Official 2025 Offseason Thread

[eyriq]

Order of operations...

Step 1 - Decline team options on Moritz Wagner, Gary Harris and Cory Joseph. This will put the Magic under both aprons and completely outside of the luxury tax, taking them from $199.3M down to $177.4M.

Step 2 - Trade Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, Jett Howard plus a couple of 2nd rounders for Jordan Poole or someone else similarly salaried. KCP/Cole/Jett for Poole would lower the Magic's committed salary for 25-26 from $177.4 to $169M.

Step 3 - Sign Nickeil Alexander-Walker for the MLE starting at $14.1M. That would put the Magic back up to $183.1M, approximately $4.8 below the luxury tax.

Step 4 - Draft BPA at 16 and 25. These guys will cost $4.4M and $2.9M next season. That will put the Magic *slightly* over the luxury tax at $190.4M, but keep them well below the first apron of $195.9M.

Step 5 - Sign at least one veteran minimum free agent (CoJo or Gary's triumphant return?), this would cost the Magic about $3M, leaving them about 2.5M below the first apron.

New roster...

G: Suggs, Black, veteran minimum
G: Poole, NAW, 1st rounder
F: Franz, Houstan, TDS
F: Banchero, Isaac, 1st rounder
C: Carter, Goga

The question at that point becomes how deep are the Magic willing to go into the first apron to resign Moritz?

Beautiful

[VFX]

Order of operations...

Step 1 - Decline team options on Moritz Wagner, Gary Harris and Cory Joseph. This will put the Magic under both aprons and completely outside of the luxury tax, taking them from $199.3M down to $177.4M.

Step 2 - Trade Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, Jett Howard plus a couple of 2nd rounders for Jordan Poole or someone else similarly salaried. KCP/Cole/Jett for Poole would lower the Magic's committed salary for 25-26 from $177.4 to $169M.

Step 3 - Sign Nickeil Alexander-Walker for the MLE starting at $14.1M. That would put the Magic back up to $183.1M, approximately $4.8 below the luxury tax.

Step 4 - Draft BPA at 16 and 25. These guys will cost $4.4M and $2.9M next season. That will put the Magic *slightly* over the luxury tax at $190.4M, but keep them well below the first apron of $195.9M.

Step 5 - Sign at least one veteran minimum free agent (CoJo or Gary's triumphant return?), this would cost the Magic about $3M, leaving them about 2.5M below the first apron.

New roster...

G: Suggs, Black, veteran minimum
G: Poole, NAW, 1st rounder
F: Franz, Houstan, TDS
F: Banchero, Isaac, 1st rounder
C: Carter, Goga

The question at that point becomes how deep are the Magic willing to go into the first apron to resign Moritz?

I’m on board with most of this, but I think they move Goga or Isaac and re-sign Moe to a more team friendly deal.

[Knightro]

I’m on board with most of this, but I think they move Goga or Isaac and re-sign Moe to a more team friendly deal.

I think Isaac's staying. With his salary dropping to essentially a MLE deal next season, I think the front office is banking on him losing the weight and basically giving them what he gave them in 23-24.

15-20 MPG of hellacious defense off the bench as a backup 4 with a little bit of backup 5 in very limited doses.

[cedric76]

Order of operations...

Step 1 - Decline team options on Moritz Wagner, Gary Harris and Cory Joseph. This will put the Magic under both aprons and completely outside of the luxury tax, taking them from $199.3M down to $177.4M.

Step 2 - Trade Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, Jett Howard plus a couple of 2nd rounders for Jordan Poole or someone else similarly salaried. KCP/Cole/Jett for Poole would lower the Magic's committed salary for 25-26 from $177.4 to $169M.

Step 3 - Sign Nickeil Alexander-Walker for the MLE starting at $14.1M. That would put the Magic back up to $183.1M, approximately $4.8 below the luxury tax.

Step 4 - Draft BPA at 16 and 25. These guys will cost $4.4M and $2.9M next season. That will put the Magic *slightly* over the luxury tax at $190.4M, but keep them well below the first apron of $195.9M.

Step 5 - Sign at least one veteran minimum free agent (CoJo or Gary's triumphant return?), this would cost the Magic about $3M, leaving them about 2.5M below the first apron.

New roster...

G: Suggs, Black, veteran minimum
G: Poole, NAW, 1st rounder
F: Franz, Houstan, TDS
F: Banchero, Isaac, 1st rounder
C: Carter, Goga

The question at that point becomes how deep are the Magic willing to go into the first apron to resign Moritz?

All those moves to end up with a team as good as the one we already have?

[Kent]

I’m on board with mos t of this, but I think they move Goga or Isaac and re-sign Moe to a more team friendly deal.

I think Isaac's staying. With his salary dropping to essentially a MLE deal next season, I think the front office is banking on him losing the weight and basically giving them what he gave them in 23-24.

15-20 MPG of hellacious defense off the bench as a backup 4 with a little bit of backup 5 in very limited doses.

If JI plays at that level, we're a better team already.

Would still require us leveling up everywhere else, of course.

But getting more out of a player already on contract at positive value is, well, positive.

[Black and Blue]

Order of operations...

Step 1 - Decline team options on Moritz Wagner, Gary Harris and Cory Joseph. This will put the Magic under both aprons and completely outside of the luxury tax, taking them from $199.3M down to $177.4M.

Step 2 - Trade Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, Jett Howard plus a couple of 2nd rounders for Jordan Poole or someone else similarly salaried. KCP/Cole/Jett for Poole would lower the Magic's committed salary for 25-26 from $177.4 to $169M.

Step 3 - Sign Nickeil Alexander-Walker for the MLE starting at $14.1M. That would put the Magic back up to $183.1M, approximately $4.8 below the luxury tax.

Step 4 - Draft BPA at 16 and 25. These guys will cost $4.4M and $2.9M next season. That will put the Magic *slightly* over the luxury tax at $190.4M, but keep them well below the first apron of $195.9M.

Step 5 - Sign at least one veteran minimum free agent (CoJo or Gary's triumphant return?), this would cost the Magic about $3M, leaving them about 2.5M below the first apron.

New roster...

G: Suggs, Black, veteran minimum
G: Poole, NAW, 1st rounder
F: Franz, Houstan, TDS
F: Banchero, Isaac, 1st rounder
C: Carter, Goga

The question at that point becomes how deep are the Magic willing to go into the first apron to resign Moritz?

Me and you were the original people to suggest Jordan Poole. If this comes to pass, you and I will be looking at each other like this when he is acquired and lifts the team to new heights.

[basketballRob]

Sam Vecenie on the state of the Magic.

https://youtu.be/KenWwRV6UGw?si=qf-fJIWl_3EWIgOC

Sent from my SM-G781U using RealGM mobile app

[Skybox]

I would be happy to see that...but why on Earth would be "too much defense, crappy offense, no MLE at present" ORL get that headline?

I'm not sure what you mean?

NAW is another nice player who is way more of a defensive player than offense and he's a UFA. Could be a less expensive KCP, but still another KCP-type.

[Skybox]

Order of operations...

Step 1 - Decline team options on Moritz Wagner, Gary Harris and Cory Joseph. This will put the Magic under both aprons and completely outside of the luxury tax, taking them from $199.3M down to $177.4M.

Step 2 - Trade Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, Jett Howard plus a couple of 2nd rounders for Jordan Poole or someone else similarly salaried. KCP/Cole/Jett for Poole would lower the Magic's committed salary for 25-26 from $177.4 to $169M.

Step 3 - Sign Nickeil Alexander-Walker for the MLE starting at $14.1M. That would put the Magic back up to $183.1M, approximately $4.8 below the luxury tax.

Step 4 - Draft BPA at 16 and 25. These guys will cost $4.4M and $2.9M next season. That will put the Magic *slightly* over the luxury tax at $190.4M, but keep them well below the first apron of $195.9M.

Step 5 - Sign at least one veteran minimum free agent (CoJo or Gary's triumphant return?), this would cost the Magic about $3M, leaving them about 2.5M below the first apron.

New roster...

G: Suggs, Black, veteran minimum
G: Poole, NAW, 1st rounder
F: Franz, Houstan, TDS
F: Banchero, Isaac, 1st rounder
C: Carter, Goga

The question at that point becomes how deep are the Magic willing to go into the first apron to resign Moritz?

Me and you were the original people to suggest Jordan Poole. If this comes to pass, you and I will be looking at each other like this when he is acquired and lifts the team to new heights.

I challenge I routinely have a few people who don't like my trade ideas...but nothing matches the crap I got for suggesting Poole years ago.
Let me in your circle of infamy.

[Black and Blue]

Order of operations...

Step 1 - Decline team options on Moritz Wagner, Gary Harris and Cory Joseph. This will put the Magic under both aprons and completely outside of the luxury tax, taking them from $199.3M down to $177.4M.

Step 2 - Trade Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, Jett Howard plus a couple of 2nd rounders for Jordan Poole or someone else similarly salaried. KCP/Cole/Jett for Poole would lower the Magic's committed salary for 25-26 from $177.4 to $169M.

Step 3 - Sign Nickeil Alexander-Walker for the MLE starting at $14.1M. That would put the Magic back up to $183.1M, approximately $4.8 below the luxury tax.

Step 4 - Draft BPA at 16 and 25. These guys will cost $4.4M and $2.9M next season. That will put the Magic *slightly* over the luxury tax at $190.4M, but keep them well below the first apron of $195.9M.

Step 5 - Sign at least one veteran minimum free agent (CoJo or Gary's triumphant return?), this would cost the Magic about $3M, leaving them about 2.5M below the first apron.

New roster...

G: Suggs, Black, veteran minimum
G: Poole, NAW, 1st rounder
F: Franz, Houstan, TDS
F: Banchero, Isaac, 1st rounder
C: Carter, Goga

The question at that point becomes how deep are the Magic willing to go into the first apron to resign Moritz?

Me and you were the original people to suggest Jordan Poole. If this comes to pass, you and I will be looking at each other like this when he is acquired and lifts the team to new heights.

I challenge I routinely have a few people who don't like my trade ideas...but nothing matches the crap I got for suggesting Poole years ago.
Let me in your circle of infamy.

You’re in. The three of us in this express train to hell together.

[Skybox]

Me and you were the original people to suggest Jordan Poole. If this comes to pass, you and I will be looking at each other like this when he is acquired and lifts the team to new heights.

I challenge I routinely have a few people who don't like my trade ideas...but nothing matches the crap I got for suggesting Poole years ago.
Let me in your circle of infamy.

You’re in. The three of us in this express train to hell together.

I'm the guy who went on the WAS boards to congratulate them and confidently predict that Poole unchained would likely lead the league in scoring then he absolutely s**t the bed in WAS for most of the first year...I don't know why, but he was putting up like 5 pt games routinely

In my defense, I never said he'd be super efficient or lead them to a lot of wins (in their tank state) but I always believed that he could get buckets all day on any team and that, on a good defensive team that's starved for scoring, he could look like an All-Star (in the East).

[Knightro]

All those moves to end up with a team as good as the one we already have?

Theoretically it's a better team than the current group, right?

Poole: 33.1 PTS/100 on a .591 TS%
Cole: 25.5 PTS/100 on a .531 TS%

That's a big jump on paper. Especially for the person likely to be No. 3 on the team in USG%/shot attempts.

NAW replaces KCP and those two should be a wash at worst. Perhaps in favor of NAW if KCP has more of a physical decline at age 32/33.

And nobody else in the rotation otherwise should be anything but improved year-over-year. Paolo, Franz, Suggs, Black, TDS and Houstan should all be better to some degree.

Isaac theoretically has a potentially big year-over-year gain to be had at a decreased weight since he was awesome (albeit in limited minutes) in 23-24 and pretty bad in 24-25.

X factor is always health, but they could win 50 games if everyone stays relatively light on the injury front.

[MartinsIzAfraud]

Order of operations...

Step 1 - Decline team options on Moritz Wagner, Gary Harris and Cory Joseph. This will put the Magic under both aprons and completely outside of the luxury tax, taking them from $199.3M down to $177.4M.

Step 2 - Trade Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, Jett Howard plus a couple of 2nd rounders for Jordan Poole or someone else similarly salaried. KCP/Cole/Jett for Poole would lower the Magic's committed salary for 25-26 from $177.4 to $169M.

Step 3 - Sign Nickeil Alexander-Walker for the MLE starting at $14.1M. That would put the Magic back up to $183.1M, approximately $4.8 below the luxury tax.

Step 4 - Draft BPA at 16 and 25. These guys will cost $4.4M and $2.9M next season. That will put the Magic *slightly* over the luxury tax at $190.4M, but keep them well below the first apron of $195.9M.

Step 5 - Sign at least one veteran minimum free agent (CoJo or Gary's triumphant return?), this would cost the Magic about $3M, leaving them about 2.5M below the first apron.

New roster...

G: Suggs, Black, veteran minimum
G: Poole, NAW, 1st rounder
F: Franz, Houstan, TDS
F: Banchero, Isaac, 1st rounder
C: Carter, Goga

The question at that point becomes how deep are the Magic willing to go into the first apron to resign Moritz?

I’m on board with most of this, but I think they move Goga or Isaac and re-sign Moe to a more team friendly deal.

Yeah there’s no way they don’t re sign Moe W and there’s a 5% chance they draft 2 rookies.

Otherwise it’s a solid plan forward.

[thelead]

Our guard rotation is so sad that Poole is seen as a savior around here… lord help us

Watch on YouTube

[RookieStar]

Ummmm.. was i dreaming those years of bone-headed Poole games?

Since when did Poole become palatable to us?

[Skybox]

Order of operations...

Step 1 - Decline team options on Moritz Wagner, Gary Harris and Cory Joseph. This will put the Magic under both aprons and completely outside of the luxury tax, taking them from $199.3M down to $177.4M.

Step 2 - Trade Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, Jett Howard plus a couple of 2nd rounders for Jordan Poole or someone else similarly salaried. KCP/Cole/Jett for Poole would lower the Magic's committed salary for 25-26 from $177.4 to $169M.

Step 3 - Sign Nickeil Alexander-Walker for the MLE starting at $14.1M. That would put the Magic back up to $183.1M, approximately $4.8 below the luxury tax.

Step 4 - Draft BPA at 16 and 25. These guys will cost $4.4M and $2.9M next season. That will put the Magic *slightly* over the luxury tax at $190.4M, but keep them well below the first apron of $195.9M.

Step 5 - Sign at least one veteran minimum free agent (CoJo or Gary's triumphant return?), this would cost the Magic about $3M, leaving them about 2.5M below the first apron.

New roster...

G: Suggs, Black, veteran minimum
G: Poole, NAW, 1st rounder
F: Franz, Houstan, TDS
F: Banchero, Isaac, 1st rounder
C: Carter, Goga

The question at that point becomes how deep are the Magic willing to go into the first apron to resign Moritz?

I’m on board with most of this, but I think they move Goga or Isaac and re-sign Moe to a more team friendly deal.

Yeah there’s no way they don’t re sign Moe W and there’s a 5% chance they draft 2 rookies.

Otherwise it’s a solid plan forward.

I think many of us have been carrying that but...why did they get a TO if they're so terrified of upsetting Franz? That's without even considering that he'll miss half of the option year with his rehab. It makes a lot less sense to keep him than to either restructure for more years OR say goodbye (for now). The CBA is a cruel mistress - everything must be considered...I think disappointment would be real, but not stunning for either Wagner.

[MartinsIzAfraud]

I’m on board with most of this, but I think they move Goga or Isaac and re-sign Moe to a more team friendly deal.

Yeah there’s no way they don’t re sign Moe W and there’s a 5% chance they draft 2 rookies.

Otherwise it’s a solid plan forward.

I think many of us have been carrying that but...why did they get a TO if they're so terrified of upsetting Franz? That's without even considering that he'll miss half of the option year with his rehab. It makes a lot less sense to keep him than to either restructure for more years OR say goodbye (for now). The CBA is a cruel mistress - everything must be considered...I think disappointment would be real, but not stunning for either Wagner.

TO was likely because our cap situation is **** and required it. Right now to even use the full MLE we have to decline all our team options. I’d say they played that contract properly.

Went from 5th best bench to 29th without Wagner. That’s a massive change and I honestly don’t think Goga is all that good with this roster makeup ir Paolo/Franz.

[89Magicfan]

Our guard rotation is so sad that Poole is seen as a savior around here… lord help us

Watch on YouTube

Typical fan talk. First talk about the sexy names until you’ve convinced yourself it’s not happening. From there you start looking at the untapped young talent with potential. Then you go to the low hanging fruit thinking they just need a different team/scenery because you think that’s the most realistic option.

I for one am sticking to my guns. I want a player who makes us better.

[basketballRob]

Poole is also near the same size as Haliburton.

Sent from my SM-G998U1 using RealGM mobile app

[eyriq]

I challenge I routinely have a few people who don't like my trade ideas...but nothing matches the crap I got for suggesting Poole years ago.
Let me in your circle of infamy.

You’re in. The three of us in this express train to hell together.

I'm the guy who went on the WAS boards to congratulate them and confidently predict that Poole unchained would likely lead the league in scoring then he absolutely s**t the bed in WAS for most of the first year...I don't know why, but he was putting up like 5 pt games routinely

In my defense, I never said he'd be super efficient or lead them to a lot of wins (in their tank state) but I always believed that he could get buckets all day on any team and that, on a good defensive team that's starved for scoring, he could look like an All-Star (in the East).

Your evaluation of Poole at that time was terrible. He proceeded to tank his value and became a buy-low candidate.