphasis for the Orlando Magic moving forward, which is why they could favor younger, higher-ceiling guys than James Bouknight.
