RealGM

What does Orlando do this off-season?

The clear answer is to find perimeter scoring. I think they should start with a 'band-aid' option that requires minimal outlay and see if that is enough to help. If it isn't, then in the 2025 offseason they should have picks and appealing prospects to try and get someone. Obvious options are mainly small combo-guards, but I actually would not mind Orlando targeting Herro (he is a bit of a bigger fish than what I have in mind). He seems available, and teams that Miami might be targeting to add a star player might not be interested in him.

Unironically take a chance on Beal and Ayton. It's not like they have anything to lose. WCJ is a backup at best. At least Ayton has the tools. Send out Anthony, Isaac, and Mo.
Payroll should be manageable going forward even after Franz and Paolo get their 2nd contracts since neither is likely to get the 30% max

Upgrade their guards.

To Magic: Ayton + Simons

To 3rd team: WCJ

To Blazers: Picks + Youth + Filler

Boom done.

babyjax13 wrote:The clear answer is to find perimeter scoring. I think they should start with a 'band-aid' option that requires minimal outlay and see if that is enough to help. If it isn't, then in the 2025 offseason they should have picks and appealing prospects to try and get someone. Obvious options are mainly small combo-guards, but I actually would not mind Orlando targeting Herro (he is a bit of a bigger fish than what I have in mind). He seems available, and teams that Miami might be targeting to add a star player might not be interested in him.

no to Herro. got overpaid too quickly (due to 1 playoff series) and is never healthy.

BK_2020 wrote:Unironically take a chance on Beal and Ayton. It's not like they have anything to lose. WCJ is a backup at best. At least Ayton has the tools. Send out Anthony, Isaac, and Mo.
Payroll should be manageable going forward even after Franz and Paolo get their 2nd contracts since neither is likely to get the 30% max

Magic arent touching Beal and that contract.

Wolveswin wrote:To Magic: Ayton + Simons

To 3rd team: WCJ

To Blazers: Picks + Youth + Filler

Boom done.

good with targeting Simons. no to Ayton. another player that got paid big when they shouldnt have

Put two firsts and Cole Anthony on the table for Simons. It's more than he's worth, but it ensures they land him. Plus, the Magic can afford to skip a non-lottery selection in this draft and 2026. They've got more youth than they can get on the floor in the playoffs.

tiderulz wrote:

BK_2020 wrote:Unironically take a chance on Beal and Ayton. It's not like they have anything to lose. WCJ is a backup at best. At least Ayton has the tools. Send out Anthony, Isaac, and Mo.
Payroll should be manageable going forward even after Franz and Paolo get their 2nd contracts since neither is likely to get the 30% max

Magic arent touching Beal and that contract.

Why, so they can pay multiple Fultz and Cole Anthony-level players?

jbk1234 wrote:Put two firsts and Cole Anthony on the table for Simons. It's more than he's worth, but it ensures they land him. Plus, the Magic can afford to skip a non-lottery selection in this draft and 2026. They've got more youth than they can get on the floor in the playoffs.

they have youth, but need more talent. we could just offer a deal to Malik Monk and keep all our picks for bigger fish

BK_2020 wrote:

tiderulz wrote:

BK_2020 wrote:Unironically take a chance on Beal and Ayton. It's not like they have anything to lose. WCJ is a backup at best. At least Ayton has the tools. Send out Anthony, Isaac, and Mo.
Payroll should be manageable going forward even after Franz and Paolo get their 2nd contracts since neither is likely to get the 30% max

Magic arent touching Beal and that contract.

Why, so they can pay multiple Fultz and Cole Anthony-level players?

Fultz is gone and Anthony is a backup PG. Beal would be giant money, cant produce like he used to and cant stay on the court due to his healthy issues

I like Sexton+Kessler for the Magic.

WCJ+FRP probably does it. Lauri, Collins, WCJ is a better fitting 3-5.

tiderulz wrote:

jbk1234 wrote:Put two firsts and Cole Anthony on the table for Simons. It's more than he's worth, but it ensures they land him. Plus, the Magic can afford to skip a non-lottery selection in this draft and 2026. They've got more youth than they can get on the floor in the playoffs.

they have youth, but need more talent. we could just offer a deal to Malik Monk and keep all our picks for bigger fish

I don't think Monk is a starter.

I would think the Magic would have interest in Dejounte Murray. Not sure what a reasonable offer would look like

Wolveswin wrote:To Magic: Ayton + Simons

To 3rd team: WCJ

To Blazers: Picks + Youth + Filler

Boom done.

I would throw a 30+ mill/yr contract at Hartenstein or Claxton before i trade for Ayton. Ofcourse none of these guys are worth that much money, but the Magic are a good destination for a FA, and they're not wasting that capspace to absorb a bad contract like Ayton's. If they want Simons (i dont) they can just trade for him.

Priority #1 for the Magic should be to upgrade at guard. PG/SG/combo guard i dont know, but that guard has to be able to create for himself and others a little, and be able to shoot the 3 at an acceptable 3pt%. WCJ upgrade can come later if an opportunity presents itself. If the Magic want to sign Hartensetin/Claxton thats fine, but they better have a plan somehow land a good guard as well. Might still have cap space for that, or they could use their trade assets (Cole/WCJ/1sts/Howard/Black).

Residual-Heat wrote:

Wolveswin wrote:To Magic: Ayton + Simons

To 3rd team: WCJ

To Blazers: Picks + Youth + Filler

Boom done.

I would throw a 30+ mill/yr contract at Hartenstein or Claxton before i trade for Ayton. Ofcourse none of these guys are worth that much money, but the Magic are a good destination for a FA, and they're not wasting that capspace to absorb a bad contract like Ayton's. If they want Simons (i dont) they can just trade for him.

Priority #1 for the Magic should be to upgrade at guard. PG/SG/combo guard i dont know, but that guard has to be able to create for himself and others a little, and be able to shoot the 3 at an acceptable 3pt%. WCJ upgrade can come later if an opportunity presents itself. If the Magic want to sign Hartensetin/Claxton thats fine, but they better have a plan somehow land a good guard as well. Might still have cap space for that, or they could use their trade assets (Cole/WCJ/1sts/Howard/Black).

Hartenstein's a little overboard at 30 mil, but totally agree on Claxton. Adding Simons and Claxton to this team would do wonders.

kds92 wrote:

Residual-Heat wrote:

Wolveswin wrote:To Magic: Ayton + Simons

To 3rd team: WCJ

To Blazers: Picks + Youth + Filler

Boom done.

I would throw a 30+ mill/yr contract at Hartenstein or Claxton before i trade for Ayton. Ofcourse none of these guys are worth that much money, but the Magic are a good destination for a FA, and they're not wasting that capspace to absorb a bad contract like Ayton's. If they want Simons (i dont) they can just trade for him.

Priority #1 for the Magic should be to upgrade at guard. PG/SG/combo guard i dont know, but that guard has to be able to create for himself and others a little, and be able to shoot the 3 at an acceptable 3pt%. WCJ upgrade can come later if an opportunity presents itself. If the Magic want to sign Hartensetin/Claxton thats fine, but they better have a plan somehow land a good guard as well. Might still have cap space for that, or they could use their trade assets (Cole/WCJ/1sts/Howard/Black).

Hartenstein's a little overboard at 30 mil, but totally agree on Claxton. Adding Simons and Claxton to this team would do wonders.

Honestly between Hartenstein and Claxton, Im not sure who is the better player. I think Hartenstein was great this season, while Claxton didnt have his best season. I think 30 mill/yr is an overpay for either of them, but i would still take them over Ayton.

Residual-Heat wrote:

kds92 wrote:

Residual-Heat wrote:I would throw a 30+ mill/yr contract at Hartenstein or Claxton before i trade for Ayton. Ofcourse none of these guys are worth that much money, but the Magic are a good destination for a FA, and they're not wasting that capspace to absorb a bad contract like Ayton's. If they want Simons (i dont) they can just trade for him.

Priority #1 for the Magic should be to upgrade at guard. PG/SG/combo guard i dont know, but that guard has to be able to create for himself and others a little, and be able to shoot the 3 at an acceptable 3pt%. WCJ upgrade can come later if an opportunity presents itself. If the Magic want to sign Hartensetin/Claxton thats fine, but they better have a plan somehow land a good guard as well. Might still have cap space for that, or they could use their trade assets (Cole/WCJ/1sts/Howard/Black).

Hartenstein's a little overboard at 30 mil, but totally agree on Claxton. Adding Simons and Claxton to this team would do wonders.

Honestly between Hartenstein and Claxton, Im not sure who is the better player. I think Hartenstein was great this season, while Claxton didnt have his best season. I think 30 mill/yr is an overpay for either of them.

You know who Magic can trade for when free agent dreams are crushed…Ayton.

I think it's been obvious all year that Orlando needs to add at least one and preferably two guards who can shoot (accurately) and score. Ideally a PG or at least combo guard, but also someone who doesn't completely dominate the ball so Paolo and Franz are still involved in the offense. A young Steph Curry would be ideal but he's not available so Orlando will have to choose among options with various flaws and limitations (at least there are a bunch of plausibly available options). If they get two guys than one should have enough size to play some SF minutes.

There's also a center decision to be made. If they view Goga as their starting center then resigning him shouldn't be too hard but there may not be enough minutes to justify keeping WCJ (with Gogo/Paolo/Isaac as the primary PF/C options). He could return some assets to help in acquiring guard(s). If they view WCJ as their starting center than keeping Goga could be an issue as another team could offer him low-end starting money.