National Basketball Association

2017 Orlando Magic Player Outlook: Stephen Zimmerman

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 12:08 p.m. ET

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Jan 19, 2016; Logan, UT, USA; UNLV Rebels forward Stephen Zimmerman Jr. (33) grabs a rebound in the first quarter against the Utah State Aggies at Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports

With the 44th pick in the 2016 NBA draft the Orlando Magic selected Stephen Zimmerman out of UNLV. What role will Zimmerman have with the Magic this year?

There was a lot of attention paid to the draft this year for the Orlando Magic. With three picks in the top 47, fans had expected to have multiple shiny new toys to fawn over before free agency began.

After a pair of trades the Magic ended up with only one draft pick, Stephen Zimmerman.

Zimmerman comes out of UNLV after a somewhat disappointing season for Zimmerman himself and for the UNLV program. According to ESPN, Zimmerman was the 12th ranked overall prospect coming out of high school in 2015.

With that in mind, it is possible the Magic may have gotten one of the better value picks in the entire draft. Zimmerman undoubtedly has talent, but the injuries he sustained in college and the unstable coaching situation at UNLV hurt his draft stock.

Now it is up to the Magic to mold this piece of clay and mold Zimmerman into an effective NBA player.

Mar 5, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego State Aztecs forward Angelo Chol (3) and UNLV Rebels forward Stephen Zimmerman Jr (33) battle for a rebound at Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl. The Aztecs won 92-56. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

What to Look For

Primarily, you should pay attention to what Stephen Zimmerman does in the preseason, because once the regular season starts you will not see him much.

Zimmerman struggled in college with boxing out, in part due to his functional strength and stamina but also because he does not consistently find a body to box out. This particular weakness was noticeable in summer league as well.

The biggest dilemma facing Zimmerman this season will be whether or not the Magic send him to Erie to gain playing experience or if they keep him with the main club in order to keep him with the strength and conditioning staff.

If the Magic do indeed suffer a string of injuries, Zimmerman could be called upon to fill in either at the 4 or 5 spot as he possesses adequate mobility to cover both spots.

But in the best case the Magic will not need to play Zimmerman unless he is active at the end of blowout win.

Mar 5, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego State Aztecs guard Jeremy Hemsley (42) pressures UNLV Rebels forward Stephen Zimmerman Jr (33) during the first half at Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

What Could Go Wrong

The worst-case scenario for the Magic this year is having Stephen Zimmerman playing huge minutes for this team. This sounds mean, but the Magic will have to suffer a string of injuries to their center spot for him to see action.

This of course discounts the idea that Zimmerman stands out in training camp and preseason and earns himself a big role to start the season.

Additionally, an injury to Zimmerman would be a big blow to his physical development as well which he cannot really afford.

Zimmerman is a fine prospect, but he does not project to be NBA ready this season.

Dec 4, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; UNLV Rebels forward Stephen Zimmerman Jr reacts after making a shot against the Oregon Ducks during the second half at MGM Grand. UNLV won 80-69. Mandatory Credit: Joshua Dahl-USA TODAY Sports

Scouting Report and Development Plan

As mentioned previously, Zimmerman was an extremely highly touted high school talent only two years ago.

Zimmerman provides an excellent frame at 6-foot-11.75 in shoes and a 7-foot-3.25 wingspan. He possesses enough lateral quickness to cover stretch-4s when locked in, though he could use some fundamental help.

Zimmerman is a moderately explosive athlete. And he uses it well on the defensive end when helping out on the weak side.

Offensively Zimmerman’s lack of strength limits his work in the post, though he has shown some nice moves. He has soft touch on his jumper and is somewhat respectable from mid-range.

Zimmerman possesses above average handling from the center spot. In fact, at UNLV he brought the ball up after a rebound on a few occasions.

While he can handle the rock a bit, his passing needs a lot of work. He has decent vision but the accuracy of his passes are not consistent.

The most important thing for Zimmerman to work on this year is definitely his strength and conditioning.

Zimmerman has shown he has a bunch of adequate NBA tools but they are all going to be hampered by his lack of strength and stamina.

Another big thing for Zimmerman to work on this year is to hone his mid-range game. If Zimmerman can become a constant threat from mid-range it will open up his ability to beat guys off the bounce.

The combination of adding a face-up game, and the strength to compete with NBA players could have Zimmerman ready for a role by the time next season comes around.

Jan 23, 2016; Reno, NV, USA; Nevada Wolf Pack 15 guard D.J. Fenner (15) and forward Cameron Oliver (0) guard UNLV Rebels center Stephen Zimmerman Jr. (33) during the second half of their NCAA basketball game at Lawlor Events Center. Nevada won 65-63. Mandatory Credit: Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports.

Overall Outlook

The outlook for Zimmerman this year comes down to his development as a player. The Magic have to decide whether or not they think experience is more important than conditioning.

On one hand, Zimmerman possesses a lot of skills but cannot put them to use with his current frame. If they let him work on his body he should be able to compete next year.

On the other, it is not quite certain Zimmerman will be ready for the speed of the game if he sits out an entire year. He looked a step slow at times in college as far as thinking the game goes. If he gets a lot of experience in the D-League it should help him break down the game better.

The course of development the Magic take with Zimmerman this year will largely determine his career arc going forward.