Magic Exercise Team Options on Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs and Paolo Banchero

[VFX]

Excellent! Now we just need to extend Fultz and Cole and we’re set.

(now that’s bait! )

For perspective, this is what 43M looks like, which is what the combined cost of these two will be annually.

in context of a team, it would look more like this

Accurate.

[jonbob17]

Excellent! Now we just need to extend Fultz and Cole and we’re set.

(now that’s bait! )

For perspective, this is what 43M looks like, which is what the combined cost of these two will be annually.

Think of it this way, suppose Fultz proves himself to below average starting point guard (20-25th range) and we were to give Fultz like 4/80. That sounds like a lot, but in year 4 that is projected to be 10% of cap...which is nothing, and by that time we should be pushing the tax limits, so like 7% of our total payroll.

I am not suggesting we do this, personally I want more minutes for Suggs and Black, but reasonable contracts we sign now are going to be a pittance later.

I feel like Orlando fans are overly concerned about how much guys are making, it's like we are back in days of complaining about how much Shaq was going to make as one of the most dominant players in the league.

[VFX]

Excellent! Now we just need to extend Fultz and Cole and we’re set.

(now that’s bait! )

For perspective, this is what 43M looks like, which is what the combined cost of these two will be annually.

Think of it this way, suppose Fultz proves himself to below average starting point guard (20-25th range) and we were to give Fultz like 4/80. That sounds like a lot, but in year 4 that is projected to be 10% of cap...which is nothing, and by that time we should be pushing the tax limits, so like 7% of our total payroll.

I am not suggesting we do this, personally I want more minutes for Suggs and Black, but reasonable contracts we sign now are going to be a pittance later.

I feel like Orlando fans are overly concerned about how much guys are making, it's like we are back in days of complaining about how much Shaq was going to make as one of the most dominant players in the league.

Not really a similar example. Nobody has an issue with maxing Paolo or Franz as the first and second options right now with money. It’s inevitable. However, the supporting cast has to make sense if you are committed to them as the core for anyone making ++ at their position.

[Knightro]

Think of it this way, suppose Fultz proves himself to below average starting point guard (20-25th range) and we were to give Fultz like 4/80. That sounds like a lot, but in year 4 that is projected to be 10% of cap...which is nothing, and by that time we should be pushing the tax limits, so like 7% of our total payroll.

I am not suggesting we do this, personally I want more minutes for Suggs and Black, but reasonable contracts we sign now are going to be a pittance later.

I feel like Orlando fans are overly concerned about how much guys are making, it's like we are back in days of complaining about how much Shaq was going to make as one of the most dominant players in the league.

Personally, I truly don't care how much money anyone is making in the respect you're saying. I want guys to get paid as much as they can at all times.

What I don't want is a situation where the Magic aren't able to optimize their roster because of how much money a certain player is making or because a player's presence on the roster is negatively impacting others - either through blocking playing time or that player's skill set not maximizing more important players on the roster.

Tying it back to the elephant in the room... and I mean this sincerely, I truly have nothing against Markelle as person. He's a great kid by all accounts and he generally plays hard. He's also good at certain things on the basketball court.

I just don't think he's a good fit in the modern NBA with his lack of 3PT shooting/foul drawing and I specifically don't think he's a good fit with the Magic's two established building block forwards for the same reasons.

That's literally it. I'm not at all in any respect rooting for him to fail. I want him to be great! I just don't think that's in the cards for him on this team with these teammates.

[drsd]

Think of it this way, suppose Fultz proves himself to below average starting point guard (20-25th range) and we were to give Fultz like 4/80. That sounds like a lot, but in year 4 that is projected to be 10% of cap...which is nothing, and by that time we should be pushing the tax limits, so like 7% of our total payroll.

I am not suggesting we do this, personally I want more minutes for Suggs and Black, but reasonable contracts we sign now are going to be a pittance later.

I feel like Orlando fans are overly concerned about how much guys are making, it's like we are back in days of complaining about how much Shaq was going to make as one of the most dominant players in the league.

THis is all fine and I agree with you that Fultz at 4 for 80M is value. BUT: Orlando cannot sign Fultz to 20M per AND sign Anthony to 17M per; which is what the media speculates these two would get. Orlando cannot tie up this much cap space on the 20th and the 40th best NBA PGs; which is the upside value here.

Either Fultz or Anthony will need to be traded at the deadline for financial reasons alone.

[jonbob17]

Think of it this way, suppose Fultz proves himself to below average starting point guard (20-25th range) and we were to give Fultz like 4/80. That sounds like a lot, but in year 4 that is projected to be 10% of cap...which is nothing, and by that time we should be pushing the tax limits, so like 7% of our total payroll.

I am not suggesting we do this, personally I want more minutes for Suggs and Black, but reasonable contracts we sign now are going to be a pittance later.

I feel like Orlando fans are overly concerned about how much guys are making, it's like we are back in days of complaining about how much Shaq was going to make as one of the most dominant players in the league.

Personally, I truly don't care how much money anyone is making in the respect you're saying. I want guys to get paid as much as they can at all times.

What I don't want is a situation where the Magic aren't able to optimize their roster because of how much money a certain player is making or because a player's presence on the roster is negatively impacting others - either through blocking playing time or that player's skill set not maximizing more important players on the roster.

Tying it back to the elephant in the room... and I mean this sincerely, I truly have nothing against Markelle as person. He's a great kid by all accounts and he generally plays hard. He's also good at certain things on the basketball court.

I just don't think he's a good fit in the modern NBA with his lack of 3PT shooting/foul drawing and I specifically don't think he's a good fit with the Magic's two established building block forwards for the same reasons.

That's literally it. I'm not at all in any respect rooting for him to fail. I want him to be great! I just don't think that's in the cards for him on this team with these teammates.

I certainly wasn't calling anyone out individually, and I am in no way advocating a MF extension Like I said, I want to open up minutes for the young guards, particularly Suggs and Black, who i believe are going to be essential to the future success of this team.

I just think people see $20M dollars and think it is crazy...I am guilty of this myself...Look at Poole or Herro extension, or even Vassell( who I love fwiw) and the money seems like a lot for guys that haven't actually done much yet, but when taken in the context of what the salaries are going to look like at the end of their deals, these deals are not nearly as bad as they seem or we make them out to be, especially for teams like the Magic and Spurs whose trajectory is a couple/few years off.

I don't think this FO is going to extend Fultz prior to next offseason..unless it is at a big discount, and I don't think Fultz would be interested in that either. It's possible they extend Cole at a team friendly deal. If he doesn't sign an extension, and his minutes get eaten into by all of the guards we have, it could hurt him in free agency. I'd say it is 50/50 we extend Cole...less than 15% chance of MF prior to the season...but even if we do, it might be more about locking in the salary that can then be turned into a trade dollars coming back or even an exception

The real change we have seen in the NBA is that teams are not letting players get to free agency. If they don't love players the are extending them and then moving them...think it is just how it has to work under the salary cap system.

[jonbob17]

Think of it this way, suppose Fultz proves himself to below average starting point guard (20-25th range) and we were to give Fultz like 4/80. That sounds like a lot, but in year 4 that is projected to be 10% of cap...which is nothing, and by that time we should be pushing the tax limits, so like 7% of our total payroll.

I am not suggesting we do this, personally I want more minutes for Suggs and Black, but reasonable contracts we sign now are going to be a pittance later.

I feel like Orlando fans are overly concerned about how much guys are making, it's like we are back in days of complaining about how much Shaq was going to make as one of the most dominant players in the league.

THis is all fine and I agree with you that Fultz at 4 for 80M is value. BUT: Orlando cannot sign Fultz to 20M per AND sign Anthony to 17M per; which is what the media speculates these two would get. Orlando cannot tie up this much cap space on the 20th and the 40th best NBA PGs; which is the upside value here.

Either Fultz or Anthony will need to be traded at the deadline for financial reasons alone.

I mean if it were up to me I would trade at least one of them and/or Gary Harris before the season started if at all possible. Otherwise I think you play out the season as is, and look to move one of Fultz/Cole at deadline or I think they will look to resign one and S&T the other. It's possible a team signs one or both of them outright, and we lose one or both which have value now for nothihng. The more i think about it the more I think Cole gets extended prior to opening night, and maybe i am underestimating the chance MF gets an early extension...

I guess that't the thing you don't want to lose value in this league for nothing, have to get at least get a trade exception back. Surely a PG goes down early this season and a team is desperate.

My gut tells me MF breaks out this year, and i am not sure if that is good or bad for this franchise...of course my gut is wrong a lot...about JI specifically.

[Skybox]

Excellent! Now we just need to extend Fultz and Cole and we’re set.

(now that’s bait! )

For perspective, this is what 43M looks like, which is what the combined cost of these two will be annually.

Think of it this way, suppose Fultz proves himself to below average starting point guard (20-25th range) and we were to give Fultz like 4/80. That sounds like a lot, but in year 4 that is projected to be 10% of cap...which is nothing, and by that time we should be pushing the tax limits, so like 7% of our total payroll.

I am not suggesting we do this, personally I want more minutes for Suggs and Black, but reasonable contracts we sign now are going to be a pittance later.

I feel like Orlando fans are overly concerned about how much guys are making, it's like we are back in days of complaining about how much Shaq was going to make as one of the most dominant players in the league.

I could care less how much he makes...elevating himself into the bottom 5 or 10 PGs in the NBA is my concern...paticularly if one considers that his strengths don't mesh well with Paolo & Franz. If he doesn't make the team better - I'd rather move him while he's still a LARGE $17m expiring deal that some other team might value. Worst scenario is to enable mediocrity all season and then still not have a clue what's on our bench...that will not be the right time to be decisive. When Paolo and Franz get their absurd but deserved deals...these relative nickels and dimes WILL matter.

[drsd]

I could care less how much he makes...elevating himself into the bottom 5 or 10 PGs in the NBA is my concern...paticularly if one considers that his strengths don't mesh well with Paolo & Franz. If he doesn't make the team better - I'd rather move him while he's still a LARGE $17m expiring deal that some other team might value. Worst scenario is to enable mediocrity all season and then still not have a clue what's on our bench...that will not be the right time to be decisive. When Paolo and Franz get their absurd but deserved deals...these relative nickels and dimes WILL matter.

Our feelings no longer matter. Fultz will be the opening night starting PG. Now all we can do as fans is hope that Fultz shows considerable personal growth so that the team wins more games than expected early on.