Chad Ford Mock Draft: Orlando Magic select Noah Vonleh
By Jacob Rude
Chad Ford, ESPN NBA Draft guru, released the seventh edition of his mock draft Tuesday afternoon, and it came with a few surprises. Highest on the list is the Orlando Magic at number four taking Indiana big man Noah Vonleh.
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Ford talks about how the Magic have been expected to draft a point guard like Dante Exum or Marcus Smart, but a different route may be a possibility. Vonleh offers a power forward option to an Orlando team that lacks a true big man to put beside Nikola Vucevic.
This is certainly a curveball from what most have thought the Magic would do with the fourth pick. For the most part, mock drafts have listed either Dante Exum or Marcus Smart at the selection, but it’s conceivable they move another way. Last season, Orlando used rookie Victor Oladipo at the point guard spot as a combo guard, which had mixed results. However, if the team thinks he’s a Russell Westbrook-type player, they may not see a point guard as a need.
Vonleh flew up draft boards during the Draft combine, where he measured off the charts. As workouts have been underway, Vonleh’s stock has risen more, with teams encouraged by his ability to play the stretch four and his all-around versatility. Pairing him up with Vucevic would offer a frontline tandem that could be the exciting future of the Magic.