Worst Landing Spot: Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic are a team still searching for their franchise cornerstone. Teams that began their rebuild after Orlando have already found at least one potential number one option, something that the Magic cannot say for themselves.
After spending several years in NBA purgatory and then whiffing on some terrible lottery luck, Orlando is still in search of someone to lead their franchise.
Instead of Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, Cade Cunningham, or any of the other top draft picks that are slated to be true superstars one day, the Magic have built a core of solid young role players.
Between Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner, Chuma Okeke, Mohamed Bamba, and Jonathan Isaac, Orlando might have the deepest collection of young talent in the league. Unfortunately, none of those players figures to be the number one option on a championship team.
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Jabari Smith Jr. doesn’t figure to be one either. At his best, Jabari Smith Jr. will likely be a 6’10 Klay Thompson or a sweet-shooting Anthony Davis type of player. A second option that can exponentially raise a team’s ceiling, but someone who probably wouldn’t fare too well leading his own team.
The Magic need a new superstar, someone to represent their new era and give them their first cornerstone since Dwight Howard. They might not be able to find it in this draft, but they definitely wouldn’t find it in Jabari Smith Jr. If he were to be selected by the Magic, Smith Jr. would be joining a cast of solid young role players with no leader in sight.
