The Orlando Magic had gotten used to being in the NBA Draft Lottery, but not anymore. After making the playoffs for a second straight season, the Magic were onlookers again during this year’s proceedings.
They endured an injury-riddled 2024-25 season that saw star Paolo Banchero miss 34 games with a torn right oblique muscle. Oddly enough, Franz Wagner also suffered a torn right oblique muscle and missed 20 games. Jalen Suggs, meanwhile, was limited to just 35 games this season while dealing with season-ending arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.
The three only played six games together all season. Despite all of that, Orlando still managed to earn a playoff spot with a play-in victory over the Atlanta Hawks.
The Magic already extended Wagner and Suggs, and, with a massive deal looming for Banchero, there isn’t a whole lot of money to spend. Although the Magic have a nice collection of assets and could make a trade, the goal is to find productive players with the No. 16 and No. 25 overall picks in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Orlando Magic Predicted To Add Hometown Hero
According to The Ringer, the Magic are projected to select Florida point guard Walter Clayton Jr. at No. 25, a selection the Magic are owed by the Denver Nuggets from the Aaron Gordon trade.
“Florida Man is drafted by Florida Team, and said team gets something that it needs to add in a significant way this offseason: dynamic shooting on and off the ball. Because that need is so glaring, I’ve wondered whether the Magic might go ahead and secure Clayton, the No. 26 player on our Big Board, with their first pick to assure that someone else doesn’t scoop him up.
“But in this scenario, they end up waiting and still get the player who did more for his stock in the months of March and April than anyone else in this class. The ease that he showed on big stages and the variety of ways he accessed his premier shooting solidified the fact that he is a prospect worth taking seriously.”
Perhaps no player improved their stock as much as Clayton did during the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The Iona transfer averaged a career-high 18.3 points per game in his senior campaign while shooting 44.8% from the field and 38.6% from beyond the arc, along with 4.2 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game.
Clayton turned his play up in March Madness, putting up 22.3 points per game during Florida’s national championship run. He had four 20-point games and two games with at least 30 points. He seemingly hit a big shot every time the Gators needed one.
Magic Predicted To Grab Colorado State’s Nique Clifford
With the 16th pick, The Ringer projected Orlando to select Colorado State’s Nique Clifford. Clifford stuffed the stat sheet, averaging 18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game for the Rams. He shot 49.6% from the field and 37.7% from 3.
“Clifford’s maturity as a defender and versatility on offense just make too much sense for the Magic. This past season at Colorado State, Clifford was just as effective shooting from 3 out of the pick-and-roll as he was coming off screens. He created for himself at the elbows. He took on tough assignments.”
Meanwhile, PFSN’s Mock Draft predicted the Magic to grab Connecticut’s Liam McNeeley at pick No. 16. Acknowledging that the 6-foot-7 forward needs more “seasoning,” he’s a long-term developmental project worth investing in.
PFSN wrote, “McNeeley may not reach his ceiling right away, but he’s worth an upside swing for a Magic team that had less spacing than any other. He’ll see more open catch-and-shoot looks in the NBA than he did in college, which should enable McNeeley to shoot far better than he did at UConn.”
The NBA Draft will take place over two days, starting on Wednesday, June 25 at 8 p.m. ET.
The long term Magic fans are ready. The Magic need a point guard. We are tired of players who need years to develop. Give us a seasoned playmaker.