What effect would Trae have on Paolo?

[VFX]

Well you have one part of the issue. The money and timeframe.

The other side of this is at what cost? What assets are required for Trae Young? What does the team look like after this hypothetical trade? Is Orlando finding vet min guys to fill out important bench roles? Are they adding 3-4 firsts for the next half decade on top of filler?

It’s a two pronged issue and not just “meh we can make it work if it mean’s championships”.

No. You have to have proven depth and IF you manage to fumble this kind of trade you potentially lose a lot more than just the assets to get you there for the next 4+ seasons. I’m looking at Los Angeles or Phoenix in this situation. LA loses that bubble Mickey Mouse ring and their “all in” for AD is an abject failure. Phoenix is absolutely screwed and it’s deserving.

It works both ways though. For every Phoenix that goes all in and busts, there's another team and then some that's had more success than they otherwise would have by being aggressive buyers.

Dallas, Minnesota, Miami, Boston, Milwaukee, Toronto a few years back, Indiana and New York on a smaller scale this year.

And I do find it a bit funny that one of your "failures" is a team that actually won a title. Give me that level of failure any day of the week

The point is that they easily could not have and I don’t really consider it a real title… but that’s another topic.

Dallas “going in” was switching Brunson with Kyrie and adding necessary role players. Same with a majority of your other examples.

I’ll ask again… please formulate a trade with Trae Young that totals his contract price as well as the necessary trade value required and ask yourself if that roster is actually competing, or is it just a “nice playoff team”. That’s what you are gambling on for the next 4-5 seasons with a shrinking window to add more talent because you won’t have the draft capital or cap space.

[Knightro]

The point is that they easily could not have and I don’t really consider it a real title… but that’s another topic.

Dallas “going in” was switching Brunson with Kyrie and adding necessary role players. Same with a majority of your other examples.

I’ll ask again… please formulate a trade with Trae Young that totals his contract price as well as the necessary trade value required and ask yourself if that roster is actually competing, or is it just a “nice playoff team”. That’s what you are gambling on for the next 4-5 seasons with a shrinking window to add more talent because you won’t have the draft capital or cap space.

We're getting off the rails if we're going down a "this accomplishment that this team did, they very easily could have not accomplished it!" path, don't you think?

Dallas acquired an all-star they knew they were going to have to immediately extend at a max salary.

Minnesota acquired an all-star already making a max salary.

The Magic, if they waive Ingles, are like $43M under the salary cap. They do not have to send out nearly as many players as you might think they would to acquire Trae Young.

I think a trade would look something like the one suggested by Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey.

Cole Anthony, Anthony Black, Jett Howard, 2025 Denver 1st, 2027 Magic 1st, 2029 pick swap

Then the Magic would still have like 25M (the remaining cap space + the $8M room exemption) left over *after* the trade and could use that and their 2024 1st round pick to fill out depth.

G: Young, FA
G: Suggs, 1st round pick of FA
F: F. Wagner, 1st round pick or FA
F: Banchero, Isaac
C: Carter, M. Wagner, FA

You'd be bringing back 6 of the 9 rotation guys from on a 47 win team and replacing three of the worst rotation players in Fultz/Harris/Anthony with Trae Young and the likes of D'Anthony Melton, Kris Dunn, Devin Carter, etc.

[MasterGMer]

The point is that they easily could not have and I don’t really consider it a real title… but that’s another topic.

Dallas “going in” was switching Brunson with Kyrie and adding necessary role players. Same with a majority of your other examples.

I’ll ask again… please formulate a trade with Trae Young that totals his contract price as well as the necessary trade value required and ask yourself if that roster is actually competing, or is it just a “nice playoff team”. That’s what you are gambling on for the next 4-5 seasons with a shrinking window to add more talent because you won’t have the draft capital or cap space.

We're getting off the rails if we're going down a "this accomplishment that this team did, they very easily could have not accomplished it!" path, don't you think?

Dallas acquired an all-star they knew they were going to have to immediately extend at a max salary.

Minnesota acquired an all-star already making a max salary.

The Magic, if they waive Ingles, are like $43M under the salary cap. They do not have to send out nearly as many players as you might think they would to acquire Trae Young.

I think a trade would look something like the one suggested by Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey.

Cole Anthony, Anthony Black, Jett Howard, 2025 Denver 1st, 2027 Magic 1st, 2029 pick swap

Then the Magic would still have like 25M (the remaining cap space + the $8M room exemption) left over *after* the trade and could use that and their 2024 1st round pick to fill out depth.

G: Young, FA
G: Suggs, 1st round pick of FA
F: F. Wagner, 1st round pick or FA
F: Banchero, Isaac
C: Carter, M. Wagner, FA

You'd be bringing back 6 of the 9 rotation guys from on a 47 win team and replacing three of the worst rotation players in Fultz/Harris/Anthony with Trae Young and the likes of D'Anthony Melton, Kris Dunn, Devin Carter, etc.

Then the problem lies in 2 or 3 years later, how Magic is going to afford this team? Paolo with Max contract, Franz with near Max and Jalen getting paid, plus Young's 48M in salary? That alone is going to put Magic over the cap and if this thing doesn't work out? Is it the end of this rebuild then?

[Knightro]

Then the problem lies in 2 or 3 years later, how Magic is going to afford this team? Paolo with Max contract, Franz with near Max and Jalen getting paid, plus Young's 48M in salary? That alone is going to put Magic over the cap and if this thing doesn't work out? Is it the end of this rebuild then?

I've laid it out multiple times already.

The Orlando Magic would not cross over into the 2nd tax apron for three full seasons. It would be very easy to avoid the 2nd apron for at least three years IMO.

Yes, they would then have major decisions to make after that third year, but the decision could be as simple as "let Trae walk", ya know?

Worst case you're right back to where you are now? Only with (presumably) three deep playoff runs under your belt where you maybe made a BIG run.

[Knightro]

I am 100% fine if people don't think a Young/Suggs/Franz/Paolo/Center lineup is good enough to compete at the highest levels. If you don't think that group can win, then the trade obviously isn't worth making.

What I don't like is people saying "oh well what about 3 years from now!" - because that implies that you DO think that group can win, but you're scared of the financial element of it. And that doesn't work for me.

Because if you believe that group can win, you make the move and try and win the next three years and then deal with the financial fallout later on.

[VFX]

The point is that they easily could not have and I don’t really consider it a real title… but that’s another topic.

Dallas “going in” was switching Brunson with Kyrie and adding necessary role players. Same with a majority of your other examples.

I’ll ask again… please formulate a trade with Trae Young that totals his contract price as well as the necessary trade value required and ask yourself if that roster is actually competing, or is it just a “nice playoff team”. That’s what you are gambling on for the next 4-5 seasons with a shrinking window to add more talent because you won’t have the draft capital or cap space.

We're getting off the rails if we're going down a "this accomplishment that this team did, they very easily could have not accomplished it!" path, don't you think?

Dallas acquired an all-star they knew they were going to have to immediately extend at a max salary.

Minnesota acquired an all-star already making a max salary.

The Magic, if they waive Ingles, are like $43M under the salary cap. They do not have to send out nearly as many players as you might think they would to acquire Trae Young.

I think a trade would look something like the one suggested by Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey.

Cole Anthony, Anthony Black, Jett Howard, 2025 Denver 1st, 2027 Magic 1st, 2029 pick swap

Then the Magic would still have like 25M (the remaining cap space + the $8M room exemption) left over *after* the trade and could use that and their 2024 1st round pick to fill out depth.

G: Young, FA
G: Suggs, 1st round pick of FA
F: F. Wagner, 1st round pick or FA
F: Banchero, Isaac
C: Carter, M. Wagner, FA

You'd be bringing back 6 of the 9 rotation guys from on a 47 win team and replacing three of the worst rotation players in Fultz/Harris/Anthony with Trae Young and the likes of D'Anthony Melton, Kris Dunn, Devin Carter, etc.

Well. I'm responding to you saying that trading 5 lotto players + 2 future firsts for 1 guy isn't an absolute risk that resulted in an asterisk title. Whatever... we can drop it.

First, I don't think that package gets it done for Trae. AB is totally unproven so far. Jett hasn't logged real minutes in the league. Cole is now considered an overpaid backup for what we saw in the playoffs. Denver first will be late as will 2027. They probably will want Isaac or Carter. Cole, AB, and Jett's salaries don't equal $40m.

Second, I don't believe that roster is winning a championship. It's merely a good playoff team. Boston this year is probably better. Philly probably gets better next season if they secure PG or JB. Jury is out on New York or Milwaukee.

Lets also be realistic. Weltman hasn't shown to be one to pull the trigger on a deal like this when he isn't backed into a corner.