2018 NBA Mock Draft: Promises, promises
6. player. 38. . G. Oklahoma. Trae Young
Like we all expected, Young has become the most polarizing player in this draft. In some ways, I hope he doesn’t go to Orlando, a fan base that has spent too many years wondering about middling prospects and deserves a star.
Yet by that same token, the Magic ought to be excited about the possibility of acquiring a potentially dominant offensive guard. It’s something they haven’t had since Penny Hardaway.
As Kevin O’Connor noted in a write-up Thursday, Young may struggle to stay on the floor in the NBA simply as a result of being small. O’Connor points to the case of Terry Rozier in this year’s playoffs, an aggressive and athletic guard who was attacked repeatedly by the Cleveland Cavaliers simply because he was so much smaller than everyone else.
Young’s tyrannosaurus rex arms and his skinny frame leave him perfectly attackable by teams in the post or isolated after a switch. He won’t be able to hold up.
By taking Young, teams have to be sold no his offense being so fantastic that he makes up for it. Among point guards this year, it took an MVP-level offensive performance to rank at the top of the league in terms of individual value.
Unless the Magic believe Young is going to be as good on offense as Damian Lillard or Kemba Walker, perhaps they don’t take the risk.