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ORL Out: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Goga Bitadze
ORL In: R.J. Barrett

PHO Out: Kevin Durant
PHO In: Brandon Ingram, Goga Bitadze, #9

TOR Out: R.J. Barrett, Brandon Ingram, #9
TOR In: Kevin Durant, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Orlando adds shot creation while keeping their size, banking on the 24 year-old prospect to continue on his upward trajectory from his productive and improved 2024 campaign. R.J. has the same salary length as KCP/Goga and compliments Suggs/Banchero/Wagner well.

Phoenix stays competitive, adding Diet KD in Ingram and a starting Center along with the #9 pick to bolster their rotation and depth.

Toronto adds two proven playoff commodities. IQ/KCP/KD/Barnes/Poeltl is a hell of a starting 5 with diversified guard depth to help bolster the rotation.

Yo thief! I think Orlando needs a PG instead of RJ.

Also, Toronto won’t trade Ingram after signing him like 3 months ago and without playing him a single game. That’s a bad rep for other free agents.

MessiahUjiri wrote:Yo thief! I think Orlando needs a PG instead of RJ.

Also, Toronto won’t trade Ingram after signing him like 3 months ago and without playing him a single game. That’s a bad rep for other free agents.

"We will make you the centerpiece of a deal for a first ballot Hall of Fame player and still pay you while sending you from Toronto to Sunny Phoenix".

Are players dumb or rational?

Not really interested in kcp given our wealth of SGs on the roster. Agbaji is probably better than him.

I like the klay/gafford option better if we have to be stuck with a SG (klay is cheaper). Would personally look for a 4th team to try and swing kcp for a big elsewhere.

This version is at least plausible. Though I absolutely hate RJ for the Magic. He doesn't space well enough for the forwards but he will eat some possessions inefficiently. Even if it was say DeRozan, a better version of this idea, I wouldn't like it for the MAgic.

Texas Chuck wrote:This version is at least plausible. Though I absolutely hate RJ for the Magic. He doesn't space well enough for the forwards but he will eat some possessions inefficiently. Even if it was say DeRozan, a better version of this idea, I wouldn't like it for the MAgic.

Why is derozan a better fit for magic than RJ? RJ is better off ball as a slasher/shooter than derozan

Godaddycurse wrote:Not really interested in kcp given our wealth of SGs on the roster. Agbaji is probably better than him.

He is if you think KCP shooting variance isn't variance, but that's just foolish at this point.

Godaddycurse wrote:

Texas Chuck wrote:This version is at least plausible. Though I absolutely hate RJ for the Magic. He doesn't space well enough for the forwards but he will eat some possessions inefficiently. Even if it was say DeRozan, a better version of this idea, I wouldn't like it for the MAgic.

Why is derozan a better fit for magic than RJ? RJ is better off ball as a slasher/shooter than derozan

No, DeRozan is a better player. He's also a bad fit. I wouldn't like this archetype for them even with a better player is what I was trying to say.

Texas Chuck wrote:

Godaddycurse wrote:

Texas Chuck wrote:This version is at least plausible. Though I absolutely hate RJ for the Magic. He doesn't space well enough for the forwards but he will eat some possessions inefficiently. Even if it was say DeRozan, a better version of this idea, I wouldn't like it for the MAgic.

Why is derozan a better fit for magic than RJ? RJ is better off ball as a slasher/shooter than derozan

No, DeRozan is a better player. He's also a bad fit. I wouldn't like this archetype for them even with a better player is what I was trying to say.

RJ was a different archtype in 23-24 and im hopeful he goes back to being that kind of player with BI/IQ/Barnes all healthy. But i understand where your doubt is coming from given the small sample size

ReggiesKnicks wrote:

Godaddycurse wrote:Not really interested in kcp given our wealth of SGs on the roster. Agbaji is probably better than him.

He is if you think KCP shooting variance isn't variance, but that's just foolish at this point.

Oh some of the shooting drop off is definitely variance. But some of it is probably he's no longer shooting off of Jokic/Lebron. Now Durant isn't the shot creator those guys are, but he would command enough attention that I think we should expect 40% again. He's too proven a shooter.

Godaddycurse wrote:

Texas Chuck wrote:This version is at least plausible. Though I absolutely hate RJ for the Magic. He doesn't space well enough for the forwards but he will eat some possessions inefficiently. Even if it was say DeRozan, a better version of this idea, I wouldn't like it for the MAgic.

Why is derozan a better fit for magic than RJ? RJ is better off ball as a slasher/shooter than derozan

I don’t think Texas Chuck has seen RJ play since the NYK years.

Not only is RJ a better off ball player as a 35% 3 pt shooter, he is also a better playmaker than Demar at this stage (>5 apg)….and also a better defender.

Godaddycurse wrote:

Texas Chuck wrote:

Godaddycurse wrote:
Why is derozan a better fit for magic than RJ? RJ is better off ball as a slasher/shooter than derozan

No, DeRozan is a better player. He's also a bad fit. I wouldn't like this archetype for them even with a better player is what I was trying to say.

RJ was a different archtype in 23-24 and im hopeful he goes back to being that kind of player with BI/IQ/Barnes all healthy. But i understand where your doubt is coming from given the small sample size

It was 2 months of YOLO ball. I don't see how anyone puts any stock in that when we have the entire rest of his career including the most recent season right in front of us. DD does his thing year after year after year.

I never knew that I had the power to make players better if I just watch all their games. I'm dialed in for all 82 Mavs this year and I'm making stars.

Yes, this is sarcasm to the incredibly silly notion that I need to watch every single game to know something about a player.

Texas Chuck wrote:

Godaddycurse wrote:

Texas Chuck wrote:
No, DeRozan is a better player. He's also a bad fit. I wouldn't like this archetype for them even with a better player is what I was trying to say.

RJ was a different archtype in 23-24 and im hopeful he goes back to being that kind of player with BI/IQ/Barnes all healthy. But i understand where your doubt is coming from given the small sample size

It was 2 months of YOLO ball. I don't see how anyone puts any stock in that when we have the entire rest of his career including the most recent season right in front of us. DD does his thing year after year after year.

Most recent season was pretty bleh given the raptors injuries and then half assed effort to tank (rest some but not all starters). It forced RJ into a different role than 23-24. Ill sadly eat crow on this one if he proves you right again next year if he isnt traded

Texas Chuck wrote:I never knew that I had the power to make players better if I just watch all their games. I'm dialed in for all 82 Mavs this year and I'm making stars.

Yes, this is sarcasm to the incredibly silly notion that I need to watch every single game to know something about a player.

I also don’t watch players but I make sure to comment on how they are bad.

Do you know that RJ’s career 3pt% (excl the age 19 season) is 35%? That’s very respectable.

This isn’t Demar archetype at all. That’s a very outdated comparison my friend.

Texas Chuck wrote:I never knew that I had the power to make players better if I just watch all their games. I'm dialed in for all 82 Mavs this year and I'm making stars.

Yes, this is sarcasm to the incredibly silly notion that I need to watch every single game to know something about a player.

R.J. definitely still has potential to be a good player and he undoubtedly played well in limited and "weird" minutes in 2025. Whether that's the baseline of his level of play for the future is still up in the air, but the possibility exists.

I think Orlando could really utilize someone who can attack off of Paolo/Wagner offensive actions and a slasher like R.J. would do well in that setting. The spacing isn't ideal but it's also not worse than they have had and they really aren't sacrificing anything but marginal depth at a position which they have depth at (Center, assuming they retain Wagner).

MessiahUjiri wrote:

Texas Chuck wrote:I never knew that I had the power to make players better if I just watch all their games. I'm dialed in for all 82 Mavs this year and I'm making stars.

Yes, this is sarcasm to the incredibly silly notion that I need to watch every single game to know something about a player.

I also don’t watch players but I make sure to comment on how they are bad.

Do you know that RJ’s career 3pt% (excl the age 19 season) is 35%? That’s very respectable.

This isn’t Demar archetype at all. That’s a very outdated comparison my friend.

Magic need incoming players to shoot alot more than 35% from 3 to be a meaningful upgrade to their offense

Godaddycurse wrote:

MessiahUjiri wrote:

Texas Chuck wrote:I never knew that I had the power to make players better if I just watch all their games. I'm dialed in for all 82 Mavs this year and I'm making stars.

Yes, this is sarcasm to the incredibly silly notion that I need to watch every single game to know something about a player.

I also don’t watch players but I make sure to comment on how they are bad.

Do you know that RJ’s career 3pt% (excl the age 19 season) is 35%? That’s very respectable.

This isn’t Demar archetype at all. That’s a very outdated comparison my friend.

Magic need incoming players to shoot alot more than 35% from 3 to be a meaningful upgrade to their offense

35% means teams aren't sticking to you. It's not just about making shots its about creating space for your better players. In fact that's more important.

And I have watched him play but I also watch all the teams play so you know I can put players into context. If I only watch my favorite team with my fan glasses on I might not understand them nearly as well as I think with a more myopic focus.

MessiahUjiri wrote:

Texas Chuck wrote:I never knew that I had the power to make players better if I just watch all their games. I'm dialed in for all 82 Mavs this year and I'm making stars.

Yes, this is sarcasm to the incredibly silly notion that I need to watch every single game to know something about a player.

I also don’t watch players but I make sure to comment on how they are bad.

Do you know that RJ’s career 3pt% (excl the age 19 season) is 35%? That’s very respectable.

This isn’t Demar archetype at all. That’s a very outdated comparison my friend.

35% from the arc may have been respectable in the '80s, but this season it's in the 46th percentile of the league. Still, it's Barrett's most efficient scoring area as he's in the 35th percentile in the midrange, 27th at the rim, and 7th from the line.