Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Glen Davis will be watching the NBA draft with a lot of anticipation later this month. The 6-foot-9 forward-center is looking at coming back to his team’s lineup next season after missing more than half of 2012-13 due to injury.
But if the Orlando Magic winds up with Nerlens Noel as its top pick and the No.2 draw of the entire draft, Davis will wonder if he should stay in town or pack up his bags.
Noel and Davis on the same roster would seem to have a virtual conflict, at least sometime down the road. There’s also a chance the Magic could devise an offense where both players could have meaningful roles.
Davis averaged 15.1 points 7.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists a game last year. That was in 34 games before he sustained his season-ending injury. He was averaging 31.3 minutes a game which was up substantially from his 22.3 minutes per game in his entire career. He was playing good basketball with 17 points and 12 rebounds against the Detroit Pistons and 15 points and five boards against the Brooklyn Nets prior to sustaining his injury in January.
The Magic had started out well, thanks partially to Davis, but then suffered a major collapse that gave the team the worst record in the NBA at 20-62. He was in his second year with the Orlando Magic after spending his first four seasons with the Boston Celtics. He had improved his game substantially prior to sustaining the injury.
The Magic wants Ben McLemore and drafting him would fit into to what the Magic would perceive as the front line of Davis and Nikolas Vucevic. If the Cleveland Cavaliers take McLemore and force the Magic to take Noel, then Davis will have to wonder what that means for his relationship with the Magic. After June 27, Davis’ role will be better defined.
