The case against drafting Willie Cauley-Stein
The Magic have the fifth pick in the upcoming draft, but that doesn't necessarily mean they should automatically take the best player left on the board when they're selection occurs.
Orlando has its fair share of free agents this offseason, but it also has some nice pieces for the future, whether it prioritizes re-signing its free agents or not. Because of that, Zach Oliver writes at Orlando Pinstriped Post about why Willie Cauley-Stein may not be the answer:
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Cauley-Stein was one of the best players on the most-talented team in the country, though his Kentucky Wildcats ended up losing in the Final Four to Wisconsin. He averaged 8.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks this past season as a junior.
(H/t to Zach Oliver at Orlando Pinstriped Post.)
Photo Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Kentucky's second marquee big man in the draft, the lanky 7-foot Willie Cauley-Stein, projects to be one of the top defensive players selected on June 25th, if not the best. Many mock drafts have had Cauley-Stein in the running for the Magic with the fifth pick, while many fans have anointed him as the player the team must select once Orlando is on the clock. While the former Wildcat would undoubtedly fit with the Magic, at least to an extent, he'd also be a large hindrance.
In his three years with the Wildcats, Cauley-Stein showed off his great defensive instincts, guarding all five positions and using his athleticism to wreak havoc all over the court. While his defense is extremely far ahead of that of his peers, he's very limited on the offensive end, and for a team like the Magic with enough problems on that end due to their lack of shooting, adding Cauley-Stein would be the wrong move.
Last season, the Magic shot a pedestrian 34.7 percent from three as a team, good enough for a tie for 15th with the lowly New York Knicks. Moreover, their spacing, even with free agent acquisition Channing Frye, was terrible throughout the season. Adding a player like Cauley-Stein, who can only score around the rim, would kill their already poor spacing even more.
