2021 NBA Mock Draft 3.0: How the picks should fall
8. player. 38. . SG. Orlando Magic. James Bouknight
2021 NBA Mock Draft — 8. James Bouknight, Orlando Magic
Orlando has a couple young scoring guards in Cole Anthony and R.J. Hampton, but James Bouknight may immediately overtake them as Orlando’s prize on the perimeter. He’s an electric athlete and shot-maker, with All-Star potential in a mold every modern contender needs.
The Magic have defense for days. With Jones in the mix, as well as Jonathan Isaac, Chuma Okeke, and Markelle Fultz already in place, the Magic should have no trouble building a competitive defense. It’s the offense that must then take a step forward, and Bouknight is in a position to quickly elevate Orlando on that side of the ball.
Fultz is a great facilitator, but he has lost the scoring juice that once defined him. With Fultz picking apart defenses from the paint, and Isaac much more of a spot-up threat or straight-line driver than a go-to scorer, Bouknight’s creativity in isolation should help him find immediate purchase in Orlando’s offensive hierarchy.