Smokescreens???
Quelle: Orlando Sentinel
Magic likely to stay at No. 11 in draft
Orlando doesn't expect to move up and is looking at forwards and guards.
Basically resigned to standing pat at No. 11 in Tuesday's NBA draft, the Orlando Magic have whittled their choice down to four or five likely candidates.
Depending on their availability, they are small forwards Hakim Warrick (Syracuse) and Joey Graham (Oklahoma State, after transferring from UCF), power forward Charlie Villaneuva (Connecticut) and shooting guards Antoine Wright (Texas A&M) and Martell Webster (Seattle high schooler).
The Magic say they would love to see small forward Danny Granger (New Mexico) or center Channing Frye (Arizona) fall to them, but those scenarios aren't likely.
Magic Player Personnel Director Dave Twardzik said Granger's stock "has been rising," as has Frye's.
Warrick's athleticism intrigues the Magic. Most mock drafts have him being picked during the last half of the draft. Named the Big East Player of the Year, Warrick averaged 21.4 points and 8.6 rebounds last season as a senior.
Twardzik said the Magic are "looking for a guy who can play, period," regardless of position, and believe they can find one at No. 11.
"You got to take the best player [available], and if that duplicates talent, that's a good problem to have. You'll have an asset to maybe trade," said Twardzik, currently sharing the role of general manager with Player Development Director Otis Smith. "Unless you have one of the top picks or you can dictate the draft -- like we did last year -- you take the best player. If they are close in talent, then you fill a need."
Orlando needs a point guard, especially if Steve Francis plays shooting guard next season. But the best point guards will be gone by the time the Magic select, and the most sought-after big men are Andrew Bogut (Utah) and Frye (Arizona), so they are expected to be gone, too.
Twardzik said the Magic also need "a shooter and another big" to complement Dwight Howard. He said the Magic have explored trying to trade up but doesn't expect a deal to materialize. Orlando is unwilling to include, say, Jameer Nelson or Hedo Turkoglu in a package.
To grab a point guard, the Magic likely would have to acquire the No. 3 pick held by the Portland Trail Blazers -- who don't need a point guard -- or the No. 4 pick held by New Orleans. The Hornets, Charlotte Bobcats, Utah Jazz, Toronto Raptors and the L.A. Lakers need point guards, and all draft ahead of Orlando and likely can produce better deals.
The Magic have discussed possible scenarios to trade up for point guards Deron Williams (Illinois) and Raymond Felton (North Carolina) and shooting guard Gerald Green, a 6-foot-8 high school star from Houston.
Williams and Felton are projected to go in the top seven picks. They both have worked out for the Magic, as has Granger. The Magic tried to bring in Green for a workout, but his camp declined.
Brian Schmitz can be reached at
bschmitz@orlandosentinel.com.