Official 2025-2026 Magic Trade ideas thread

[Skybox]

I think the organization thinks the expendable players are Jett, Tyus, and Moritz. Jett because he's a bust and overpaid, Tyus because he's journeyman depth at a position of strength, and Moritz because he's injured and Goga/JI are better.

I guess summer break is over..."position of strength"?

Tyus is the ONLY real PG on the whole team...whether we need or want any PGs is a whole other discussion, but position of strength? Technically, it was more loaded with Fultz or Payton than it is now - outside of Tyus.

I understand that AB is the per 36 runner up (right after Bamba) but, c'mon...don't crap on the guy they had to bring in to cover the gaping hole. My only complaint is that we didn't grab Tyus 2 years ago.

[eyriq]

I think the organization thinks the expendable players are Jett, Tyus, and Moritz. Jett because he's a bust and overpaid, Tyus because he's journeyman depth at a position of strength, and Moritz because he's injured and Goga/JI are better.

I guess summer break is over..."position of strength"?

Tyus is the ONLY real PG on the whole team...whether we need or want any PGs is a whole other discussion, but position of strength? Technically, it was more loaded with Fultz or Payton than it is now - outside of Tyus.

I understand that AB is the per 36 runner up (right after Bamba) but, c'mon...don't crap on the guy they had to bring in to cover the gaping hole. My only complaint is that we didn't grab Tyus 2 years ago.

We have Suggs, AB, Bane, and Jase. That is a terrific guard rotation.

[Skybox]

I think the organization thinks the expendable players are Jett, Tyus, and Moritz. Jett because he's a bust and overpaid, Tyus because he's journeyman depth at a position of strength, and Moritz because he's injured and Goga/JI are better.

I guess summer break is over..."position of strength"?

Tyus is the ONLY real PG on the whole team...whether we need or want any PGs is a whole other discussion, but position of strength? Technically, it was more loaded with Fultz or Payton than it is now - outside of Tyus.

I understand that AB is the per 36 runner up (right after Bamba) but, c'mon...don't crap on the guy they had to bring in to cover the gaping hole. My only complaint is that we didn't grab Tyus 2 years ago.

We have Suggs, AB, Bane, and Jase. That is a terrific guard rotation.

I agree and am very excited for it....but none of them bring what Tyus does, year after year...apparently, the FO saw a skill gap and filled it with Tyus. He's a very clearly defined PG. If his role is diminished, it would simply be a matter of offensive scheme (or lack of) and continuing without anyone under 6'10 playing like a true PG. I like the current setup and I really like Tyus running the second unit, which is full of guys with talent but who will play better with a real orchestra conductor like Tyus. AB, with his size and agility, might benefit most as a defense-first cutter/finisher and as a guy whose confidence might soar as a real PG gets him good open 3's and clear lanes to the hoop.

[VFX]

The second unit was particularly bad on offense last year. The numbers showed this.

It was even worse when Moe went down considering he was more than half of the schemes they ran when Mosely wasn’t absolutely forced to stagger lineups due to injuries.

Tyus Jones was brought in because they couldn’t generate offense anywhere on the court outside of Moritz. Now maybe that changes with Jase in spurts this season. Maybe AB has a Suggs level third year jump (unlikely).

You sign a guy like Tyus because you have data showing he is capable of getting an offense moving. It isnt resting on the idea of wishful thinking that a guy on a rookie contract is going to “figure it all out” because the roster needs them to in this particular moment.

[Rainwater]

Giannis rumor popped back up again this morning, with NYK as his preferred destination. I can understand why the Knicks was in no hurry to make the move. They've already had a Championship caliber roster and Giannis is going to be expensive.

I guess the same argument for Orlando, huh? We have a near Championship level team plus the youth. But if we could make an offer for Giannis especially with some of the assets we have?

I know the timing is not right. The training camp is still going on plus we are all tooled up for the new season. But what if by trade deadline or beginning part of the season if Milwaukee don't play so well and Giannis speculation starts again?

For me, I think Giannis could be the piece that moves up the hurdle for us to compete for a championship. But there are also variables like how expensive that will be.

I am posting this now as Giannis speculation starts again this morning with Shams reporting. I think it is worth the discussion

Giannis is about to be 31. He only has 2 maybe 3 good years left. Giannis is amazing but I am not giving up for a much younger Paolo or Franz which you would have to do especially with no picks.

[Bergmaniac]

Paolo and Franz are already proven. They led the team to 47 wins, one of the best regular season performances for a core that young of all-time.

The bar is much higher than leading a team to 47 wins now. They can't both be poor 3 pt shooters if we want to win a championship. One will have to get traded eventually if they never improve from deep.

They probably can, TBH. Basketball is pretty complex.

OKC just won the title with their top 3 players shooting respectively 28.3%, 30.4% and 29.7% from 3 in the playoffs and even worse than that in the finals and against Denver. So there is hope.

[JoshuaPotter]

The second unit was particularly bad on offense last year. The numbers showed this.

It was even worse when Moe went down considering he was more than half of the schemes they ran when Mosely wasn’t absolutely forced to stagger lineups due to injuries.

Tyus Jones was brought in because they couldn’t generate offense anywhere on the court outside of Moritz. Now maybe that changes with Jase in spurts this season. Maybe AB has a Suggs level third year jump (unlikely).

You sign a guy like Tyus because you have data showing he is capable of getting an offense moving. It isnt resting on the idea of wishful thinking that a guy on a rookie contract is going to “figure it all out” because the roster needs them to in this particular moment.

He is going to be the primary option until he isn't, then he becomes the backup option if that plan doesn't work out.

You knew we were in for a bad time when we ran Corey Josef into the starting lineup. That means our guard and specifically point guard rotation was epicly bad.

However, we minus KCP + Cole + Corey and ad Tyus, Jase, returning Suggs, and continued development of AB does have me hopeful as AB can show flashes of being a point forward esque player.

[eyriq]

Tyus is on an expiring contract as is Moritz. If they were so essential Weltman would have locked them up. Priorities get long-term money and Tyus and Moritz didn't get long-term money.

[VFX]

Tyus is on an expiring contract as is Moritz. If they were so essential Weltman would have locked them up. Priorities get long-term money and Tyus and Moritz didn't get long-term money.

So you believe there is enough evidence of offense in the second unit without those two players generating looks?

Thats certainly an interesting take.

You either believe Mosely will stagger every single lineup, or you think Da SIlva and Anthony Black are going to reach an exponential level offensively that nobody has seen up to this point (preseason included).

Or maybe the Front Office signed Tyus Jones specifically due to the fact that it looked like garbage last season and they didnt have enough wiggle room to offer a longer more lucrative deal.

I already know how you will answer this but I like the thought experiment of you worming your way to get to this illogical conclusion that happens to reaffirm the self imposed hill you have to die on.

[eyriq]

Tyus is on an expiring contract as is Moritz. If they were so essential Weltman would have locked them up. Priorities get long-term money and Tyus and Moritz didn't get long-term money.

So you believe there is enough evidence of offense in the second unit without those two players generating looks?

Thats certainly an interesting take.

You either believe Mosely will stagger every single lineup, or you think Da SIlva and Anthony Black are going to reach an exponential level offensively that nobody has seen up to this point (preseason included).

I expect Tyus to juice the bench lineup a bit and for Mosley to stagger.

I project AB to be an average offensive player this season, we can monitor with oNet from ESPN (net points) and PER. oNet around 0 and a per around 15 would represent a nice jump for AB and would place him in quality starter territory given his already stellar defense.

For Tristan, I think the offensive versatility and shooting are real.

But no, we don't have an obvious sparkplug scorer outside of Moritz, Jase, and Jett. Moritz is injured, Jase is a rookie, and Jett is a project so we'll need to stagger our core four.

[thelead]

Tyus is on an expiring contract as is Moritz. If they were so essential Weltman would have locked them up. Priorities get long-term money and Tyus and Moritz didn't get long-term money.

You know the magic will do everything they can to keep Mo. Tyus' time here will depend on how long it's going to take Jase to be ready or if a team wants to overpay Tyus. Their current contracts had everything to do with the circumstances we and they are in.

[Skybox]

Tyus is on an expiring contract as is Moritz. If they were so essential Weltman would have locked them up. Priorities get long-term money and Tyus and Moritz didn't get long-term money.

You know the magic will do everything they can to keep Mo. Tyus' time here will depend on how long it's going to take Jase to be ready or if a team wants to overpay Tyus. Their current contracts had everything to do with the circumstances we and they are in.

Exactly...paying the hell out of our 3 young stars and adding high-paid Bane in this CBA era has a whole lot more to do with those deals than value. Do you really want to argue that the FO thinks Moritz is a crappy $5m player?.. or were their hands tied financially and that he will be rewarded appropriately once some of the dead weight is identified and moved out.

[VFX]

I just find the argument funny that a team with one of the worst offenses last season can’t wait to get rid of Moe Wagner for pennies because he’s dead weight, or Tyus Jones is as good as gone because they’d rather have zero point guards on the roster as opposed to one.

By all means… get rid of the offense for… checks notes… an injury prone one way Forward that plays behind a 32mpg max level star and…. Some project wings (likely busts) that will need an extension next season…

Yeah. Ok.

[JoshuaPotter]

Tyus is on an expiring contract as is Moritz. If they were so essential Weltman would have locked them up. Priorities get long-term money and Tyus and Moritz didn't get long-term money.

So you believe there is enough evidence of offense in the second unit without those two players generating looks?

Thats certainly an interesting take.

You either believe Mosely will stagger every single lineup, or you think Da SIlva and Anthony Black are going to reach an exponential level offensively that nobody has seen up to this point (preseason included).

I expect Tyus to juice the bench lineup a bit and for Mosley to stagger.

I project AB to be an average offensive player this season, we can monitor with oNet from ESPN (net points) and PER. oNet around 0 and a per around 15 would represent a nice jump for AB and would place him in quality starter territory given his already stellar defense.

For Tristan, I think the offensive versatility and shooting are real.

But no, we don't have an obvious sparkplug scorer outside of Moritz, Jase, and Jett. Moritz is injured, Jase is a rookie, and Jett is a project so we'll need to stagger our core four.

Two thoughts, although Mo is an expiring doesn't have a no trade close he would have to waive?

As far as the rest go, one would think the big 3 will be staggered. If Suggs shows a return to prior year form maybe even big 4. I think we are all forgetting that Cole Anthony was essentially the no 3 option which pushed people up who bluntly weren't ready.

[JoshuaPotter]

I just find the argument funny that a team with one of the worst offenses last season can’t wait to get rid of Moe Wagner for pennies because he’s dead weight, or Tyus Jones is as good as gone because they’d rather have zero point guards on the roster as opposed to one.

By all means… get rid of the offense for… checks notes… an injury prone one way Forward that plays behind a 32mpg max level star and…. Some project wings (likely busts) that will need an extension next season…

Yeah. Ok.

I mean as usual, we agree. Isaac has to be the one that goes. I like Moe for what he is, and haven't forgotten that he will punch a player defending them if thats what it takes. (See's Moes punch on Karl Anthony Towns)

[eyriq]

So you believe there is enough evidence of offense in the second unit without those two players generating looks?

Thats certainly an interesting take.

You either believe Mosely will stagger every single lineup, or you think Da SIlva and Anthony Black are going to reach an exponential level offensively that nobody has seen up to this point (preseason included).

I expect Tyus to juice the bench lineup a bit and for Mosley to stagger.

I project AB to be an average offensive player this season, we can monitor with oNet from ESPN (net points) and PER. oNet around 0 and a per around 15 would represent a nice jump for AB and would place him in quality starter territory given his already stellar defense.

For Tristan, I think the offensive versatility and shooting are real.

But no, we don't have an obvious sparkplug scorer outside of Moritz, Jase, and Jett. Moritz is injured, Jase is a rookie, and Jett is a project so we'll need to stagger our core four.

Two thoughts, although Mo is an expiring doesn't have a no trade close he would have to waive?

As far as the rest go, one would think the big 3 will be staggered. If Suggs shows a return to prior year form maybe even big 4. I think we are all forgetting that Cole Anthony was essentially the no 3 option which pushed people up who bluntly weren't ready.

Moe does have a no-trade clause, good call.

Definitely going to stagger players.

[Knightro]

I just find the argument funny that a team with one of the worst offenses last season can’t wait to get rid of Moe Wagner for pennies because he’s dead weight, or Tyus Jones is as good as gone because they’d rather have zero point guards on the roster as opposed to one.

By all means… get rid of the offense for… checks notes… an injury prone one way Forward that plays behind a 32mpg max level star and…. Some project wings (likely busts) that will need an extension next season…

Yeah. Ok.

As best I can tell, no one is *dying* to get rid of anybody right now.

But we’re just talking about basic financial realities moving forward after this season.

They can’t pay everybody in perpetuity. Decisions will have to be made.

[thelead]

Barring a breakout season, AB isn't going to make any more than 10 per year, if that. This CBA is squeezing non-starters. Jett will likely get a pay cut. One of Goga/WCJ will be moved. JI is likely being monitored closely. The money saved in said moves, will go to Mo and cheaper role players. I don't see any hard decisions that need to be made unless Suggs can't stay healthy or Paolo/Franz don't learn how to shoot.

[eyriq]

Barring a breakout season, AB isn't going to make any more than 10 per year, if that. This CBA is squeezing non-starters. Jett will likely get a pay cut. One of Goga/WCJ will be moved. JI is likely being monitored closely. The money saved in said moves, will go to Mo and cheaper role players. I don't see any hard decisions that need to be made unless Suggs can't stay healthy or Paolo/Franz don't learn how to shoot.

How much did NAW make? AB is younger and already better.

[thelead]

Barring a breakout season, AB isn't going to make any more than 10 per year, if that. This CBA is squeezing non-starters. Jett will likely get a pay cut. One of Goga/WCJ will be moved. JI is likely being monitored closely. The money saved in said moves, will go to Mo and cheaper role players. I don't see any hard decisions that need to be made unless Suggs can't stay healthy or Paolo/Franz don't learn how to shoot.

How much did NAW make? AB is younger and already better.

AB had a better season last year than NAW? Ain't no way...