Magic select Colorado's Tristan da Silva at No. 18 in NBA draft

ORLANDO, Fla. — For Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman, drafting a player based on positional needs — rather than best available — was something he described as a luxury given where Orlando found itself entering the first round of the NBA draft.

The franchise is hoping it accomplished both characteristics with its No. 18 selection on Wednesday night.

Picking outside the draft lottery (top 14) for the first time in four years, the Magic selected Colorado’s Tristan da Silva in the first round of the draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

A 6-9 forward originally from Germany, da Silva averaged 16.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 39.5% from beyond the arc as a senior at Colorado.

Perhaps no other draft prospect was more tied to Orlando throughout the pre-draft process than da Silva, who has compared himself to current Magic forward Franz Wagner.

Versatile on both ends of the court, da Silva fits the type of player Weltman has searched for in past drafts because he offers good size for a wing (6-10 wingspan) and can score in more ways than one.

A second-team All-Pac 12 conference selection, da Silva provides Orlando with the ability to knock down long-range buckets and an ability to read the floor as a playmaker.

What he doesn’t provide the Magic with is as much as upside compared to a younger draft prospect. At 23, da Silva is already older than Wagner, Paolo Banchero, Caleb Houstan, Anthony Black and Jett Howard.

The Colorado product will also turn 24 a month earlier than Jalen Suggs next year.

But that’s not necessarily a negative. As an older draft prospect, da Silva comes in polished with four years of college under his belt and could be ready to be thrown into the fire earlier than later.

Da Silva reigns from the same school that produced Magic coach Jamahl Mosley.