Despite not having a first-round pick, Orlando Magic president Jeff Weltman said the team is busy examining ways to improve the roster ahead of the 2026 NBA draft and free agency.
When the Magic acquired Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies last offseason, the organization parted with significant draft capital. The group sent a 2029 top-two protected first-round pick swap and four unprotected first-round picks to Memphis, including the 18th overall pick this year, leaving Weltman & Co. with just the 46th pick in the second round.
“We have the 46th pick, and we like our team a lot,” Weltman said on Thursday. “I don’t know what that’s going to mean. We’re having a lot of conversations with teams. This is our job: We have to explore opportunities and figure out where we can get better.”
Entering the summer, the Magic have 12 players under contract for the 2026-27 season, excluding free agents Jevon Carter, Jett Howard and Moe Wagner.
After narrowly avoiding the luxury tax last season, the Magic are projected to be over the first apron. Depending on future signings and additions, Orlando could also be knocking on the door of the second apron, which would significantly limit their options in free agency and in the trade market.
So, with financial constraints staring down the Magic, having the 46th pick is one way the team could look to improve the roster. However, the pick isn’t necessarily guaranteed to produce an immediate rotation player based on recent history.
Of the last five players drafted at No. 46, only two were signed to multiyear standard contracts, while two agreed to two-way contracts and one was stashed overseas.
Orlando has hosted predraft workouts with several prospects projected to be second-round picks or go undrafted, who could be potential targets. That list includes Duke guard Maliq Brown, Marshall forward Wyatt Fricks, Tennessee center Felix Okpara, Georgia Tech guard Kowacie Reeves Jr. and Houston guard Emanuel Sharp, among others.
“I have spoken often about the financial compression that we’re facing, so we’re kind of working on margins here and ways to improve the team, but we’re having a lot of discussions at different levels,” Weltman said. “But at the end of the day, we’re bullish on this group. We like the team. … We’ll see what comes along between now and the draft.”
Sean Sweeney has arrived in Orlando pic.twitter.com/D4s5cR4rCF
— Cody Taylor (@CodyTaylorNBA) June 18, 2026
Weltman and the front office got an early start to reshaping the team after introducing new coach Sean Sweeney on Thursday. A longtime assistant, Sweeney joined the Magic fresh off a run to the NBA Finals as associate head coach of the San Antonio Spurs.
Sweeney is aiming to lead the Magic to their first playoff series win since 2010 after the group squandered a 3-1 lead against the top-seeded Detroit Pistons, their third straight first-round exit. The 42-year-old has forged strong relationships with some of the top players in the league during his various stops, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Dončić and, most recently, Victor Wembanyama, and is hopeful to continue that trend with the likes of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Bane and others.
With a new coach in place and some changes expected on the horizon, Weltman and the Magic are looking to position themselves for a deep run next year and beyond. Their vision should soon become clearer when the two-night draft tips off on Tuesday (8 p.m. EDT; ABC, ESPN).
“We have been quite busy, and these days, it’s not really just the draft,” Weltman said. “It is free agency as well. We’ve been plotting, ranking, and trying to figure out if-this-then-that scenarios. … We’ve been at it late and doing all of the work that we need to, to try to puzzle the roster out. I do think there are some basic holes we want to punch where we can improve the roster and augment the players we have.”
This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Magic news: Jeff Weltman reveals draft plan for 46th overall pick
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