Say what you will about the circumstances of how they added Kevin Durant, but the Golden State Warriors built much of their dynasty through the draft.
The Warriors selected Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green once upon a time — none of whom came in the top five, by the way. That should give some sense of hope to frustrated Magic fans, who have not seen a winning season in what feels like eternity.
The 2018 NBA draft class possesses plenty of talent, both in the college ranks and the international pool. Let's predict the top five selections on Thursday night, plus what the Magic should do with the sixth pick.
1. Phoenix Suns — DeAndre Ayton, C, Arizona
This appears to be the draft's one true lock. The Suns won't have to go far to find their first No. 1 overall pick in franchise history.
Ayton is a potential game-changer in the paint, filling Phoenix's primary roster need. The 7-foot-1 Bahamian averaged 20.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game in his lone college campaign.
2. Sacramento Kings — Marvin Bagley III, PF, Duke
Sacramento has neither posted a winning record nor reached the NBA playoffs since the 2005-06 season. The franchise's draft failures are well-documented, including a three-year run of lottery busts Thomas Robinson, Ben McLemore and Nik Stauskas.
The 6-foot-11 Bagley faces plenty of defensive and positional questions, but he can flat-out score. He shot 61.4 percent from the field and averaged 21 points per game for the Blue Devils. Sacramento's leading scorer in 2017-18 — aging Zach Randolph — scored 14.5 points per game.
3. Atlanta Hawks — Luka Doncic, G/F, Real Madrid
Doncic is the draft's great mystery from overseas. He has been touted as a potential superstar, given his ability to handle the ball, his vision and his ability to score.
The 6-foot-8 Slovenian drew buzz as a potential No. 1 overall selection earlier this offseason. Atlanta could select Doncic and deal his rights later in the evening if they are not sold on him.
4. Memphis Grizzlies — Jaren Jackson Jr., PF/C, Michigan State
Following a 22-win season and with more than $78 million invested in veterans Mike Conley, Marc Gasol and Chandler Parsons next year, Memphis finds itself in an unenviable position.
Memphis ranked second-to-last in scoring and 24th in defensive rating. Jackson grades out as an elite rim protector, averaging 3.0 blocks in 21.8 minutes on the floor. He has a 7-foot-4 wingspan to go along with a 6-11, 240-pound frame.
5. Dallas Mavericks — Mohamed Bamba, C, Texas
The 7-foot-1 freshman set an NBA combine record for wingspan (7-10) and has scouts drooling over his potential on both ends of the floor.
At Texas, Bamba averaged a double-double (12.9 points, 10.5 rebounds) while averaging 3.7 blocks in 30.2 minutes per game, playing in one of the most competitive conferences in the country.
The former Longhorn could be an ideal fit for the Magic as well. Which bring us to ...
6. Orlando Magic — Trae Young, G, Oklahoma
The lottery was again unkind to the meandering Magic, which have missed the playoffs in six consecutive seasons. Steve Clifford is poised to become the team's fifth head coach since 2014-15.
In recent seasons, the Magic have drafted players with length, athleticism and high defensive ceilings. This team sorely needs a point guard and 3-point shooting (35.1 percent, third-worst in the NBA).
It's time to swing for the fences. Young became the first player to lead Division I in points (27.4) and assists (8.7) per game. He faded a bit down the stretch, topping 30 points once in 11 games after the start of February. But the Magic need a potential star, and someone for fans to get excited about.