Official 2025-2026 Magic Trade ideas thread

[drsd]

But they don’t have to have that 14th spot filled until October.

Actually the Magic can probably wait until the 2nd week of November and be in compliance.

[BCS]

Orlando MUST have 14 full contract players. The league has the right to FORCE a team to sign a 14th player.

That's not two-way contacts.

What happens if you only have 13 full contract players and can't sign anyone else because you are hard capped at the first apron and maxed out?

Then you go over the apron on a vet-min deal.

From the web:

NBA teams are required by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) to carry at least 14 players on standard contracts during the regular season. However, the CBA allows teams to operate with only 13 players for up to 14 consecutive days. After this period, the league can intervene and require a team to sign a 14th player.

In practice, teams often reduce roster size temporarily for financial reasons, especially to manage luxury tax liabilities. When they approach the 14-day limit, the league typically issues reminders or informal pressure rather than public mandates.

Several recent examples demonstrate this pattern. The Golden State Warriors during the 2022–23 season carried only 13 players for multiple weeks. As the deadline approached, they signed Anthony Lamb to ensure compliance. Similarly, the Miami Heat in the same season maintained a 13-man roster until signing Cody Zeller. The Phoenix Suns in 2021–22 signed Gabriel Lundberg late in the season, widely understood to meet the 14-player requirement.

Although the league has the authority to fine teams or reject transactions for noncompliance, such steps are rarely necessary. Teams nearly always sign a player before the deadline expires, avoiding formal enforcement. The system operates through quiet pressure and consistent monitoring rather than public punitive action.

That is what I always thought, but all I kept hearing was that if you are hard capped at the first apron, under no circumstances you can go over it. That you had to fill out the roster without going over, which didn't make much sense to me.

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[Knightro]

Pivot to Gary Trent Jr. with NAW probably out of the price range now?

[Redick07]

Pivot to Gary Trent Jr. with NAW probably out of the price range now?

My rank of FA is 1. NAW, 2. GTJ, 3. Jerome

[Knightro]

Not sure what you mean for "for about the same salary", as he is on a vet-scale for his years of service. All that can be negotiated is additional years, not less money.

Yes, and those two figures are about the same.

Houstan's team option is for a shade under $2.2M.

If the Magic decline that along with Moe in order to access their full MLE and sign somebody else, and then eventually decide bring Caleb back at his minimum as a 3 year player, his salary for 25-26 will be $2,378,867.

You're talking about roughly $200K difference.

[DiplomaticMagic]

I honestly like Gary Trent Jr more than NAW.

[Knightro]

Gary Trent isn't as awful defensively as I thought.

He's not good - 40th percentile this past year, 30th percentile the year before - but that's better than guys like Tyus Jones (2nd and 10th percentile last two years), Collin Sexton (3rd and 10th percentile the last two years), and our very own Jett Howard (9th percentile this past year).

[PrimeThyme]

I love Deni, and think his contract is an insane value, but even with that factored in, I still don't see him being in the same stratosphere as Franz, considering the shot creation and playmaking he can provide an offense. Franz had a legit 31% usage rating last year while Deni was around 23%. Franz is driving an entire offense with his playmaking and shot creation. The gap for me is still vast.

The least talked about thing in this fanbase is how much of a jump Franz made last year across the board (PPG, RPG, APG, BPM, VORP, ETC). So much attention was on the 3pt shot, but in literally every other facet of the game, he got better. Like, I know he shot 18% from 3 in the Boston series but in every other area (Elite defense, 25 ppg, 4.8 RPG, 5.6 apg, 1.2 spg) he balled the **** out while guarding Boston's best player.

I'm at the point with Franz where he is starting to become impactful in so many other areas that the 3pt shot is whatever to me. To me, that's the value in the Bane trade as he takes so much pressure off Franz from deep, and he can just play his game.

We live in a world where the Luka trade exists, but to me, Franz is an untradeable franchise cornerstone.

[DiplomaticMagic]

I like Gary Trent Jr. because he will randomly have a game where he will hit 6-9 3 pters. That kind of game can win a playoff game for you

[AdamTheGreek]

I honestly like Gary Trent Jr more than NAW.

I’d rather use the non-taxpayer MLE and split it between signing two of Tyus, Trent, Brook Lopez than on one guy like NAW.

[Idiosyncratic]

I love Deni, and think his contract is an insane value, but even with that factored in, I still don't see him being in the same stratosphere as Franz, considering the shot creation and playmaking he can provide an offense. Franz had a legit 31% usage rating last year while Deni was around 23%. Franz is driving an entire offense with his playmaking and shot creation. The gap for me is still vast.

The least talked about thing in this fanbase is how much of a jump Franz made last year across the board (PPG, RPG, APG, BPM, VORP, ETC). So much attention was on the 3pt shot, but in literally every other facet of the game, he got better. Like, I know he shot 18% from 3 in the Boston series but in every other area (Elite defense, 25 ppg, 4.8 RPG, 5.6 apg, 1.2 spg) he balled the **** out while guarding Boston's best player.

I'm at the point with Franz where he is starting to become impactful in so many other areas that the 3pt shot is whatever to me. To me, that's the value in the Bane trade as he takes so much pressure off Franz from deep, and he can just play his game.

We live in a world where the Luka trade exists, but to me, Franz is an untradeable franchise cornerstone.

The last three years the Magic are good when Franz is on the court and not so good when he is off the court. It is that simple IMO, he is really really good. He is extremely undervalued around the league. A lot of people brush his defense off as merely "good" when he is one of the most important players in our top 2 defense. Suggs deserves a lot of credit, but they were still elite without him last year. And of course Mose deserves a lot of credit as well, but you really need to watch Franz to realize how stout his defense is and I am not sure people are watching a ton of Magic games.

[Knightro]

I like Gary Trent Jr. because he will randomly have a game where he will hit 6-9 3 pters. That kind of game can win a playoff game for you

Gary Trent Jr. made at least four three pointers in a game 20 times this past season.

Every guard on the Magic last year combined did it 20 times.

Suggs 8
KCP 5
Gary 2
Cole 2
Black 1
Jett 1
Queen 1

[Redick07]

I honestly like Gary Trent Jr more than NAW.

I’d rather use the non-taxpayer MLE and split it between signing two of Tyus, Trent, Brook Lopez than on one guy like NAW.

Of course if we can split MLE to sign GTJ and Lopez, that will be a perfect move. However, I don’t think each of them will accept 6-7m/y contract.

[AdamTheGreek]

I honestly like Gary Trent Jr more than NAW.

I’d rather use the non-taxpayer MLE and split it between signing two of Tyus, Trent, Brook Lopez than on one guy like NAW.

Of course if we can split MLE to sign GTJ and Lopez, that will be a perfect move. However, I don’t think each of them will accept 6-7m/y contract.

Brook at $5 and Trent at $8 is very doable.

[basketballRob]

Weltman is waiting for the bank to open tomorrow to get a bunch of 1 dollar bills so he can make it rain.

Read on Twitter

?s=09

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[Redick07]

I’d rather use the non-taxpayer MLE and split it between signing two of Tyus, Trent, Brook Lopez than on one guy like NAW.

Of course if we can split MLE to sign GTJ and Lopez, that will be a perfect move. However, I don’t think each of them will accept 6-7m/y contract.

Brook at $5 and Trent at $8 is very doable.

I hope so! If we can get these two guys, maybe we should package Goga and Jett for a backup PF.

[basketballRob]

Clinton Crapela could be available on the cheap.

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[3ddman23]

I’d rather use the non-taxpayer MLE and split it between signing two of Tyus, Trent, Brook Lopez than on one guy like NAW.

Of course if we can split MLE to sign GTJ and Lopez, that will be a perfect move. However, I don’t think each of them will accept 6-7m/y contract.

Brook at $5 and Trent at $8 is very doable.

This is what I would do if possible. Then if there are no significant injuries by the deadline I would package goga & Jett to try and upgrade were ever possible.

[VFX]

I love Deni, and think his contract is an insane value, but even with that factored in, I still don't see him being in the same stratosphere as Franz, considering the shot creation and playmaking he can provide an offense. Franz had a legit 31% usage rating last year while Deni was around 23%. Franz is driving an entire offense with his playmaking and shot creation. The gap for me is still vast.

The least talked about thing in this fanbase is how much of a jump Franz made last year across the board (PPG, RPG, APG, BPM, VORP, ETC). So much attention was on the 3pt shot, but in literally every other facet of the game, he got better. Like, I know he shot 18% from 3 in the Boston series but in every other area (Elite defense, 25 ppg, 4.8 RPG, 5.6 apg, 1.2 spg) he balled the **** out while guarding Boston's best player.

I'm at the point with Franz where he is starting to become impactful in so many other areas that the 3pt shot is whatever to me. To me, that's the value in the Bane trade as he takes so much pressure off Franz from deep, and he can just play his game.

We live in a world where the Luka trade exists, but to me, Franz is an untradeable franchise cornerstone.

Yeah I’m gonna need you to be back posting here more regularly my guy.

[Knightro]

There are enough needy teams with the full MLE that I think Trent is likely to get a full MLE offer from somebody. Probably over 2 years.