BREAKING: Magic acquire Desmond Bane (KCP, Cole + 4 1st Round Picks + 1 1st Round Pick Swap)

[basketballRob]

We can argue the Bane and Suggs backcourt fit with Paolo and Franz all day. One big aspect we are severely forgetting is....Mosley. I have little to no trust that he and his staff is going to be capable of getting the most out of these four. The bane trade puts us on the next phase of the rebuild. We are now in win-now mode and hopefully contention in 2-3 years. We have upgraded players; we now need to upgrade the coaching staff. And no, a better offensive coordinator asst coach isn't the answer. Too many good coaches on the market to continue sticking to Mosley and his pretender coaching staff.

Michael Malone will be looking for a job in 2026-27. He's still getting paid like $12m from the Nuggets this upcoming season. That's why he didn't immediately take a job this season.

[OrlandoDream]

We can argue the Bane and Suggs backcourt fit with Paolo and Franz all day. One big aspect we are severely forgetting is....Mosley. I have little to no trust that he and his staff is going to be capable of getting the most out of these four. The bane trade puts us on the next phase of the rebuild. We are now in win-now mode and hopefully contention in 2-3 years. We have upgraded players; we now need to upgrade the coaching staff. And no, a better offensive coordinator asst coach isn't the answer. Too many good coaches on the market to continue sticking to Mosley and his pretender coaching staff.

Michael Malone will be looking for a job in 2026-27. He's still getting paid like $12m from the Nuggets this upcoming season. That's why he didn't immediately take a job this season.

Taylor Jenkins needs to be a part of this staff. We just traded for Bane. Weltman needs to find a way to bring him in.

[eyriq]

Did the front office really "bet on jumbo creators" or have they just been unable to acquire or develop a real point guard? Revisionist history aside, Suggs and Black were both drafted as point guards -- or at the very least facilitators -- but neither really seems to be cut out for the role. You might be confusing "blueprint" with "circumstance".

If it were just circumstance, they’d be chasing a true point guard by now, but they aren’t. They’re building around Paolo and Franz on purpose. In a wing-hub offense, your guards don’t need to run the show. They need to defend, connect, and shoot. That’s the plan.

So under your theory, the plan has always been a wing-hub offense reliant on guards who can shoot, and Jeff waited 4 years to add a guard who can actually shoot? I think the Magic offense has been bottom-10 in the league all 8 years Jeff has been in charge and it's gotten significantly worse the past few years with this "wing-hub" offense, so if you're right, and it's all part of the plan, it's a really awful plan and it's taking a seriously long time to develop.

The plan wasn’t to be good right away, it was to draft high-character defenders and let the scoring and shooting come with time. They believe shooting is teachable, intangibles aren’t. That’s why they’ve taken big swings on Suggs and AB. Bane is the first add because the foundation is finally stable enough to scale.

[Skybox]

You're calling it fiction, but ignoring age, spacing, and usage is just denial. Paolo and Franz are 22 and 23. The front office bet on jumbo creators. Bane gives them room to grow. That's the plan.

Did the front office really "bet on jumbo creators" or have they just been unable to acquire or develop a real point guard? Revisionist history aside, Suggs and Black were both drafted as point guards -- or at the very least facilitators -- but neither really seems to be cut out for the role. You might be confusing "blueprint" with "circumstance".

If it were just circumstance, they’d be chasing a true point guard by now, but they aren’t. They’re building around Paolo and Franz on purpose. In a wing-hub offense, your guards don’t need to run the show. They need to defend, connect, and shoot. That’s the plan.

Like it or not, I have to agree...they just showed that they'll pay to get what they want...and they did.

Fingers crossed that someone can orchestrate 4 or 5 "kind of" PGs into something bigger and better than a traditional PG led offense.

[Sinobas]

Would you magic fans rather have the done the deal you got for Bane, or Simons for Issac, whatever filler, and #16 2025?

[John Murdoch]

I’m conflicted. I LOVE Bane but we didn’t acquire a PG.

There just really isn't one to acquire. That's what I've been saying for over a year. Who at that position that is actually available? I can't think of anybody which is why I thought they should take another stab at drafting one.

Dangelo Rusell

[AdamTheGreek]

Would you magic fans rather have the done the deal you got for Bane, or Simons for Issac, whatever filler, and #16 2025?

Bane. Simons has more flaws and you still have to sign him to a new extension.

[Black and Blue]

Would you magic fans rather have the done the deal you got for Bane, or Simons for Issac, whatever filler, and #16 2025?

Bane. Simons has more flaws and you still have to sign him to a new extension.

The Blazers want to trade Simons to open up minutes for Scoot, Simons clearly wants to play here, and the Magic had multiple chances to get him. Bottom line is the Magic appear not to want him (I’m guessing due to his lack of defense and their prioritization of two way players). Toss in him needing a new extension and it ain’t happening.

I’m super curious if WCJ is in the long term plans or not. I haven’t heard the team say much about him, and we certainly have a glut of players at the center position. We may find out during the draft.

[Black and Blue]

We have 4 centers (assuming Mo is back) and not one true point guard on the roster. My head keeps wondering if Chris Paul would be open to signing as a backup here if we can move some money out. He would fit this team’s identity like a glove.

[Knightro]

Would you magic fans rather have the done the deal you got for Bane, or Simons for Issac, whatever filler, and #16 2025?

Bane.

Simons absolutely would have solved one issue (high volume, high accuracy 3PT shooting), but Bane also solves that + good defense + good wing rebounding + good finishing + good secondary playmaking.

And we know exactly what Bane's going to be paid the next four years. Simons is due for a new contract and with the cap rising, he might be looking for even more than Bane's already locked into getting right now.

[Knightro]

We have 4 centers (assuming Mo is back) and not one true point guard on the roster. My head keeps wondering if Chris Paul would be open to signing as a backup here if we can move some money out. He would fit this team’s identity like a glove.

Who's the 4th center in your mind? Isaac I assume?

[SOUL]

We can argue the Bane and Suggs backcourt fit with Paolo and Franz all day. One big aspect we are severely forgetting is....Mosley. I have little to no trust that he and his staff is going to be capable of getting the most out of these four. The bane trade puts us on the next phase of the rebuild. We are now in win-now mode and hopefully contention in 2-3 years. We have upgraded players; we now need to upgrade the coaching staff. And no, a better offensive coordinator asst coach isn't the answer. Too many good coaches on the market to continue sticking to Mosley and his pretender coaching staff.

Really need to overhaul the entire staff that has overachived with a roster that had injuries to their top four scorers no shooting or guards or shooting

That has also got us better basically every year until this last one with massive injuries

[orlando_joe]

Would you magic fans rather have the done the deal you got for Bane, or Simons for Issac, whatever filler, and #16 2025?

bane all day...magic got out off kcp and cole thats a first..this yrs 16...gave up no isaac ..no black ect..locked up 4 yrs worth a first and swap...28 first and 29 swap
look at this for 26 and 30 pick for bane

[Magic_Johnny12]

Would you magic fans rather have the done the deal you got for Bane, or Simons for Issac, whatever filler, and #16 2025?

Umm the player who is x10 better?

[yoyojw17]

Would you magic fans rather have the done the deal you got for Bane, or Simons for Issac, whatever filler, and #16 2025?

bane all day...magic got out off kcp and cole thats a first..this yrs 16...gave up no isaac ..no black ect..locked up 4 yrs worth a first and swap...28 first and 29 swap
look at this for 26 and 30 pick for bane

Simons filled a need.... But I was not sold that he would have made us "that much better". And after 1 year experiment ... You'd have to start contemplating on how much is he.... And if you'll don't agree ... He could be leaving. Bane for the most part fills as much of the needs as possible on both ends of the court .. a "near perfect addition" that I have more confidence in than any of the other options we've mulled around

And also hearing about how good of a guy and a cultural fit he is ... Shouldn't go unnoticed.

[MagicMadness]

We have 4 centers (assuming Mo is back) and not one true point guard on the roster. My head keeps wondering if Chris Paul would be open to signing as a backup here if we can move some money out. He would fit this team’s identity like a glove.

I'd be surprised if the Magic aren't at least talking to him (or his agent).

[fendilim]

We have 4 centers (assuming Mo is back) and not one true point guard on the roster. My head keeps wondering if Chris Paul would be open to signing as a backup here if we can move some money out. He would fit this team’s identity like a glove.

I'd be surprised if the Magic aren't at least talking to him (or his agent).

Would he be ok playing off the bench?

[MagicMadness]

We have 4 centers (assuming Mo is back) and not one true point guard on the roster. My head keeps wondering if Chris Paul would be open to signing as a backup here if we can move some money out. He would fit this team’s identity like a glove.

I'd be surprised if the Magic aren't at least talking to him (or his agent).

Would he be ok playing off the bench?

I don't know. But considering both Bane and Suggs struggle with injuries, it'd be great to have someone like Paul who can not only play 20+ a night but fill the gap if/when one of them goes down.

I guess it depends on ego. How important is it to have a 'starter' label in the twilight of his career?

[Magic_Johnny12]

I'd be surprised if the Magic aren't at least talking to him (or his agent).

Would he be ok playing off the bench?

I don't know. But considering both Bane and Suggs struggle with injuries, it'd be great to have someone like Paul who can not only play 20+ a night but fill the gap if/when one of them goes down.

I guess it depends on ego. How important is it to have a 'starter' label in the twilight of his career?

Didn’t Paul basically say he’s returning to LA?

[bigdogdylan5]

We can argue the Bane and Suggs backcourt fit with Paolo and Franz all day. One big aspect we are severely forgetting is....Mosley. I have little to no trust that he and his staff is going to be capable of getting the most out of these four. The bane trade puts us on the next phase of the rebuild. We are now in win-now mode and hopefully contention in 2-3 years. We have upgraded players; we now need to upgrade the coaching staff. And no, a better offensive coordinator asst coach isn't the answer. Too many good coaches on the market to continue sticking to Mosley and his pretender coaching staff.

Really need to overhaul the entire staff that has overachived with a roster that had injuries to their top four scorers no shooting or guards or shooting

That has also got us better basically every year until this last one with massive injuries

Let’s put it like this. Let’s say this happens in a normal job. You have 6 months to get a project done but for half that time we are going to take away your most important tool then will give it back to you but we’re going to take away your second most important tool. Then we’re going to give those back to you then take away your collaboration tool for the stretch run. Oh and through all that we expect you to not only maintain productivity but also we really hope you become more productive. Sounds really ridiculous right?