University of Florida PF Marreese Speights, a big guy with good hands, will be among the dozen players working out privately for the Orlando Magic on Tuesday and Wednesday as they prepare for next month's NBA Draft.
The Magic have the 22nd pick, and they also are planning to trade into the second round and get one of the multiple picks currently held by Portland or Seattle.
Speights, 6-10, 245 pounds, started for one season at Florida after serving as a backup to Al Horford, Joakim Noah and Chris Richard -- all now in the NBA. He averaged 14.5 points and a team high 8.1 rebounds last season as a sophomore.
"He is someone who we have an interest in,"
confirmed Magic GM Otis Smith last week at the NBA Predraft Camp.
Speights has been projected by many analysts to be picked somewhere in the middle of the first round, and the Magic have been watching him closely, possibly preparing to trade up a few spots if they can land him.
Speights, like most of the upcoming first-round draft picks, didn't participate in the games at the Draft Camp at Disney's Wide World of Sports last week, but he went through the NBA-run drills with other top players.
Other power forwards expected to workout alongside him at the RDV Sportsplex are power forwards Joey Dorsey (Memphis) and D.J. White (Indiana). The Magic this summer are hoping to add some front-court depth this summer either through the draft, free agency or a trade. Dorsey and White currently are projected to be high second-round picks.
The Magic also are expected to have a group of shooting guards in for interviews and workouts this week. Among those scheduled are Chris Douglas-Roberts (Memphis), Courtney Lee (Western Kentucky), Kyle Weaver (Washington State), and Brandon Rush (Kansas). All of them have been projected to be drafted anywhere in the 18-40 range.
The Magic would like to upgrade at shooting guard, particularly because Maurice Evans -- last season's starter -- is an unrestricted free agent who may be offered more than the Magic would like to play him. Combo guard Keyon Dooling also is a free agent this summer.
Also expected to work out for the Magic Wednesday is guard Mark Tyndale (Temple).
A Royal visit
Among the most interesting visitors watching the draft camp participants last week was former Orlando Magic player Donald Royal, who was there renewing old friendships and looking to possibly get back into the NBA.
Royal, 42, played for the Magic from 1992-97, serving as a valuable role player during the Shaquille O'Neal/Penny Hardaway glory years. He battled colon cancer through much of 1998 and '99, then returned to basketball and played for one year (2000) in Japan before retiring. He now works for the city of New Orleans in the Recreation Department, and he looks in excellent condition.
