2.0 update: Tyler Lydon still seems like a good pick for Orlando. They need shooting. They need a lot of things, but they need shooting. Lydon could come and address a need up front and be able to stretch the floor like Ryan Anderson used to for Stan Van Gundy in the past with his 4-out, 1-in offense of Orlando’s past.
1.0 update: I’ve mentioned Tyler Lydon before when it’s come to the Bulls addressing their own needs. He’s a tall small forward that can probably play the four and can really shoot it at times. He’s likely to be a later pick in the first round and like the Bulls, the Orlando Magic need … a lot. Their first pick brought Duke’s Jayson Tatum in this mock and with their second pick of the first round, Syracuse’s Tyler Lydon comes to Disneyland. With Tatum and Lydon in the fold, Magic point guard Elfrid Payton has two young offensive targets that he can work with. Unfortunately for Orlando, the Mario Hezonja project just isn’t working out and Aaron Gordon is not a small forward no matter what anyone says. Lydon can fit at either the 3 or 4, so the possibility of a Payton-Terrence Ross-Tatum-Lydon-Gordon small-ball lineup could be of interest for the defensive-minded Frank Vogel to find some offense, too.
RELATED: Our own Michael Whitlow on how the Bulls can attack their needs (Tyler Lydon, 3-point shooting)
2.0 update: With Jeanne out of the fold and D.J. Wilson moving up, what could the Blazers do with that third first-round pick? It does open the door for Duke center Harry Giles, who just recently worked out for the Blazers. Giles is a project and with his knee issues of the past, flashbacks of Brandon Roy could come about for Portland, which may turn them away from the former No. 1 recruit. Factor in Jusuf Nurkic’s injury history and that might not help either. Still, when healthy, there’s a lot to like about Giles. If and when he’s 100 percent and in a position to flourish, he can be a really good player in the future and turn into one of the steals of this class.
1.0 update: After Michigan’s late-season run that included a Big Ten Tournament title and a Sweet 16 berth, Wolverines forward D.J. Wilson just might have played his way into the first round during that run. Wilson showed supreme confidence in his jump shot and provided a defensive spark at times for the Wolverines. He’s still a project after an up-and-down season, but he certainly picked a good time to peak. His stock was high and after deciding to stay in the draft, he’s taking the chance that what he heard about his draft positioning was good. It just might be. Portland could use their final first-rounder on a 3-and-D guy like Wilson can be. He’s a power forward at around 6-foot-10, but like Lydon, he’s versatile and could probably play some 3, too.