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Mr Walton Jr. is making a case to make the Magic's pre-season roster. The team must sign a 3rd string PG, and usually this is either an upside rookie or a aged vet at the back-end of his career.

Walton Jr. has an interesting video:
NBA.com: Magic and Walton Jr. have "mutual interest"

That video suggests there is something here.



p.s. Isaac is starting to sing his praises, "He's a really good PG."


..

I wouldn't give him any guaranteed money yet. I'd invite him to training camp and see if he can handle the jump in athleticism first.

Forcier and Isaac speak very highly of him. I believe they've already decided to bring him to camp, in his post game interview yesterday he said he it doesn't look like he is going to play in any other summer league teams this year. With how well he has played you'd think he'd be getting offers to play for other teams......he must have a promise!

These are the types of investments that offer the largest payoff and least risk. I say we wait as long as possible, drag his agent along until the last possible moment and if we don't need the cap space, give him a real deal. Invest in him and develop him. In the position we are in, you have to take these risks. You've got to find a guy out of nowhere.

Assuming Iwundu gets his first year guaranteed, The Magic will have 10 players with guaranteed deals next season.

They have to make a decision on Stephen Zimmerman within the next 48 hours. Depending on what happens with him, that's 10-11 guaranteed deals.

A bargain or two will probably be signed in free agency on a short term deals (Hopefully one year unless they can be a breakout player).

Given their situation, it would not hurt to have a third rookie like Derrick Walton Jr.. I'd be willing to do a part-guaranteed deal and Orlando has to be an attractive situation as they do not have a lot of guaranteed contracts and an uncertain point guard situation.

That will be attractive to players and I think it could entice Walton to sign here.

Remember, Training Camp players have teased in the past like Olumide Oyedeji and Maalik Wayns.

However, Walton is definitely worth a shot.

Yes, please. The man can play. He stood out from the everyone else in the SL roster.

rcklsscognition wrote:These are the types of investments that offer the largest payoff and least risk. I say we wait as long as possible, drag his agent along until the last possible moment and if we don't need the cap space, give him a real deal. Invest in him and develop him. In the position we are in, you have to take these risks. You've got to find a guy out of nowhere.

Yep. Imagine if the Magic had actually locked up Seth Curry 2 years ago. Would have never needed Augustin or Watson's deals. They got to hit on these low risk moves.


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He can be a 'loader'.

Yes sign Innuendo and Walton Nelson.


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Hell yeah give Walton a deal.

At the very least he can be a 2-way guy for his first season. But he's got all the qualities you look for in a solid backup PG for the future. Looks like a natural leader on both ends of the court.

He has earned a camp invite. Give him that much. He has earned it. Marcus George's Hunt is another player I'm looking forward to come back.

dude definitely knows how to run an offense, when he was in the game you could tell the atmosphere changed in that things got more organized and structured shows that he was well coached. I know it was against inferior competition but i haven't seen that kinda poise and leadership from our current backups, Watson especially. He should at least get a camp invite, see what you have in this kid and don't let him walk like we did Seth Curry. Honestly i think only Him and MGH will be back to camp, Garino say goodbye and Zimmerman is already waived.....i liked costello though, but he's going on to play for the timberwolves in Vegas i believe i think Costello can make some team as a 3rd big he plays hard.

i thought that was why we gave up our draft picks, to not bring in more rookies. Frank Jackson, Frank Mason, Jawun Evans all available with our picks.

tiderulz wrote:i thought that was why we gave up our draft picks, to not bring in more rookies. Frank Jackson, Frank Mason, Jawun Evans all available with our picks.

Well in this case we can sign an undrafted FA in Walton Jr. without having to use any draft picks. Seems like a win-win to me.

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TodGre wrote:

tiderulz wrote:i thought that was why we gave up our draft picks, to not bring in more rookies. Frank Jackson, Frank Mason, Jawun Evans all available with our picks.

Well in this case we can sign an undrafted FA in Walton Jr. without having to use any draft picks. Seems like a win-win to me.

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just a lesser quality player.

All I know is this kid is really good at PNR.

We'd be dumb to not at least sign Walton Jr. to a 2 way contract. Hopefully we can bring Zim back and use the other 2 way contract on him.

tiderulz wrote:

TodGre wrote:

tiderulz wrote:i thought that was why we gave up our draft picks, to not bring in more rookies. Frank Jackson, Frank Mason, Jawun Evans all available with our picks.

Well in this case we can sign an undrafted FA in Walton Jr. without having to use any draft picks. Seems like a win-win to me.

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just a lesser quality player.

Walton may have less upside than some of those players. But as of right now, he's better than Frank Jackson and Jawun Evans (just look at the head-to-head matchup vs. Oklahoma State).

What people forget/don't know about D Walt is that he was playing at a NPOY level for over half the year. Basically, he had frustrated and disappointed for much of his career, and then he randomly flipped the switch. Some short of shift in confidence or something. In his last 22 games at Michigan he averaged:

18 ppg
6 apg
5.4 rpg
1.3 spg
1.8 topg
44.1 3p% on 6.2 attempts
65.1 TS%

And the stats are even better than they look because Michigan runs a very very low-paced offense that depresses statlines.

NPOY winner Trey Burke averaged this on a little bit higher tempo with a lot more talent around him:

18.6 ppg
6.7 apg
3.2 rpg
1.6 spg
2.2 topg
38.4 3P% on 5.7 attempts
56.9 TS%

It looks to be a battle between Lucas and Walton Jr. for 3rd string PG. Maybe the Magic 2-way both and rotate them in the roster. Personally I really like both and one helps the team now and the other is an interesting prospect for the future.

Scout Taron wrote:

tiderulz wrote:

TodGre wrote:Well in this case we can sign an undrafted FA in Walton Jr. without having to use any draft picks. Seems like a win-win to me.

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just a lesser quality player.

Walton may have less upside than some of those players. But as of right now, he's better than Frank Jackson and Jawun Evans (just look at the head-to-head matchup vs. Oklahoma State).

What people forget/don't know about D Walt is that he was playing at a NPOY level for over half the year. Basically, he had frustrated and disappointed for much of his career, and then he randomly flipped the switch. Some short of shift in confidence or something. In his last 22 games at Michigan he averaged:

18 ppg
6 apg
5.4 rpg
1.3 spg
1.8 topg
44.1 3p% on 6.2 attempts
65.1 TS%

And the stats are even better than they look because Michigan runs a very very low-paced offense that depresses statlines.

NPOY winner Trey Burke averaged this on a little bit higher tempo with a lot more talent around him:

18.6 ppg
6.7 apg
3.2 rpg
1.6 spg
2.2 topg
38.4 3P% on 5.7 attempts
56.9 TS%

Scott is pretty on point with his breakdown of Walton. I have been watching Walton for the last 4 years and for the first 3, he was very frustrating to watch. He was timid with his shot and relied on the guys around him to make plays. Once the airplane incident happened, it seemed like the near-death experience really woke him up. Since then, he has been a new player and very refreshing to watch. I am rooting for him and excited the Magic are giving him a chance.