Official 2025 Offseason Thread

[eyriq]

Rebrand reveal tomorrow!

[basketballRob]

Rebrand reveal tomorrow!

The Wolverines

Sent from my SM-G781U using RealGM mobile app

[Skybox]

The Magic are hosting a media event tomorrow (Tuesday) morning at Kia Center (Martins and Cole DeVos will be there).

I’m assuming it’s either new logo/branding related, or it has something to do with the Westcourt project across the street, or Kia Center renovations related.

I have a theory that Cole is the reason we keep getting Michigan players.

Sent from my SM-G998U1 using RealGM mobile app

OK...I'll bite Why do you think Cole is the reason we keep getting Michigan players?

[Optimus_Steel]

We have assets. We have avenues to make moves. This is not a Milwaukee Bucks/Phoenix Suns situation.

[basketballRob]

The Magic are hosting a media event tomorrow (Tuesday) morning at Kia Center (Martins and Cole DeVos will be there).

I’m assuming it’s either new logo/branding related, or it has something to do with the Westcourt project across the street, or Kia Center renovations related.

I have a theory that Cole is the reason we keep getting Michigan players.

Sent from my SM-G998U1 using RealGM mobile app

OK...I'll bite Why do you think Cole is the reason we keep getting Michigan players?

He's just into sports and is from that area. He plays hockey for the Detroit Redwings affiliate. There has to be an explanation to all the Michigan players. He may offer suggestions from watching the Michigan games.

Sent from my SM-G998U1 using RealGM mobile app

[pepe1991]

The Magic have their full MLE. They have veteran minimums. They have two first round picks and two second round picks this year.

They have a ton of avenues to add players to this roster even if they trade three guys for one.

They won't use full MLE ( $14,1M) because that would lead them deep in luxury, regardless of decisions of Moe , G. Harris and Joseph. Matter of fact almost all combination of MLEs + current salaries lead them to First Apron.


11 men salary = $176M

2025-26- luxury tax $187M - guaranteed to get in
first apron $195,9M - ( 176 + 14M MLE + rookies = over 1st apron)
second apron $207,8M ( 176 + MLE + Moe+ rookies/vet minimum guys = second apron)



For this reason they won't use many vet minimum contracts either (3,5M for vet minimum for guys who are in nba for 10 years).


Only way out of this are trades. And that's fine, there are assets to be sold. But from team construction POV, type of player Magic need aren't often traded because they are very valuable ( Derrick White - type ) and also very hard to find.

Latest person here in some alleged rumors is CJ McCullum. He is 34 years old , one year rental on $30M deal.
What are you giving up for him ? Goga and KCP?

And where you go from here? Back at picking up Moe & Harris and paying luxury tax and entering second apron for such player?

Similar problem is with Simons trades. Once his contract is up ( one year left ) he is UFA and can just walk out if you try to lowblow him. And in same time you really can't afford him on some $28M a year type of deal because of Banchero ( especially he or Franz triggers 5% bonus rule ).

Magic's biggest asset problem is fact that non of : KCP, Carter, Isaac , Cole , Goga are starting material players on serious teams but cost too much. That devalues them as assets and makes it hard for Magic to rely on remaining ones for bigger roles.

For example, let's say Magic get McCullum for KCP and Goga.

What's Magic depth chart?

PG: Mccullum / Corey Joseph (?) / COle ?
SG: Suggs /Black / rookie ( Howard? )
SF: Franz / Tristan
PF: Banchero / Isaac / rookie ?
C: Carter / Isaac

Without Moe you don't even have backup C. Your bench is gutted and is now Joseph- Black- Tristan- Isaac and rookie. Any starter injury especially at C leaves you broken. And both Carter and Isaac miss annual 50% of a season.

[Knightro]

The Magic have their full MLE. They have veteran minimums. They have two first round picks and two second round picks this year.

They have a ton of avenues to add players to this roster even if they trade three guys for one.

They won't use full MLE ( $14,1M) because that would lead them deep in luxury, regardless of decisions of Moe , G. Harris and Joseph. Matter of fact almost all combination of MLEs + current salaries lead them to First Apron.


11 men salary = $176M

2025-26- luxury tax $187M - guaranteed to get in
first apron $195,9M - ( 176 + 14M MLE + rookies = over 1st apron)
second apron $207,8M ( 176 + MLE + Moe+ rookies/vet minimum guys = second apron)



For this reason they won't use many vet minimum contracts either (3,5M for vet minimum for guys who are in nba for 10 years).


Only way out of this are trades. And that's fine, there are assets to be sold. But from team construction POV, type of player Magic need aren't often traded because they are very valuable ( Derrick White - type ) and also very hard to find.

Latest person here in some alleged rumors is CJ McCullum. He is 34 years old , one year rental on $30M deal.
What are you giving up for him ? Goga and KCP?

And where you go from here? Back at picking up Moe & Harris and paying luxury tax and entering second apron for such player?

Similar problem is with Simons trades. Once his contract is up ( one year left ) he is UFA and can just walk out if you try to lowblow him. And in same time you really can't afford him on some $28M a year type of deal because of Banchero ( especially he or Franz triggers 5% bonus rule ).

Magic's biggest asset problem is fact that non of : KCP, Carter, Isaac , Cole , Goga are starting material players on serious teams but cost too much. That devalues them as assets and makes it hard for Magic to rely on remaining ones for bigger roles.

For example, let's say Magic get McCullum for KCP and Goga.

What's Magic depth chart?

PG: Mccullum / Corey Joseph (?) / COle ?
SG: Suggs /Black / rookie ( Howard? )
SF: Franz / Tristan
PF: Banchero / Isaac / rookie ?
C: Carter / Isaac

Without Moe you don't even have backup C. Your bench is gutted and is now Joseph- Black- Tristan- Isaac and rookie. Any starter injury especially at C leaves you broken. And both Carter and Isaac miss annual 50% of a season.

Ok let's use your example...

KCP at $21.8M and Goga at $8.3 for McCollum at $30.6 and presumably no first round picks involved.

The Magic increase their salary commitments for 25-26 by $500K, putting them at $199.8M.

That drops when they decline their options on Moritz, Harris and CoJo down to $177.8M.

Backfill two of those roster spots with the 16th (4.4M) and 25th (2.9M) overall picks and you're back up to $185.1M on 13 players. Under the tax completely and they can add a veteran minimum 0-7 years guy to get to 14 and stay completely under the tax if they're inclined.

Now... if they do want to use their full MLE, whatever trade that they make will need to be one where they send out more money than they take on, which shouldn't be all that difficult with 18.6M combined of Cole and Jett's expiring contracts available to them and neither guy an essential piece moving forward.

It would likely cost more in draft pick compensation to have someone be willing to take on more money, but not significantly so because it's ultimately short term money.

New Orleans is 11.8M under the tax, so if the Magic put Cole into the deal at $13.1M, and took back Alvarado at $4.5M - that's $8.6M saved for Orlando for this upcoming season which would put them back down to $176.5M which would allow them to use their MLE. What would that cost be? Two or three second rounders?

And really in your example, the Magic wouldn't really have much of an issue going into the tax or potentially even into the aprons next season because McCollum would be coming off the books before next summer and would either be allowed to walk or resigned for less than the $21.6M KCP is set to make next year anyway which would pretty much alleviate their salary issues for 26-27 too.

Essentially the example you provided would be a get out of KCP/Goga contracts for 26-27 jail free card.

[pepe1991]

The Magic have their full MLE. They have veteran minimums. They have two first round picks and two second round picks this year.

They have a ton of avenues to add players to this roster even if they trade three guys for one.

They won't use full MLE ( $14,1M) because that would lead them deep in luxury, regardless of decisions of Moe , G. Harris and Joseph. Matter of fact almost all combination of MLEs + current salaries lead them to First Apron.


11 men salary = $176M

2025-26- luxury tax $187M - guaranteed to get in
first apron $195,9M - ( 176 + 14M MLE + rookies = over 1st apron)
second apron $207,8M ( 176 + MLE + Moe+ rookies/vet minimum guys = second apron)



For this reason they won't use many vet minimum contracts either (3,5M for vet minimum for guys who are in nba for 10 years).


Only way out of this are trades. And that's fine, there are assets to be sold. But from team construction POV, type of player Magic need aren't often traded because they are very valuable ( Derrick White - type ) and also very hard to find.

Latest person here in some alleged rumors is CJ McCullum. He is 34 years old , one year rental on $30M deal.
What are you giving up for him ? Goga and KCP?

And where you go from here? Back at picking up Moe & Harris and paying luxury tax and entering second apron for such player?

Similar problem is with Simons trades. Once his contract is up ( one year left ) he is UFA and can just walk out if you try to lowblow him. And in same time you really can't afford him on some $28M a year type of deal because of Banchero ( especially he or Franz triggers 5% bonus rule ).

Magic's biggest asset problem is fact that non of : KCP, Carter, Isaac , Cole , Goga are starting material players on serious teams but cost too much. That devalues them as assets and makes it hard for Magic to rely on remaining ones for bigger roles.

For example, let's say Magic get McCullum for KCP and Goga.

What's Magic depth chart?

PG: Mccullum / Corey Joseph (?) / COle ?
SG: Suggs /Black / rookie ( Howard? )
SF: Franz / Tristan
PF: Banchero / Isaac / rookie ?
C: Carter / Isaac

Without Moe you don't even have backup C. Your bench is gutted and is now Joseph- Black- Tristan- Isaac and rookie. Any starter injury especially at C leaves you broken. And both Carter and Isaac miss annual 50% of a season.

Ok let's use your example...

KCP at $21.8M and Goga at $8.3 for McCollum at $30.6 and presumably no first round picks involved.

The Magic increase their salary commitments for 25-26 by $500K, putting them at $199.8M.

That drops when they decline their options on Moritz, Harris and CoJo down to $177.8M.

Backfill two of those roster spots with the 16th (4.4M) and 25th (2.9M) overall picks and you're back up to $185.1M on 13 players. Under the tax completely and they can add a veteran minimum 0-7 years guy to get to 14 and stay completely under the tax if they're inclined.

Now... if they do want to use their full MLE, whatever trade that they make will need to be one where they send out more money than they take on, which shouldn't be all that difficult with 18.6M combined of Cole and Jett's expiring contracts available to them and neither guy an essential piece moving forward.

It would likely cost more in draft pick compensation to have someone be willing to take on more money, but not significantly so because it's ultimately short term money.

New Orleans is 11.8M under the tax, so if the Magic put Cole into the deal at $13.1M, and took back Alvarado at $4.5M - that's $8.6M saved for Orlando for this upcoming season which would put them back down to $176.5M which would allow them to use their MLE. What would that cost be? Two or three second rounders?

And really in your example, the Magic wouldn't really have much of an issue going into the tax or potentially even into the aprons next season because McCollum would be coming off the books before next summer and would either be allowed to walk or resigned for less than the $21.6M KCP is set to make next year anyway which would pretty much alleviate their salary issues for 26-27 too.

Essentially the example you provided would be a get out of KCP/Goga contracts for 26-27 jail free card.

Your math doesn't "math"

Backfill two of those roster spots with the 16th (4.4M) and 25th (2.9M) overall picks and you're back up to $185.1M on 13 players. Under the tax completely and they can add a veteran minimum 0-7 years guy to get to 14 and stay completely under the tax if they're inclined.

Count again. You have 12 men on $182M, not 13 on $185.

1) Franz
2) Suggs
3) Banchero
4) McCullum
5) Isaac
6) Carter
7) Howard
8) Black
9) Cole
10) TDS

11) 16# pick
12) 25th pick.

= $182093589 ( your draft pick salaries are off).

Now you are picking poison . You will either : pick team's option of one or two:

Moe 11.000.000,00
G Harris 7.500.000,00
Joseph 3.468.960,00
Houstan 2.187.451,00
sum: 24.156.411,00

Moe + Harris = $200M
Moe + vet minimum (7th year) = $196 M
Joseph + G. Harris = $193M
( do the rest on your own if you want )
In this scenario MLE leads you to first apron with 13 men = $196.197.589 + vet minimum = $200M roster.
MLE + Moe for example = second apron ( because of two way players).


Depending on who you draft and who you resign or pick, your depth chart either hardly has 3 guards in rotation of 3 big men. Mind you, without Moe and Goga gone in trade, your C rotation are Carter and .... yea... nobody but Isaac who isn't C.
So your MLE has to be C or guard. (Chris Boucher, Larry Nance, Hardaway ,Kennard, Levert type player, bunch of people in mid 30s).

New Orleans is 11.8M under the tax, so if the Magic put Cole into the deal at $13.1M, and took back Alvarado at $4.5M - that's $8.6M saved for Orlando for this upcoming season which would put them back down to $176.5M which would allow them to use their MLE. What would that cost be? Two or three second rounders?

And where Magic go after 2025-26?

In this scenario Magic would have $ 149.284.636 in books tied in Banchero, Franz, Suggs , Carter and Isaac.
+ Black, TDS, Howard and 16#, 25# + some random 10# pick = $ 33.942.851
+ MLe guy $14908200


= $198M roster 12 men, bunch of rookies and unproven players, no PG on roster, no depth nor much talent left, $28M over salary cap.
+ team option on Cole ($13,1)

Any resign of McCullum = first apron. ($215,5M)
any resign of McCulluum an Alvarado ( potential second apron).



McCullum being expiring is actually problematic because how many long term contracts Magic have, and how much salary they already have in books, losing $30M player would not allow them to find new one, rather replacing $30M man with mid level players. So they would have to resign him just to not lose him.

I just don't see how any roster depth makes any sense until one of Carter / Isaac are gone. It's just too much long lasting salary invested into marginal rotation players.

[Knightro]

They won't use full MLE ( $14,1M) because that would lead them deep in luxury, regardless of decisions of Moe , G. Harris and Joseph. Matter of fact almost all combination of MLEs + current salaries lead them to First Apron.


11 men salary = $176M

2025-26- luxury tax $187M - guaranteed to get in
first apron $195,9M - ( 176 + 14M MLE + rookies = over 1st apron)
second apron $207,8M ( 176 + MLE + Moe+ rookies/vet minimum guys = second apron)



For this reason they won't use many vet minimum contracts either (3,5M for vet minimum for guys who are in nba for 10 years).


Only way out of this are trades. And that's fine, there are assets to be sold. But from team construction POV, type of player Magic need aren't often traded because they are very valuable ( Derrick White - type ) and also very hard to find.

Latest person here in some alleged rumors is CJ McCullum. He is 34 years old , one year rental on $30M deal.
What are you giving up for him ? Goga and KCP?

And where you go from here? Back at picking up Moe & Harris and paying luxury tax and entering second apron for such player?

Similar problem is with Simons trades. Once his contract is up ( one year left ) he is UFA and can just walk out if you try to lowblow him. And in same time you really can't afford him on some $28M a year type of deal because of Banchero ( especially he or Franz triggers 5% bonus rule ).

Magic's biggest asset problem is fact that non of : KCP, Carter, Isaac , Cole , Goga are starting material players on serious teams but cost too much. That devalues them as assets and makes it hard for Magic to rely on remaining ones for bigger roles.

For example, let's say Magic get McCullum for KCP and Goga.

What's Magic depth chart?

PG: Mccullum / Corey Joseph (?) / COle ?
SG: Suggs /Black / rookie ( Howard? )
SF: Franz / Tristan
PF: Banchero / Isaac / rookie ?
C: Carter / Isaac

Without Moe you don't even have backup C. Your bench is gutted and is now Joseph- Black- Tristan- Isaac and rookie. Any starter injury especially at C leaves you broken. And both Carter and Isaac miss annual 50% of a season.

Ok let's use your example...

KCP at $21.8M and Goga at $8.3 for McCollum at $30.6 and presumably no first round picks involved.

The Magic increase their salary commitments for 25-26 by $500K, putting them at $199.8M.

That drops when they decline their options on Moritz, Harris and CoJo down to $177.8M.

Backfill two of those roster spots with the 16th (4.4M) and 25th (2.9M) overall picks and you're back up to $185.1M on 13 players. Under the tax completely and they can add a veteran minimum 0-7 years guy to get to 14 and stay completely under the tax if they're inclined.

Now... if they do want to use their full MLE, whatever trade that they make will need to be one where they send out more money than they take on, which shouldn't be all that difficult with 18.6M combined of Cole and Jett's expiring contracts available to them and neither guy an essential piece moving forward.

It would likely cost more in draft pick compensation to have someone be willing to take on more money, but not significantly so because it's ultimately short term money.

New Orleans is 11.8M under the tax, so if the Magic put Cole into the deal at $13.1M, and took back Alvarado at $4.5M - that's $8.6M saved for Orlando for this upcoming season which would put them back down to $176.5M which would allow them to use their MLE. What would that cost be? Two or three second rounders?

And really in your example, the Magic wouldn't really have much of an issue going into the tax or potentially even into the aprons next season because McCollum would be coming off the books before next summer and would either be allowed to walk or resigned for less than the $21.6M KCP is set to make next year anyway which would pretty much alleviate their salary issues for 26-27 too.

Essentially the example you provided would be a get out of KCP/Goga contracts for 26-27 jail free card.

Your math doesn't "math"

Backfill two of those roster spots with the 16th (4.4M) and 25th (2.9M) overall picks and you're back up to $185.1M on 13 players. Under the tax completely and they can add a veteran minimum 0-7 years guy to get to 14 and stay completely under the tax if they're inclined.

Count again. You have 12 men on $182M, not 13 on $185.

1) Franz
2) Suggs
3) Banchero
4) McCullum
5) Isaac
6) Carter
7) Howard
8) Black
9) Cole
10) TDS

11) 16# pick
12) 25th pick.

= $182093589 ( your draft pick salaries are off).

Now you are picking poison . You will either : pick team's option of one or two:

Moe 11.000.000,00
G Harris 7.500.000,00
Joseph 3.468.960,00
Houstan 2.187.451,00
sum: 24.156.411,00

Moe + Harris = $200M
Moe + vet minimum (7th year) = $196 M
Joseph + G. Harris = $193M
( do the rest on your own if you want )
In this scenario MLE leads you to first apron with 13 men = $196.197.589 + vet minimum = $200M roster.
MLE + Moe for example = second apron ( because of two way players).


Depending on who you draft and who you resign or pick, your depth chart either hardly has 3 guards in rotation of 3 big men. Mind you, without Moe and Goga gone in trade, your C rotation are Carter and .... yea... nobody but Isaac who isn't C.
So your MLE has to be C or guard. (Chris Boucher, Larry Nance, Hardaway ,Kennard, Levert type player, bunch of people in mid 30s).

New Orleans is 11.8M under the tax, so if the Magic put Cole into the deal at $13.1M, and took back Alvarado at $4.5M - that's $8.6M saved for Orlando for this upcoming season which would put them back down to $176.5M which would allow them to use their MLE. What would that cost be? Two or three second rounders?

And where Magic go after 2025-26?

In this scenario Magic would have $ 149.284.636 in books tied in Banchero, Franz, Suggs , Carter and Isaac.
+ Black, TDS, Howard and 16#, 25# + some random 10# pick = $ 33.942.851
+ MLe guy $14908200


= $198M roster 12 men, bunch of rookies and unproven players, no PG on roster, no depth nor much talent left, $28M over salary cap.
+ team option on Cole ($13,1)

Any resign of McCullum = first apron. ($215,5M)
any resign of McCulluum an Alvarado ( potential second apron).



McCullum being expiring is actually problematic because how many long term contracts Magic have, and how much salary they already have in books, losing $30M player would not allow them to find new one, rather replacing $30M man with mid level players. So they would have to resign him just to not lose him.

I just don't see how any roster depth makes any sense until one of Carter / Isaac are gone. It's just too much long lasting salary invested into marginal rotation players.

You’re leaving out Houstan who I have on the roster at $2.1M.

And no, my draft pick compensation is not off.

https://www.spotrac.com/nba/cba/rookie-scale

[pepe1991]

Ok let's use your example...

KCP at $21.8M and Goga at $8.3 for McCollum at $30.6 and presumably no first round picks involved.

The Magic increase their salary commitments for 25-26 by $500K, putting them at $199.8M.

That drops when they decline their options on Moritz, Harris and CoJo down to $177.8M.

Backfill two of those roster spots with the 16th (4.4M) and 25th (2.9M) overall picks and you're back up to $185.1M on 13 players. Under the tax completely and they can add a veteran minimum 0-7 years guy to get to 14 and stay completely under the tax if they're inclined.

Now... if they do want to use their full MLE, whatever trade that they make will need to be one where they send out more money than they take on, which shouldn't be all that difficult with 18.6M combined of Cole and Jett's expiring contracts available to them and neither guy an essential piece moving forward.

It would likely cost more in draft pick compensation to have someone be willing to take on more money, but not significantly so because it's ultimately short term money.

New Orleans is 11.8M under the tax, so if the Magic put Cole into the deal at $13.1M, and took back Alvarado at $4.5M - that's $8.6M saved for Orlando for this upcoming season which would put them back down to $176.5M which would allow them to use their MLE. What would that cost be? Two or three second rounders?

And really in your example, the Magic wouldn't really have much of an issue going into the tax or potentially even into the aprons next season because McCollum would be coming off the books before next summer and would either be allowed to walk or resigned for less than the $21.6M KCP is set to make next year anyway which would pretty much alleviate their salary issues for 26-27 too.

Essentially the example you provided would be a get out of KCP/Goga contracts for 26-27 jail free card.

Your math doesn't "math"

Backfill two of those roster spots with the 16th (4.4M) and 25th (2.9M) overall picks and you're back up to $185.1M on 13 players. Under the tax completely and they can add a veteran minimum 0-7 years guy to get to 14 and stay completely under the tax if they're inclined.

Count again. You have 12 men on $182M, not 13 on $185.

1) Franz
2) Suggs
3) Banchero
4) McCullum
5) Isaac
6) Carter
7) Howard
8) Black
9) Cole
10) TDS

11) 16# pick
12) 25th pick.

= $182093589 ( your draft pick salaries are off).

Now you are picking poison . You will either : pick team's option of one or two:

Moe 11.000.000,00
G Harris 7.500.000,00
Joseph 3.468.960,00
Houstan 2.187.451,00
sum: 24.156.411,00

Moe + Harris = $200M
Moe + vet minimum (7th year) = $196 M
Joseph + G. Harris = $193M
( do the rest on your own if you want )
In this scenario MLE leads you to first apron with 13 men = $196.197.589 + vet minimum = $200M roster.
MLE + Moe for example = second apron ( because of two way players).


Depending on who you draft and who you resign or pick, your depth chart either hardly has 3 guards in rotation of 3 big men. Mind you, without Moe and Goga gone in trade, your C rotation are Carter and .... yea... nobody but Isaac who isn't C.
So your MLE has to be C or guard. (Chris Boucher, Larry Nance, Hardaway ,Kennard, Levert type player, bunch of people in mid 30s).

New Orleans is 11.8M under the tax, so if the Magic put Cole into the deal at $13.1M, and took back Alvarado at $4.5M - that's $8.6M saved for Orlando for this upcoming season which would put them back down to $176.5M which would allow them to use their MLE. What would that cost be? Two or three second rounders?

And where Magic go after 2025-26?

In this scenario Magic would have $ 149.284.636 in books tied in Banchero, Franz, Suggs , Carter and Isaac.
+ Black, TDS, Howard and 16#, 25# + some random 10# pick = $ 33.942.851
+ MLe guy $14908200


= $198M roster 12 men, bunch of rookies and unproven players, no PG on roster, no depth nor much talent left, $28M over salary cap.
+ team option on Cole ($13,1)

Any resign of McCullum = first apron. ($215,5M)
any resign of McCulluum an Alvarado ( potential second apron).



McCullum being expiring is actually problematic because how many long term contracts Magic have, and how much salary they already have in books, losing $30M player would not allow them to find new one, rather replacing $30M man with mid level players. So they would have to resign him just to not lose him.

I just don't see how any roster depth makes any sense until one of Carter / Isaac are gone. It's just too much long lasting salary invested into marginal rotation players.

You’re leaving out Houstan who I have on the roster at $2.1M.

And no, my draft pick compensation is not off.

https://www.spotrac.com/nba/cba/rookie-scale

Ha. I used realGM

https://basketball.realgm.com/nba/info/rookie_scale

and yea it seems like their numbers are off.

That said, it really changes nothing from upper projections, rather makes it worst, as more cap is being used due 16# & 25# being more expensive than RealGM numbers.
I didn't use Houstan because he is on team's option and i separated all of them out.

Still, some McCullum trade in framework with Goga/KCP exiting would mean any (full ) MLE will take you over first apron

[cedric76]

The Front Office traded 3 SRP’s for what will probably be something like the 8th pick of the next draft. That’s one way to get value.

We can also criticize all day but our Core 3 is better than most. Franz was a steal of a draft pick, the kind that makes up for not making a steal of a SRP that was simply a NBA starter instead of not. Suggs and Paolo were not easy home run picks to make considering all the players available either.

At some point, instead of digging to criticize, we look big picture and this FO is 10x better than Hennigan’s supposed draft wizardry.

We own all our picks. Plus the 8th pick of the next draft. We have one of the most valuable trade chips in JI’s contract the longer we keep it, it has a 3 year window of TPE-like impact and CAN be added to other player salaries. Believe it or not, KCP has value. AB has value. TDS has value. Goga has value. And so forth.

Yes, we’re all waiting in anticipation of the eventual improving of the margins and making a team that fits on offense. But better to be late to the casino show than to arrive on time with no money.

If we wanted an aces Front Office with glorious wins in every thing, from core moves to margin moves, and a title in less than 5 years, go for it. You can dig up one idea I wrote about here a long while ago; every Magic FO has 3-5 years to impress or they’re clean sweeped fired for the next contestant. The only problem is not allowing each one to go “too in” and making the next FO have nothing.

Otherwise, you see you need to allow like 7-12 year frames for these FO’s and allow some big picture looks. Because I have never seen players in ORL on Paolo and Franz’s level in a long time. Nor Suggs, who was first for the biggest win/loss impact on the Magic when on/off the court last season. Suggs shot 88 FT% in those wins. And Franz 85 FT% and 34 3P% in his Magic wins, including that solo stretch looking like a 1a franchise star.

Great post, but you ll soon find out that this board is full of impatient cry baby

[VFX]

Brother.

You are acting like roster spots and the salaries of players doesn’t matter at all in the equation of trades.

You cannot straight up trade 4 first round picks for Darius Garland. Why? Because he’s a $40m contract. Draft picks are sweeteners WHEN you match salary elsewhere.

The other side to that is the fact that Orlando’s bench is straight up garbage. So if you combine Cole, Isaac, and Goga in some deal for a real player (with picks) you now have nobody on the bench whatsoever.

Orlando doesn’t have oodles of cap space to just acquire Pascal Siakam.

Yes, obviously.

For a guy like Garland, it would take Suggs. This is beyond clear. The 64 win Cavaliers aren't unloading an all-star talent for just picks. They aren't in that position.

But for almost every other potential target - Simons/Poole/Sexton/C. White - the player portion from the Magic's perspective is mostly irrelevant. They're strictly salary filler.

I even think Derrick White wouldn't necessarily cost the Magic core talent because they are financially motivated with Tatum out for next season and their title window for at least next year slammed shut.

And let me get this right... the Magic's bench is straight up garbage, but you're concerned about the Magic's bench having nobody if they trade away three guys?

It doesn't add up man. If guys on the bench currently actually suck, then you shouldn't care if they get rid of them, right?

No, what I’m saying is that firsts are actually valuable in Orlando’s situation.

Why? Because of the CBA and the implications of the 1st and 2nd apron.

So Orlando faces two realities:

1-Trade a bunch of picks to make a move on 1 or 2 very good (available) players to a team looking to rebuild. This causes more depth issues because we are then trading the bench over for who knows what. Also, they are trading the better bench players over the ones that do nothing like Isaac. We probably keep one pick and a second just to fill a roster with someone.

2-Make very conservative moves that don’t resolve the point guard or Center position. They are short term decisions like acquiring CJ McCollum for a second round (or 25) pick and bench garbage. Starting lineup isn’t really addressed long term. Use the picks for good players on good deals. This gives us better depth potentially and more shots at starting talent but doesn’t actually make the team better on paper long term.

Thats the situation Weltman is in. He has to improve the roster by more than 1 player, balance the money, and do it potentially without sacrificing every rookie scale deal for future cap implications.

This is why I’m talking currently about the fact he’s made no trades in 4 years to find a better bench or assets. The assets he has to spend need to be sweetened with the picks everyone here is drooling over in the later part of the draft. Problem is that Orlando actually needs those picks now too because Weltman is terrible at his job and the money doesn’t really work unless you expect to have a somehow worse bench than we already do.

[Black and Blue]

Rebrand reveal tomorrow!

I've been waiting on this since they released their last rebrand (hated that one). PUMPED!

Good luck everyone. Hopefully these are good.

[VFX]

Is the reveal going to be aired anywhere? If so how do we watch

[VFX]

Knocked the rebrand out of the mother **** park

[Black and Blue]

Knocked the rebrand out of the mother **** park

Agree!!!

[89Magicfan]

Knocked the rebrand out of the mother **** park

Jerseys are fire. Glad they brought them back.

[dsg2021]

Yeah, they did really well with the rebrand. The jerseys are absolutely phenomenal, a big consensus here wanted this for a long time. Jerseys are A+ The logos have me between A- to A+

[jezzerinho]

Love the new/old logo. Perfect update on a classic logo.

Love the jerseys. Real pinstripes. Classic Magic look.

Secondary logo is pretty nice.

Don't like the team name typeface frankly. Great to have the star back as the A, but the font is clunky to my eye.

All in all, v positive. They did a survey questionnaire a few years back and literally all the feedback I gave was taken on board, so it's refreshing to see fans were united in what they wanted and were listened to.

[Fortune Teller]

I have a theory that Cole is the reason we keep getting Michigan players.

Sent from my SM-G998U1 using RealGM mobile app

OK...I'll bite Why do you think Cole is the reason we keep getting Michigan players?

He's just into sports and is from that area. He plays hockey for the Detroit Redwings affiliate. There has to be an explanation to all the Michigan players. He may offer suggestions from watching the Michigan games.

Sent from my SM-G998U1 using RealGM mobile app

You know the DeVos family is from Michigan, lives in Michigan, and is super politically-connected in Michigan, right?