Avoiding Big Moves for Star Players With Wes Trueblood | Episode 173 | Orlando Magic Podcast

Avoiding Big Moves for Star Players With Wes Trueblood | Episode 173 | Orlando Magic Podcast

[Applause] in order for the magic to work you have to truly believe in the magic welcome to let’s talk magic and Orlando Magic UK podcast tonight is an episode where we’re going to go around the league and get a view from a little bit outside of Orlando we’re going to delve into another team the Indiana Paces but crucially we’re going to get views on the Orlando Magic at the same time firstly you’ll see I’m joined by friend of the zebras G how are we doing hi good mate I think I’m in the camp with Luca donic at the moment aren’t I what Luka hate the referees um they upset you sorry mate say again have they upset you again wow you know I was a bit upset that Dallas didn’t win and I’m sure we’ll get on to that in a little bit but um yeah those damn zebras um but there we go you boys looking forward to the football of course it’s starting tonight yes it’s coming home ah is it yeah about the England team playing I don’t know if it’s a good I don’t know if it’s a good thing that England are actually bookies favorites to win at all I’m not quite sure but um if you’re watching on YouTube You’ll see G’s wearing his one of his what how many teams do you support G 27 anyone who plays England mate anyone who plays England or Liverpool yeah no um Denmark and my tournament team and Wales never qualified so that’s the little story behind that and it just so happens there England’s group so uh no but you me good luck to to you boys and to the Scots I know Angus and Barry and the boys be watching uh Scotland play Germany right now so uh good luck to them and hope everyone enjoys the tournament should be good but obviously we’re going to we’re going to Soldier on through and miss the open to recall the Pod so if you’re listening that’s the sacrifices we make and we’re also joined by scrumpy Jack I couldn’t let that one go from last time Mikey back on the Pod how’s it going from the side of of the Southwest doing well mate doing well looking forward to the start of the Euros um yeah it’s quite a nice little filler this summer whil we got a little buildup to the to the draft and free agency in a few weeks so um yeah I’m looking forward to it as advertised you might have seen this on X Twitter whatever you want to call it tonight we’re going to be joined by a man known to anyone who has that platform it will be the Indiana Pacers spacers horse don’t say that after a couple of Siders man with the soft spot for the magic we’re going to be welcoming in Wes True Blood right so magic fans the next part as promised we now have the one and only Wes True Blood X joining us Wes welcome to the Pod for those of you who don’t anyone out there who doesn’t know who where is please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit how you’re feeling after that season as a pierces fan so my name is West True Blood um Bloomington Indiana it’s where I’m from uh that Pacer season so the Pacer season was great and to me all I wanted was a seven game series that’s what I wanted at the beginning of the season I wanted to make the playoffs ideally not having to go through the play and we didn’t have to do that we just made it and winning the seven game series we won two of them now I know people say well there is injuries and all that well the Pacers can’t help that but all I wanted was two seven or one seven game series we got two we played a third um there was an amazing season it topped any realistically Optimist perspective at the beginning of the Season no one would have said Eastern Conference Finals but I mean that wouldn’t be realistic so it was an amazing season it was great I couldn’t ask for anything better we escaped more or less injury-free halberton was was injured at the end of the season like we all kind of thought he came back too early but no we’re in a great place uh so you have you clearly have a soft spot for the magic from you know our interactions on Twitter and other magic fans or X as you call it now so how did this come about so I’ll give you a truncated version even the truncate is a little bit long but I’ll do my best to keep it condensed so the magic played the Pacers November 19th this past season and the M it was in Indie and the magic absolutely trounced the Pacers it was awful it was not close I think that I think the end the score end up being 128 116 that does not reflect how badly the magic beat the Pacers and Halbert was really on a heater at that point in the magic were the first team that were able to really stop and by really stopping mind they really stopped him THS really made life difficult on him and that next day I was on Twitter I was on X and you know I saw a raptor fan and a magic fan going back at it now they were going to play the next day they were going to play the 21st I’m almost sure it’s the 25 and I saw Raptor fans saying there’s you know there’s no way that you guys can beat us you guys are a joke blah blah blah and I had just been destroyed my team has just been destroyed by the magic so I hopped in and said I’m a Pacer fan and I believe the magic will beat you guys I keep mind I had like 60 followers at this point no one really cared what I said or when I said it or how I said it and it was in a chain it was in a you know a stream or a thread and Raptor fans really took umage at what I said and all of a sudden I had like maybe 15 or 20 bookmarks had to be from rap waiting to come back and you know ask for receipts ask how things work because they really believed they were going to win well the magic won and a magic fan with a pretty big F maybe it’s everyday Carter I can’t remember who it was but they quote tweeted my post showing you know that I had a bunch of bookmarks and he said look looks like the Raptor fans are going to come after him they can’t do it now so a lot you know I had probably 15 or 20 magic fans just you know re follow me request my friendship however you want to put it and about another week later my sister was going to go down to Orlando and she loves basketball she’s a Pacer fan but she want she had heard things about the Kia Center maybe from me that there’s a great experience there and so she’s like well I’m going to watch a game there and so I actually just you know posted hey magic friends which I didn’t have very many at that point my sister’s going to go watch a game there and I got a a private message from a magic employee saying hey we saw your post can we hook your sister up with you know Swag maybe get her to meet a player something like that I like absolutely so I was really appreciative of that and then my sister went to the Magic game and she was kind of texting me what was going on and I was texting it you know live tweeting it I guess and I don’t know why it happened or what happened but the magic fans has showed me a ton of support a ton of support and actually one person quote tweeted me and said this guy’s single-handedly Bridging the Gap between Pacers and Magic fans well all that happens right around I lost my mom not long ago and she loved Thanksgiving I was incredibly depressed around that time she loved Christmas and the magic fans reaching out to me the magic employee who reached out meant a lot to me a lot to me I’m an incredibly loyal person and I just cannot thank those fans there’s some of them that did more than others but magic F just came to my side in my age and I’ve never ever never forgotten it and that’s really how things started I had like 60 followers now 1500 and most of that because of magic fans you know quote tweeting my stuff liking my stuff whatever NBA University had a big for some reason he liked a couple of my posts and followed me and he actually posted at one point the things I like cats people responding to my post and West True Blood and I just I mean I just got tons of followers so magic fans are responsible for whatever meager following I have so that’s more or less the story I could get into more detail but we’re in a you know shorten time period so that’s it that’s awesome cool man I saw that yeah so Wes what’s the the the mood in Orlando is very optimistic after what’s been a great season what’s the mood over in Indiana and how are you feeling about next season and why it’s very optimistic I think some Pacer fans are too optimistic let me address them first they I think a lot of Pacer fans or some or maybe a vocal minority believe that now the Eastern Conference Finals is kind of the threshold that’s what we should expect I I could not disagree more or more loudly um yeah we made Houston Conference Finals but let’s not act like we didn’t have a fairly easy path and I think if we set that up as the bar as what we need to do for Success a lot of people are going to be very disappointed Twitter is going to be hor Pacer Twitter it’s going to be horrible to be on next season I don’t think we’re going to make the Eastern Conference Finals next season I think the odds are decidedly against it and I think for me it’s another seven game series and the development of our young players but I’m incredibly optimistic because we got playoff experience that’s what I wanted I wanted us to get playoff experience for young guys I think we had maybe two or three rotation players who actually had excuse me playoff experience Miles Turner tium who won a title with Toronto and I think maybe Obi had come with the Knicks I think that’s it in terms of rotation players so I wanted our younger guys to get an experienced claims in the playoffs and they did and so I’m optimistic because we have young players on rookie deals who still have a lot of room to develop Andrew Nimar Ben Maan who was hurt at the end of the year um jerck Walker who got some playing time last year but he was pretty raw but he looks really really really good and Ben Shepard who is amazing and he actually was a rotation player for the Pacers last season as a rookie in the playoffs so I’m optimistic about those guys developing I’m optimistic about more time between Halbert and a healthy Alberton fully healthy Alberton and seum getting to jail more I the future is right for the pce I think we’re about two or three years away from really really really honestly contending yes I’m incredibly optimistic Most states are Fantom you mentioned Orby toppen and before we’ve we’ve shared a bit of a mutual appreciation of our love of Obby toppen what um could you tell anyone who’s watching or listening how important Obi toppins being for The Pierces as the season unfolded in in Indiana so we got in for two second round draft picks which I thought was a steal and then hindsight it was a steal the sted he started he was a start P of starting power court at the beginning of the season and he lost that job in early December to Jaylen Smith and I was curious how he would respond because with New York he did not like the fact that he was basically not getting to start that he thought he should be I don’t know starting alongside Julius Randall or in place of I don’t know that was the reporting so I was really worried that he would shut down he did not he addressed things he’ been bad at earlier in the season he got he was became a really good rebounder he did everything we needed him to do him and TJ McConnell kind of became the leader of the shock troops coming off the bench and gave all types of teams a lot of trouble from you know December on but especially late in the season especially in the playoffs he was incredibly vital for the Pacers he’s an unrestricted free agent we really need I think we will sign him and for no other reason we might just sign him kind of Mackie ellian uh to use him in a trade I think he’ll get paid you know the mid- level acceptance 12.8 I think he’ll get 15 maybe a threeyear 15 or maybe a 2year 42 like what Bruce Brown did we only signed Bruce Brown event to trading which we did so he was incredibly important for our team especially down the stretch and he’s going to be incredibly important moving forward as a vital player on our team or as trade asset or salary in a trade the energy and athleticism is just as a oh it’s through the roote it’s through the root I mean he fit our I mean we like to run we like to get out and move and you know I knew that I was going to see several times Obie coming down from the rafters to dunk it and he did and he did several that in between the legs dunks and fast breaks he did it once against Nick to New York and he missed it that was embarrassing for him he went in between the legs and he missed it and they just gave him a lot of crap for a lot of trouble but yes he’s high flying and his forgot to mention he was so efficient so he shot 57% from the field 57 yeah 57 but his effective field pass I should have checked this can’t remember what EFG was but it was great because he shot 40% from three think on three and a half attempts and shot 57% for field he was so incredibly efficient and his defense got better now it wasn’t great but the bars on the floor he was horrible at defense to begin with so yeah he was great he was great high flyer he fit with our style him and Halbert got out ran him conell got out and ran him and Nimar got out and ran and he shot well he was I don’t know if he can repeat that shooting’s not a sticky fat I don’t know if he’ll be able to do 40% again next year on that many attempts but even if it’s 37 live with that yeah great vital vital well you brought up you brought up an interesting point about Bruce Brown you signed him essentially to to eventually move him the magic magic fans are almost looking at this offse about adding a player with that to add three-point shooting and help spread the floor and maybe add a max player there’s probably something that a lot of us aren’t really considering is the ma whoever the magic sign in free agency this summer could be that piece that maybe lands them a big player because Bruce Brown was part of that deal for Pascal sakam and that arguably yes yeah yeah was it was the move that made you help reach you help reach easn Conference Finals this season yeah so that was vitally important I keep using vital I’ll try to find a different descriptor it was very important it was very important for that and so when we just to rewind when we signed Bruce Brown and free agency I didn’t know what the deal was going to be for but I saw it was twoe 42 million second year team Ops I was like oh they’re they’re using this to trade it there’s no way I mean they’re not going to ex first of all that’s an overpay on Bruce Brown and I love Bruce brown but 21 million a year is a is a vast over pray for a guy who it was an okay starter solid rotation player for Denver or solid bench piece rotation player but it was a vast overpay and I figured that they were going to use him to trade for another player and that’s what they did and Reporting came out subsequently that that’s why they signed him to that I mean that doesn’t make me crestin because I thought about it when they first did it it was just fairly obvious so it was a smart move we have a smart front office and yeah we couldn’t the free agents we wanted here’s the thing we wanted Pascal yakum last summer we tried to trade for it the Raptors would not move they would not even though they knew they wer this is so crazy they knew they weren’t going to extend seao but they had a better deal on the table from us during the summer now we I don’t know what it is but it’s been reported it was better and they waited and they got a less deal a lesser deal so they probably could got one of our younger guys in the summer but they chose to mess around but yeah that that’s exactly what he was used for and I thought about a similar situation with the the magic I mean anyway we we can get to that later but I I’ve actually considered what the option would be to do something similar to that yeah um so as an outsider and obviously without for us magic tinted glasses on how good is Paulo banero from your perspective um so just wanted to see what you know the Pacers thought of him and the NBA in general well unfortunately the NBA in general they don’t watch Magic play that often how many did the magic have one nationally T game this year okay not counting the playoffs yeah okay yeah um so a lot of people don’t watch him play they really have no idea what he does how he does it and unfortunately they get a lot of their news views about him from raptor fans who want to always bring up his effective field goal percentage and how it’s not great and I mean yes it could be better it got better from his rookie or think like 46 I think his I’m talking about his EFG at this point and his at the end of second year once they was 50% which isn’t great it’s not great but you have to think about the context there is horrible spacing on the match absolutely horrible spacing he needs to get he needs to become a better shooter but it’s hard for him to become a better shooter when he’s not good enough right now and the other team just going to lay off of him he needs to drive into the the lane to score and there’s just a bunch of they packed the paint it’s really difficult for him to have a high afg so I think getting better spacing I will help but I think Pao is great he has the size he has the ability to score well I think he’s going to get much better at scoring he’s going to get much better at shooting um his defense is good to gr it’s going to get even better but here’s the thing about poo that I like and I saw this in person his playmaking it was good at Duke it’s great at Orlando but when you see a player live I saw him play the Pacers live back in December uh we lost that game Pacers is Pacers did anyway Pao doesn’t just pass to guys or pass to open guys that’s the difference between a passer and a playmaker a playmaker throws Guys open he sees where they need to be he sees where they are and he puts the ball where for them to get to where he wants them to go they have to move that way anyway he passed this guy’s opening it’s a brilliant brilliant Court Vision I just think he has the capacity to be great really at all levels of the game I think he has the capacity to be a top 10 player soon very soon maybe by the end of the next year I don’t know I thought he was the top 20ish player this year but he’s he’s what is he 21 I think he turns 22 in November he’s got a he’s not even close to his prime I think he’s really good right now I think he has the potential to be really really really you know great a superstar um soonish maybe sooner rather than later but this guy’s for him yeah now Pacer sorry forgot about that aspect Pacer fans are not very high on Pao they still Harbor irrational Grudge maybe most grudges are irrational I don’t know this one definitely is um that at one point during the rookie season between Ben Maan and Pao that there is a time and there wasn’t by the way this never happened but Pacer fans believe it does or did that that Ben was a more deserving rookie of the year that he was better at no point let me be very clear at no point was Ben mat ever better than pao’s rookie I wish that wasn’t the case I’d love to come on here and say oh yeah mat’s he was now he definitely isn’t but at no point did that happen but a lot of Pacer fans believe that it did they want to believe that it did they lie to themselves I don’t know what I I don’t know why they think that but it’s it’s crazy it doesn’t coincide with the facts it’s irrational so Pacer fans are loed I don’t even know if that’s strong enough loathed to admit that he’s good that he’s going to be great I got a debate with one of my pacer friends last night Vinnie Eastside is his Twitter handle if anyone wants to look him up and give him hell um he he he doesn’t believe PA he doesn’t believe Paulo’s really good at all um he he brings up the EFG like a hack I love you Benny but that’s a hack move without bringing in the context and he’s like well because I said he’s going to be better than Jason Tatum I’m not that high on Tatum but I think he’s gonna be better than Tatum he’s like well Tatum BFG his second year was I said dude are we really doing this his second year so based on his second year you’ve already going to determine how good or how bad Pal’s going to be you know Vinnie’s got to do what he’s got to do he’s a home Pacer fan I and I respect that but yeah so Pacer fans Benny included are irrational about Paulo and you know yeah I I’ve had this debate a lot with face FR he’s great he’s going to get better and he’s a guy that you could build a championship team around I mean Point Blank and I’m not just saying that because I’m talking a magic fan I really believe that truly so for talking about one former pace of Buddy hild is a player that that magic fans have uh have I wouldn’t say fallen in love with over recent years in terms of players he might want to acquire but I think he’s certainly somebody the magic might have their eye on this summer as somebody could come off the bench and help spread the floor he departed Indiana for Philly um what’s your take on what happened and for magic fans that don’t know what what happened in terms of falling out of Indiana because going into the start of last season he basically said he wanted out didn’t he yeah so I don’t know if you guys watch lock on Magic I never met the show but I I think I think it was it was today’s episode or yesterday there’s an episode dedicated to Buddy hee I’ll be interested to watch that and see what uh I can’t remember the host’s name of that show I watched it yes so I’ll be in R to see what he said so buddy and Tyreek Alberton are best friends Tyreek halberton played every game of his pro career with Buddy hee up until the trade deadline when we got rid of it people say Buddy’s a great shooter I I would amend that I I don’t think that’s correct Buddy’s a streaky shooter buddy is I mean buddy is not just going to be consistently at 35 40 whatever he shot this past year I don’t it wasn’t that great buddy will go 6 for 6 6 for s 6 for8 5 for six five for nine and then he’ll go 0 for 11 it’s incredibly frustrating buddy is a better playmaker than people for which people give him credit he’s I think he’s solid that aspect of a game usually is left out um Pacer fans had a LoveHate relationship ID King fans we found out that P fans of King fans found out and Philly as well excuse me that had the same relationship with Buddy which was a very um volatile one a very up and down and ultimately not a great one I most Pacer fans were ready for Buddy to go um buddy was Rick Carlile loves motion Shooters Rick Carlile played him too much that was really the issue he played him too much when buddy should have been playing if Buddy’s hot you leave him in if he’s not he’s he’s a a huge detriment huge and so what happened was he was on the last year deal I think it was a threeyear 20 million or 4 M 4 year 80 million it was anyway a about 20 million it was a decline in salary so I think this last year he made like 189 or something but he wanted to extend with the Pacers Pacers wanted to extend him but he felt he should be making around $20 million a year again for three or four years and the Pacers thought he shouldn’t and they could not come to an agreement and I don’t know if Buddy thought that because halberton wanted them there so badly that that would force a Pacer to you know basically concede do his demands because he wouldn’t budge he would not at least that’s the reporting reporting is he would not budge off that number and so the Pacers had no choice but to trade him I was concerned when they traded him because I didn’t know how that would affect Tyreek tber you’ve been best friends with this guy since you came in the league or right around the time you came to the league you played every single game with him as a pro they really really really care for each other like you’ll see sometimes after games even after playoff games with Ty would be coming to the podium to talk there’s a couple times where people you know some Eagle Eye uh folks were able to see that he had buddy on FaceTime they were he was talking to Buddy as he went up there that was twice I think maybe three times he loves the guy he absolutely loves him and so I was worried how that would affect him I don’t think it was good for Tyrese I think Tyrese’s when Tyrese came back from injury he wasn’t great and that was to be expected but I think he was pretty bad sometimes not just bad by his standards he was bad and I thought some of it had to do with justing without buddies I I really think that was the case so you know I’ve had magic fans not just you guys ask me about Buddy would he be good on the magic yes for the right price and if he played the amount that kind of coincides with you know his talent level at this point if the magic fans believe they’re going to come in and he’s just going to space the floor really well I I don’t agree I think he can at some points but the problem is is that when Buddy’s not hitting well I think probably everyone knows that I mean I don’t know if they’ll fully back off of him but his the gravity on the court is not going to be the same when he’s not hitting that’s my opinion just that’s how I would Scout him just based on having watched him play well over 150 games with the Pacers it it was the the end needed to come um I wish it would have been under different circumstances but yeah that so that’s how it played out with Buddy more or less let’s hope if he’s watching this his alleged burner account doesn’t come after the uh after the fall I don’t know if you guys saw so his burner account’s been pretty well known he’s changed the name of it since I really interacted with it but at one point I what did I say I don’t know what I said but he I I responded to him and I love buddy I I love buddy and I even put that subsequent Bel but he told me basically to my own own business drive to the unemployment and get a job and so I quote tweeted that and it got I mean I’ve since had more views on a tweet but at this I had like it was by far the most that ever had that point 500,000 because buddy heels burner responded to me now there’s debate about whether it’s Buddy heeled or not what I do believe believe is that it’s someone close to Buddy heel he this guy this account was talking about looking for hamburger places in Philly well before we traded when there first was talks about Pacers not being willing to extend him the deal he wanted this account came out and said well I guess I’ll start looking for uh Burger spots in Philly this was a couple of months before he went to Philly and there are some other instances where it’s clear it’s clear that it’s someone he knows or it’s him I mean someone did a deep dive and showed that he never tweeted during a game now that since changed he probably someone do it for him I think Buddy probably does I would say buddy probably operates it but I don’t know but yeah that account I don’t get to see it as much that anymore because not a Pacer but that’s a fun account yes if he’s watching he takes things personally he might come after me again all righty so yeah magic F I don’t know you’re safe in the UK yeah and Magic fans if you want to have fun with the burner account then by all means sign in but if you think you’re gonna get this knock down shooter consistent knockdown shooter you’re you’re not so anyway I wish the best for buddy I love buddy really do but yeah so with Buddy heel dealt with there was what do you think a good offseason for the magic would look like what do you think the areas of need are and how could we fill them in your eyes well the immediate needs are a guard ideally a point guard who can shoot play off the ball and I think you guys need another big man I think I like Wendell Carter but let’s face it the magic has deep playoff runs in the future in their on rightly and as logic kind of assumption that that’s where they’re going I don’t know if that’s when they Carter he gets injured too much I think I was looking the other night I don’t know if he’s ever played like more than 60 or 65 games in a season and he’s been in the league a little bit I mean the trade was fine because you got off um what’s his namey play for the Bulls now yes thank you and you also used one of those draft picks maybe two of them you got multiple Graphics one of those I think became bronze maybe one J I’m sure yeah I mean it was so so wor it but I think guys need a new center and you how do you address that my ideal realistic offseason for the magic is tus Jones and Isaiah hartstein now the Knicks can offer Isaiah hartstein foure 72 million the magic so the magic depending on what they do with Joe Eng Les and mo Vagner I think they’re gonna I think they’re going to rign they’re not going to pick up the salaries of both Mo V don’t be on the team next year so don’t don’t jump on me for that but I think they’re going to rce the or not you know not pick up the salaries for both that’ll give them close to I want to say $50 million in salary cap so they can throw money at iHeart that the Nick simply cannot throw at him he’d have to be willing he being iHeart would have to be willing to take less to stay with in this I think he would be perfect on the magic I there’s not a lot of other good free agent centers out there now maybe they could trade if they’re going to trade then they they’ll have to pick up the salary for Joe Eng they don’t have a lot of guys they can or would trade I mean there’s not a lot of big salaries that I don’t that I think you guys would even trade I mean you have I think the highest guaranteed is Cole Anthony like 12.5 now yeah Jonathan Isaac’s at 17.4 but that’s only partially guaranteed so anyway I the the best off season is point guard and a center I think tus Jones maybe Malik Monk and I Isaiah hartstein I’ve seen some people talk about Trey young even Darius scarland even D’Angelo and those guys are fine I mean they’re more than fine but you don’t I wouldn’t want the magic to sign a point guard who is ball dominant that seems kind of counterintuitive aren’t point guards ball dominant well yes a lot of times but I don’t want the ball out of poo and Fran’s hands that much I want them the offense to run through them a lot what I want is a point guard who can run the show when they are off the court even if they’re on if they need a break or whatever and who can shoot and who can play off ball and shoot off ball that’s not D’Angelo that’s not Trey young that’s not Darius Garland I think you’d have to pay too much for definitely Trey and Darius um so I think tyus Jones or Malik monk Malik monk by the way is a really good playmaker I don’t know how much you guys have watched him play I watched every game he played with the Lakers a lot of games to play with the Kings he’s a especially High pick and role he’s a really really good playmaker so he would be fine I think he would be just fine I would rather have tyus Jones I think tus would be a little bit cheaper and I think tyus is a better playmaker and Ty is a great shooter and so yeah tyus Jones Isaiah hartstein and what guys have what the 18th pick is that right 18 yeah kle we he played for my um undergrad all the moderate IU I think would be a great Center to draft I think he would be great I I don’t know how much he would hit this year this coming year but I think he’d be a great player to draft you guys need to draft I mean you have Anthony I I’m pretty high on Anthony black he needs to be a better shooter but that’s not news to anyone I think Anthony black is going to take over for Marquel folz I don’t think Marquel folz will be back next year personally he I don’t think he should be back and if he is back it’ll be at a or they ask him to be back it’ll be at a number that he’s not going to step so um yeah that’s my ideal offseason I don’t think the magic should push for Paul George I think that’s a mistake just like I don’t think the Pacers should do that I don’t know how realistic it is for the Pacers to do that but the magic had the cap room they can sign P I just don’t think the magic are right there at the cusp of continuing for a title just like I don’t think the Pacers are I think they’re both two years is away and if you go in with PG who by the way gets hurt all the time by the way he’s he’s not an alpha he kind of likes to he played for the Pacers obviously you guys know this there’s a real issue he’s not a great leader he just would not take the Reigns like Hal Burton has like Reggie did so I think that would be a mistake I think it would be a Monumental mistake to sign clay klay’s going to be probably 25ish million I’m guessing is what he’s going to get maybe 20 25 that’s he’s the magic just aren’t there yet they’re not ready for that let’s bring in that vet who can you know we can sign the big deal and we make our move now I just I mean Hallow’s almost 22 I don’t how’s Bron is he a little bit older he might be a little bit older anyway those guys are in the early early early 20s they’re not ready yet I mean Anthony black isn’t ready I mean I mean you guys have a young team Cole Anthony I think Cole Anthony’s not he’ll be back right yeah he’s not a restrict free agent I like Cole Anthony by the way I think he’s fine Off the Bench but yeah they’re just not ready and getting Paul George or Klay Thompson or both um would just be a big state in my opinion so Ty Jones iHeart kle W that’s the perfect offseason for the I I’ll mentioned coule a couple of uh podcasts ago as well oh really cool yeah project big for the magic he might be there at 18 I don’t know I haven’t looked that much in this draft yet maybe I should I I haven’t yet I it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s there the draft is so weak though um maybe he gets taken earlier I don’t know but I would love him on the magic love him he’s he doesn’t take a ton of freeze but he’s got a decent shot decent percentage I just think he’d be perfect I think he’d be perfect he’d be a few years away from really contributing but the magic have a few years before they’re really ready to compete for a title yeah um let’s just switch it up and talk Magic free agent we’ve got a couple coming up just wanted to see what your thoughts were was so um I’ll just reel them off you know for yourself and the listeners so Gary Harris Goa Bard Marquel fultz all being unrestricted chumo KK and the twoa players Admiral scoffield traveling Queen and Kon Harris are restricted whereas you got Mo vargan and Joe Engles with the team options you discussed that a little bit but from an Outsiders perspective on some of the others you did didn’t mention in your previous little segment um which of these players attracts the most attention and why I think Goa will attract quite a bit of attention you can probably get it I think it’s the the deal I think it’s just on vet Min he’ll get a little more than you won’t have to pay a lot for a solid backup center I wouldn’t mind if the Pacers went after him we need a backup center he’s played with us before but that relationship ended pretty poorly I doubt he’ll come back um I think googa will I think I think folz will but here’s the issue with folz folz is the best of those three that’s not saying a ton but he’s the best of those three I don’t know if he’s going to be willing to pay what will probably be market value I don’t know to get the mle 12.8 I don’t know I wouldn’t want my team to pay that for him I like Marquel I do I he’s just he’s never going to be a great three-point shooter that’s just the way it is um and that’s hard to be a point guard to make a lot of money if you really can’t space the floor he’s a pretty good play I me he’s an all right Defender I mean he’s good and yeah so I think go go I think Gary Harris I mean a lot of it depends on what are these guys willing to take I have no you know Gary Harris coming up like a 13 or 15 million deal Marquel folk like 18 or something are they willing to take a fraction of that that are they willing to take half of that I I don’t know Gary Harris is I don’t know May 8 million I don’t know I just don’t know what they’re willing to take if they are willing to take what I think is consistent with their realistic value probably marel Gary and then Goa in in that order is okiki a restricted by the way is he restricted free or no he’s unrestricted unrestricted unrestricted no he’s restricted because my notes yeah but I can’t see him coming back to be honest with you no I can’t see I can’t see him coming back either I’m just he might teams might jump on him quicker just because I think you can get him for cheaper and without the hassle of trying to haggle over price I I still am high on oiki I I really am I mean the magic he did not work out for the magic kayin Houston Caleb Houston excuse me is the superior player I think Caleb Houston is going to be a good player I like Caleb Houston he has some bad games I get it but the magic don’t have um talking less about the free agents but magic don’t have a lot of backup Wings they have good Wings to start but they need a backup wing and I think you know without getting one a free agency Caleb HST will probably have to do and I think he can do but okiki is not yeah he’s not coming back A team’s gonna give him a chance and probably for more than the vet men so I mean I know I’m really drawing this out I think they all will have attraction by teams in the league I think it comes down to at least with the first three Goa especially Gary Harris and Marquel folz what will they accept I don’t know what team’s going to pay Marquel folz probably what he wants I don’t know if there is a team of course I don’t know what he wants I’m just guessing I think that all I think those three they will get picked up I kind of wondered if the magic would end up signing Gary Harris to a kind of to a cheaper deal I don’t know if he wants to be bank I don’t know how he feels about that I don’t know how the magic feel about that but I could I could maybe see him back but yeah I think all three of them were attct attention um they’ll all be on a team next year I don’t know how happy they’ll be on their new teams but yeah and in okiki I definitely think some I’ve went mindus the Pacers got oiki to be quite honest on you know 2 million four million deal the traveling Queen you know I was talking about him last night which is interesting um that I was talking about it but when you guys were really injured was the end of December early January I want to say when like it was like a mass unit out there I mean there’s so many people heard I think at one point it was just like pal was the only consistent starter and then he won that game against Denver that’s crazy but at one point there was like back toback games from traveling Queen I think he played like 40 minutes cuz I was trying to tell Benny East Side who is not happy about saying anything good about the magic I was like look dude look at what they had to do last year there was a point last year when they were winning games the traveling Queen was having to play like 40 minutes a game anyway so yeah I don’t know much about the the twoa players but yeah those guys are gone the previous guys you mentioned and they’ll be somewhere I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know the attraction I guess I said I did but I don’t that’s a horrible answer because I’ve left Meander and said nothing that’s my well this is a fun one this is from this question is from Paul who’s uh also one of our co-hosts he’s on a he’s at a music festival getting drunk this weekend so fun so um he sent this one in for you um this might be controversial as well but could you give us a combined star in five between the magic and the Pacers it will be controversal let me give you the one before we got Pascal SE octum because I thought about this before you have question I’d already thought about this before we got Pascal it would this is fairly easy it would be halberton it would be sugs it would be um bronze it would be Pao and it would be Miles Turner that would be it now I was running this that kind of idea by a friend the other day Benny it was Benny again and I was talking to him that I thought that I would start because so back up a couple of days ago I posted a a question on Twitter add a picture of both Suggs and Nim and I said you know who do you guys have and the reason I asked is because Benny was trying to tell me that he thought that nard was a you know far superior player to sugs which I don’t necessarily agree with um anyway that got a ton of tractions that I did not anticipate just a ton of traction so anyway the idea about Nimar versus sus has been on my mind I would start so I would Nimar or excuse me halberton I would start sugs because nimart is more of a point guard Suggs is a better off guard a shooting guard he’s better at defense he even though Nimar is not a bad Defender so C Burton sucks here’s where it gets tricky um you gotta go I’m not I don’t want to bump Pao or fron or excuse me or Pascal up to the center I just that’s not going to be optimal so I would go Pao at small forward I would go tium at power forward and I would go Miles Turner at center now I thought about having fron at the shooting guard because I think he actually there’s one or two times during the year when actually I think he’s started at the shooting guard the magic played this huge lineup when they actually started Jonathan Isaac a couple times um I just I I just I don’t think I’m not I don’t want to start fron at the two and I don’t think he can start in front of Pao or Pascal I don’t want to do palor Pascal at the center I mean that’s how you could do it chick Miles Turner the bench at poor Pascal at the center then the other one at the power for then bronze then sugs then aliper that would be how I would do it and then Off the Bench you’re going to have Nim hard you’re going to have JN Isaac you’re gonna have fron you’re gonna have nce Smith those are probably your first four Off the Bench and that team by the way that that team’s definitely going to the finals I mean I know the Celtics are great but that’s a really really really good team and I don’t know how we can get Adam Silver to agree to let as combined forces but that would be a really good team yeah I would have to have fron come off the bench um I just I I I wouldn’t start him at the two and I couldn’t start him at bro or Pascal so that’s how I do because that’s the five I had that’s five I well Pacer fans aren’t GNA like that Pacer fans are going to be upset that I didn’t start nard over sugs and let me just tell you I think both of those guys are really really good really good players they have similar skill sets but nard is better when the ball is running through I don’t know how much you guys watched the playoffs he had a really good playoffs and a lot of that time was whenever halberton wasn’t playing he just played you know especially in the Celtics series when halberton was out nmer played very well and that’s not unusual Nimar gets to run the show he’s a very very very good player much better than when he’s a shooting guard and so why waste that skill in a combination lineup of the magic and the Pacers when you can have him come off the bench help lead the you know the shock troops with with France so yeah that that’s how I would do it that’s cool that’s cool let’s just switch it up about the paces then so mik Bri Mel Bridges is a player that linked to the paces this offseason uh what does your realistic offseason look like in Indiana well it doesn’t include Mel Bridges which has angered quite a few Pacer fans some agree but it doesn’t include him it definitely doesn’t include Paul George which I don’t think very realistic anyway we’d have to do a sign and trade for him unless he would take the vet men which he’s not going to do and if to sign and trade we’d have to send out Miles Turner Ben Ma I don’t know Obie just the juice wouldn’t be worth to squeeze so um Mel Bridge has someone’s been brought up I think he’s 27 he might be turning 28 soon the Pacers are are not underscore highlight whatever they are not ready to compete for a title realistically they’re just not Mel Bridges is a move you make because to get Mel Bridges you’re GNA have to trade you’re definitely going to have to get rid of one of nimart mathin or Walker um I’d probably rather move oh God I’d probably rather move ma that would also piss off P fans if I had to move one of those Be Ma but still you’re have to give up a young asset draft picks maybe two young assets Obie toen is gone he’s definitely gone TJ McConnell’s probably gone um and the Patriots aren’t there yet I know a lot of patriot fans believe that we are ready to go that we could have beat the the mass which I believe we could have but still we are not close to making it to a final we’re just not that we’re not close we are a couple of years away so the ideal off patof season does not involve Mel Bridges it doesn’t involve um Paul George in fact it’s really not that exciting or sexy I would make it a priority to get bring back which we’re going to Pascal sakam is going to be back um that’ll have us will be at 13 well 13 salaries at that point so we need two more guys James Johnson will probably be back that’s one of halbert’s buddies he’s also kind of halberton security guard so he’ll be back so we have one spot left um you know okay K yeah or backup center we need a backup center we need okay I if we don’t bring James Johnson back I would want okay K to feel that but so I don’t know if you guys know the story of James Johnson how he came James used to play for the Pacers you guys know he’s a black belt and he’s an m so so we played the buck earlier this year by the way not including the playoffs we were 4- one against them this is the one game we lost it’s in Milwaukee and it’s where um I’m sure you guys know about this it’s where um Giannis thought that we stole the game ball yeah you guys which we had stole the game Ball the video shows it that one of the you know employees for them the Bucks had it anyway the way they treated us after that game they really pushed us around they intimidate I actually tweeted out we need James Johnson back well we brought him back the next day on a bet Min and the first game that he was at he was walking next to Halbert he had a shirt on the set security so you know he he was having fun with it I I think he’ll be back uh and he’s too old to be a two-way player you can’t put him on a two-way so I think he’ll be back if not I would like go Kiki but James Johnson’s probably gonna be back that’s how Burton’s boy they want him for his toughness you know whatever if a fight breaks out I don’t know but they’ll him so I wouldn’t mind Andre Drummond I wouldn’t mind googa baz but I don’t think Goa would come back unless we paid him more than we’d be willing to so yeah that’s my ideal offseason for the Pacers retain Obie retain Pascal you know those last two roster spots you know security guard and probably a backup center which Pacer fans don’t find that exciting and I agree it’s not that exciting and if we were ready to compete for a championship I have an exciting realistic off season I’m yelling at you guys like you guys are the Pacer F so upset um we’re not ready to compete I don’t care that we just made it to the ECA I know we made it there I watched the whole I watched all the playoffs I know we were there but we are not ready to compete against the Celtics realistically we’re not ready to compete realistically what the hell well realistically that’s wrong we’re not ready there is we are not the number two team in the East next year we’re not not not to begin the season maybe by the end but we are not ready to compete we are not a star or a very good player away we’re not unless that star is Giannis or Luca or you know something unrealistic we are not a Mel Bridges away we’re not we’re not a Paul George away from really competing so yeah that’s my ideal very blanded vanilla ideal OB season for the Pat and that’s how it’ll play out by the way that’s what I think is going to happen I don’t know who the two last rosters SPS go to prob James and then a center I don’t know who that’ll be well we’ll be eligible for the mid level I don’t know if we’ll pay it I don’t know the Pacers will probably Pacers like the magic they don’t like to pay the taxes I think the Pacers will be paying they’ll probably be paying the tax next offseason they’ll they’ll go over that first apron I’m guessing magic probably too I don’t know if we’ll ever see either of those teams get the second a and if we do that’s probably a good sign that means they’re probably ready to compete or they’ve done something stupid like sign Clay Thompson or Paul George to a long-term contract or something yeah so look I would be really disa I want the magic to win I don’t want them to beat the Pacers but in all other instances I want them to win I want the best for them I would be really bummed if they took a big leap on Paul George or Klay Thompson i i i Paul George is better than Kay but I would rather run every now magic fans are right if they just ran everything back if the options were well we could have got clayer Paul George that was it we said no so we’re going to run everything back you know they at that point they I think they have what nine if they pick up Eng Les and and Mo and in that case I think they would um uh yeah how many players they have they have to fill four roster spots with some very uninspiring names but um yeah I don’t I don’t I think the magic would be a big mistake oh let me talk you about Mo voger really quick he’s going to be back on the magic but but if you see them not pick up his what eight million and Joe Engles is 11 that’s how they go from like 30 million to 50 million in cap space if you see them not pick up both or one that means they have something big cooking up because what they can do with Mo Vagner and you guys follow keth Smith I’m guessing yeah yeah we had him all a couple weeks ago he lives in Orlando so yeah the Celtics F anyway he’s taught me everything I need to know or that I do know I need to know more about the cap and so he was talking about not picking up moogers 8 million then they could they could use the room exception if they don’t use their mle which they wouldn’t and the room exception allows three years 24 million so 8 million so they give him exactly what he’s making but they could release him release Joe Engles use that cap space bring it back and then they could use the room exception with it not I don’t think I don’t know if it would count towards the cat because or wouldn’t count going over the cap it’s kind of like bird they have Bird right here I think they do maybe they don’t whatever um they could use the room exception and they could bring him back that to me I want to see the magic take a big swing a realistic swing though something that’s consistent with where they are in their development Malik monk plus Ty Jones or iHeart would just be perfect for the I mean perfect for the magic so yeah then bring Mo vager back you gotta bring Mo back he’s great his brother’s going to want him there and Mo’s good Mo’s someone told me I just you know he’s just netism the no bro MO vogner is good A lot of people talk me about the magic have never watched the game maybe they watched one or two MO vogner is good he played really solid ball for the magic last year he was a good backup center he played very very very good he’s tougher than hell man he is so tough against the Pacers I don’t know if he hit a shot or Pao hit a shot and Pao slides on the floor and acts like he’s surfing it it was the craziest thing I’d ever seen and mo vogner looks at the Pacer bench and flexes on it I mean I Boo the I booted him but it was it’s just like a great moment and see po looked like he was surfing he slid on the floor and he acted like he was surfing that’s when you guys went up at like 20 and we came back and had the lead but we lost but still I like Mo’s Moxy and I think keeping fron happy is good you know fron I think about him in basketball terms obviously I don’t think about his personal life but his shot last year I don’t know what happened um I wonder if he’s a little bit tired from FBA um I think few guys were like Austin Reed had a horrible start to this te season but when I saw fron play he had a really flat shot I watched him play at Michigan because my undergrad Al monitor is I Ed so it’s big tense I watched Michigan play a lot shot looked really flat and his shot wasn’t great and then towards the end of the year looked like he was scared to take a shot he’s got to get a shot back but he can’t he’s shown he’s a good three-point shooter but that’s what I’m looking for from pra this coming year is getting his confidence back in a shot he he has to he to hit his ceiling he has to do that so any I was thinking about his shop the other day because I was thinking about what would I want as a magic fan and that’s one of the things I’d want to see is he needs he needs to get back to that 36% from three because he was in the 20s he was in the 20s right I don’t know what the exact number but he’s in the 20s I don’t even know if it’s the high 20s whatever the case high low that’s not good enough that’s not good enough and I mean Browns is good at you know getting in the lane or whatever and he’s you know good at finish at The Rim you know he has a little cotton shot around the mid-range but dude if you if you’re shooting 207% they’re not even going to guard you and how do you you can’t drive if they’re if they’re all sagging back three or four feet so and towards the end of the year he won’t even shoot that open shot they were going to give him the shot and he would kind of like hesitate but no dude now that you’ve hesitated it’s over you’re you’re out of your Rhythm so yeah he’s got to get back to the 36 just anything that’s respectable so they will defenses will have to respect him that’s all you really need he doesn’t even have to shoot a ton of Threes I would like for him to but if he can just shoot 36% just so they have to guard him which opens up so much more on offense for the magic if they’re not guarding him and they’re not sus end up being a pretty good three-point shooter but if you know they’re sagging off Pao if they’re saging off who else L Carter I guess L Carter is okay but anyway the spacing isn’t great and yeah part of that reason is because fronza shot just I don’t know when I feel like it wasn’t good all year I just feel like it it wasn’t I I really started watching them after the moments when I you know I had a lot of magic fans reach out to me in a really difficult time in my life so I really became more invested in watching the magic so from November on I watched and it just wasn’t a great shot from FR he’s still he’s still had a really good year but yeah 36 is what I don’t know if that’s what he was a year prior but that’s he needs to be back in that area definitely yeah I mean what do you guys think you guys think that do you guys think he’s going to be able to get back there what I mean what do you guys think’s going on this is your pod but I’m curious I want to ask you guys anyway what what do you think happened I mean that for me I think coming from the faor he’s BAS basally being this Iron Man type player who play in practically every game and he started the season look tired the shot was flat out the gates um and I think this season we could have done with where France gets a little bit of a Breck in the off season which isn’t going to happen but the shots there he got to the point where by time it was the playoffs I think he was overthinking it um yeah yeah so anyway sorry I’m interrupting you guys go ahead I mean I mean the guy’s still an 85% free throw shooter so that tends to that tends to translate to the three as well for a lot of players and he’s proven in in his first two seasons I mean looking back here in his rookie season he shot 35.4% 36% last season okay okay so he’s gonna have a bounceback season FR France has got FR France works hard you can tell he’s one of those players he’s going to put a lot of time in the off season to to work on that shot and and find that consistency again and he’s got a point to prove because game game seven against the p uh sorry against uh against Cleveland he uh he he felt like he let his team down and it wasn’t just on France to to lose game seven that game but it was just one of those games yeah absolutely but you kind of want a guy I want one of my star players they shouldn’t have to take that little but I like the fact that that bothered him that he wanted to put it on on himself I don’t think he should have but still he is clearly passionate about the team you can tell he works hard and I think he came into the season tired his shot was a little flat and then he got it his own head that’s what I think happened but you’re right the free throw I didn’t think about that he’s clearly Still Got The Touch I just think he was tired his legs were off and then he got in his head a little bit so yeah yeah know what do you guys think about the Cleveland series like what was your opinion what are your thoughts curious I’m just glad that you know we managed to get like you said some experience go to seven games we obviously you know took care of business at home um unfortunately you know during the regular season we were one game off getting home court advantage as the fourth SE which might have made a difference um Paulo played great got some great exposure um and you kind of got got to see you know who the Deadwood was and who who can we keep the you know the roster with um as to be able to go in forward um you’ve mentioned you know Paulo is an absolute star um France can do it obviously we touched upon he’s he had two games when he was superb um obviously the game seven he you know had a bit of a let down game but that’s going to happen you get ups and downs in basketball so all in all you know it was a successful season more than we anticipated um at the beginning of the Season you know if we avoided the play in it’ been seen as a successful season getting the fifth seed superb um so you know we just want to build on that again next season obviously anyone who’s watching like a lot of people on X will who you are but would you like to plug your socials for anyone who’s a a viewer now well I what is my handles at West true BL yeah it’s West True Blood and maybe it’s at Wesley True Blood which is my birth name and I go by West True Blood I was doing before my dog got sick i’ been doing spaces regularly and when I you know when I kind of felt better the season was almost over so I’m going to start doing spaces about of you know Pacer space about our offseason once the actual R the postseason ends and so yeah I mean I make announcements on Twitter about when I’m going to do spaces I don’t have social media outside of Twitter um I’ve only had Twitter for like a year and so I had long story I won’t get into but I gotten rid of all my social media accounts a while ago um for a person who for whom I was in love um at their request that’s changed I still love them but we’re no longer together so and then therefore now I have uh I’m really far fielded anyway I have a Twitter account West I do face or spes where I don’t talk about my love life where stick to the script don’t talk about you know you know love scorn love lost whatever I I keep it really tight to the best in terms of p and I I talk about magic as well because I know the most about them outside of the Pacer so yeah that’s what I have to plug nothing over the top but that’s what it is yeah it’s a it’s a really good account for anyone who’s who hasn’t seen where on there spot on account as we’d see in the UK it’s good so let’s take a quick break to tell you about today’s partner are you looking for are you looking for hotels for the world’s best theme parks attractions or you just want to get over to Orlando and watch the magic play check out attraction tickets the UK’s number one attraction ticket provider Walt Disney World Universal Studios SeaWorld Disneyland Paris other popular attractions which bring in the crowds they also sell Magic tickets so if you’re thinking a for a trip over the pond for next season do consider looking at attraction tickets use our Link in the description and see what they have to offer you can also look on our website let’s talk magic.com for any of our affiliate links and discount codes which includes the NBA Store and Fanatics so if you’re fancy and getting a EUR Rose jersey for the teams that are in it like England or Scotland you can do that or if you just like G you might even find a shirt on there okay so really quickly looking around the NBA um finals shows how much I know about basketball because I thought Dallas really had a shot of this but right now it doesn’t look like it um quick thoughts on how the finals stand so G I know you spoke a little bit about this in the intro Mikey uh what’s your thoughts I’m gonna be honest I’ve only watched a quarter and a half and that was of game one when I saw that Pingas went off and that game looked like it was done um yeah I haven’t really watched other than a few highlights of the other two games I am surprised Boston have have walked away with it at this point I thought Luca being the best player in the series would give them a chance um and I know Kyrie’s gone missing for them in a couple of games um quite to be honest given the score line I’m quite glad I haven’t actually watched much of it so um yeah I mean Boston were favorites at the start of the season I had them pegged as as my winners um I know G listening to last week’s episode said Boston would win it um they’ve had an easy run to the finals really let’s be honest but um they have been the best team all season um and I think they’re showing it against Dallas um I I do think if they maybe play Denver I think it would be a very different story I think matchups are certainly a key part of why it’s a 3-0 Series so far but yeah it’s disappointing that team are on the verge of winning it again unfortunately yeah I mean I I’ve watched I’ve watched every single game um In fairness Boston they’ve bossed it throughout you know Dallas have thrown some punch is they taken leads uh in game two and game three um but the thing is Boston have counted uh and and they’ve just withstood what Dallas can throw at them Luca is the best player in the series but unfortunately uh Boston are played in such a good team game uh and almost using Tatum as a bit of a decoy uh and you’re getting a lot of um scoring he from the role players uh Drew holidays having a fantastic series Al Horford uh the Boston players are really come to the party I’m afraid to say um so it is a bit disappointing um but you know Dallas are a bit banged up um but what I think this shows is you know Boston got to the finals a couple years ago and OB obviously they lost to Miami last year they’ve obviously learned their lesson a little bit uh they’ve taken their medicine and they’ve come back stronger um and you know rightfully they are 3-0 up as as much as it pains me to say it and I know the likes of Rich Barrett’s going to clip this now me talking good about Boston but unfortunately that’s what it is that terribly weak Eastern Conference e a beat up Eastern conference isn’t it that’s a ter terribly wi Eastern Conference to can’t hold the candle to the west but it looks like we’re going to have the title going to the east so maybe it’s not that week after all yeah another quick one here is um Bleacher Report at one of our favorites had a trade which had the magic receiving Trey young and Michael Porter Jr it’s really I split the magic fan base from the cross-section I’ve seen uh we would lose Jonathan Isaac Cole Anthony black three first round picks in 25 27 and 29 uh G I’m pretty sure I saw you in the Twitter group saying that you would you would pull the trigger on this looking at it first and foremost you know you got Trey young you obviously it’s it’s a it’s a blow to lose those players and those those picks but to get somebody of the caliber of Trey young um what I didn’t delve deeper into in the salary of Michael Porter Jr um now he’s owed a lot of money and he’s contracted through 2627 and I think we pull up the numbers 30 nearly 36 million next season 38 the following 40 the year after that and and that’s going cap in hand with Trey young who’s having 43 45 and 4 48 so that really puts you in cap misery especially with the extensions we’re likely to see France Paulo and possibly J Jaylen offered um so your flexibility goes out the window and you’re taking your swing with those two players so it looks good but I think you’d probably lose the you know um the identity of the team especially with Jonathan Isaac and the you know the defensive press that he sort of brings to the magic um so on reflection I think it’s a hard pass okay bit of a U-turn there the the key arm of the Pod Mikey what do you think um I would pass and I think Michael Porter Jr’s contract is the big reason why um Trey young arguably feels our biggest need this summer I think a lead guard who can handle the ball shoot the three spread the floor I think is should be probably top of the Magic’s list of needs this summer but and I think Trey Young would be a great addition but yeah Michael Porter’s contract really really is concerning and if you look at his not just that if you look at his injury history I know he he ke coming out of college he had the back injury this season I think he played 81 games for for Denver but before this season I think 62 was maybe the most he’s played so he’s not proven that he can stay healthy either and I think that’s a big gamble to pay somebody who’s is it a Max contract or close contract’s a Max contract for a player who’s really if if if you’re adding Trey young to the team who’s then arguably becoming your third or fourth best player who’s getting a Max contract and that worries me um because you want to you want to maintain some flexibility moving forwards as well so yeah um it ticks the Bo in one ticks the Box in one regard with Trey young adding adding a guard but yeah not not for me not happening how about report I think it’s a lot of money to put into Michael Porter Jr who wouldn’t possibly not get into the starting lineup if you look at that team you’re going to put Trey young jayen sugs as your back court you’re looking I would say France and Paro so you were essentially playing Max contract for a sixth man yeah so it’s not a one I would really want it jump into um I think there’s probably better offers out there and I think it’s one of those where we’re going to be looking at every trade that comes out and it’s going to divide the fan unless it’s LCA or something that’s coming back and we’re giving up a reasonable package that doesn’t include Paulo so I think pretty much every trade’s going to divide us so we’ll be we’ll be ready for that yeah um quickly the mailbag we’ve got some questions from Petri and I think we’ve got town to delve into a few of these so you ready boys let’s do it go first one’s from Gary Clark and he says do you think we’ll be alive by the time to start start and finish development the district obious K so Mikey I’ll go to you for this one what do you reckon uh yes and I’ll probably have a few more gray hairs by the time it gets built as well but um yeah I think Alex Martin said when when we had him on the podcast that I think later this year is when they’re going to start breaking ground on on the building and laying the foundation so yeah hopefully in a few years time it’ll be done and it’s been talked about for 10 plus years now hasn’t it it’s been a long long time but um yeah it will happen Gary I promise but we got to be patient we’ve gotta be patient so the next question comes from pod Father Phil and I’m G to put this one to G uh if we knew we weren’t going to keep Gary Harris jumer Marquel gorer and Jo Engles I know that Marquel being in the past tense really will make why didn’t we package the trade deadline to get a rental and make the team better and Phil predicts the starters next year to be hartenstein Bank Caro France either Clea or PG-13 and Jaylen sugs okay um so it’s a difficult one isn’t it I mean a lot of trades did go down so it’s all down to who is available obviously we know that you know some dominoes fell early you know Terry Rosio went to the heat Pat Bev went back to the bucks for campaign um Betty heeld of course went from the Pacers to the Sixers and obviously Dallas did some great work with Gafford and PJ Washington um so those are players who did move you know um I know the Dallas W the boys are highlighted at the moment because they’ve made the run and they’ve got deep but then obviously there’s a couple of you know bogdanovich on the Knicks Alec Burks on the Knicks um moves that were made and Terry Rosier didn’t really contribute towards the play playoffs for those teams so I’m hoping you know chances are that the magic asked the question um maybe the fit didn’t work and potentially you know uh we just wanted to see how some of these players panned out especially in the playoffs um so that’s probably what I’m thinking did happen um and just letting the team grow organically as opposed to just pulling the trigger on some of these other names yeah it felt like a bit of a free swing let’s see what we’ve got season so the last question I’ll throw out there I think it’s an interesting talk point it’s from uh Barry and he asks do we pad the roster with two or so role players or do we go all in for the max contract star to help Paulo and France so for argument sake that I guess that will be Paul George when you look at the um free agents who are at kicking around so G I’ll start with you and then I’ll go to Mike what do you reckon um it’s a difficult one this one it’s goingon to go one way or the other isn’t it it depends about you know your Paul George’s um or who becomes available um G to my head I think we’d probably just go with two two or so role players just because I think the magic could be a bit more conservative uh keep that c flexibility um with a notion of you know there might be a disgruntled star we can put stuff together for that might F feel the you know the need for us a bit better um if you go you know with your your two stars like we’ve seen in that example of Trey young and Michael Porter Jr um you kind of lock in with those players and you lose that flexibility so I can see us probably uh doing you know role players as opposed to stars but you know who knows a star would be nice wouldn’t it Mikey what’s your take J says a star would be nice but he thinks it’ll be role players yeah I think I think we’re looking as I kind of hinted that I think we’re looking at a starting guard and somebody who’s going to help spread the floor Off the Bench I think that’s the that’s the main two areas for me me I I don’t think if Paul George was maybe two or three years younger I think it would be a perfect perfect player to add alongside what we’ve already got but yeah I I don’t know I just don’t see I don’t see us being taking that risk it’s an it’s an unnecessary risk to throw a Max contract at Paul George when given his injury history he’s a really good player I like Paul George but um Paulo and France are still so young that we don’t need to take a big risk at this point um to me that’s a sort of addition you make if you’re a borderline Eastern Conference borderline NBA Finals team you add that final piece to try and put you over the top and I don’t think we’re quite there yet so I think given that we’re still expecting a lot more internal growth and France to have a better shooting season next year I think things like that will will keep us at least where we were this year even if we win a play even if we win a first round playoff series next year and make the second round really competitive I think like that’s a that’s an improvement from where we were this year you don’t we can take baby steps and still see progress it hasn’t got to be you’ve made the playoffs and then all of a sudden next season you got to make the Eastern Conference Finals for it to be a success it’s we we can still have a lot more patience um and and I know Anthony Parker was on the pod squad this week and was kind of hinting at the magic still have this they still want to be disciplined with their approaches summer so I think that’s definitely um an important way to look at it for sure absolutely so just for um the update as well before coming on air the the word going round on NBA media was is that there right now it’s thought the Clippers and Paul George’s Camp aren’t really on the same page or in communication so it seems as though has that been leaked has it been broke has it broke down but it’s an interesting situation and I was watching something this morning when it was getting ready for work and it was again one of the NBA journalists saying that it was almost a reminder that Orlando was still there but we all know that we’re probably not the ones leaking that it could be coming from could be coming from elere so um anyone who’s who’s stuck with us which I hope it’s all of you if you’ve clicked on the link H that’s going to do it for this week thank you for listening and watching but before we go we’d like to say a huge shout out to our patrons who help support the show so we’ve got Barry con Paulo and France warmth Olli law Gary Clark Angus Craig Dylan Holden Alan K Tom sa Mark Jos Shawn M Liam radborne Andy Lindy Stuart Benes drum drum drummy drum drum and pod Father Phil loves hisy Northwestern if you’re interested in joining the patreon te we have three of them available various benefits out there please visit pon.com talk magic to to day so on behalf of Paul who isn’t here this week he’s s in the middle of a field getting rained on somewhere so G and Mikey go magic for

Wes Trueblood, a Pacers fan, shares his perspective on the Pacers’ season and the future of the team. He discusses the team’s success in reaching the playoffs and the importance of playoff experience for their young players. Wes also talks about the potential of players like Orby Toppen and Paulo Banquero. He mentions the love-hate relationship Pacers fans had with Buddy Hield and the reasons for his departure. Wes suggests that the Magic’s offseason needs include a guard who can shoot and play off the ball, as well as a new center. The conversation in this segment primarily focuses on the offseason plans for both the Orlando Magic and the Indiana Pacers. Wes discusses potential free agent signings and the ideal starting lineups for each team. He emphasizes the need for realistic moves that align with the teams’ current development stages. Wes also highlights the importance of Franz Wagner improving his shooting consistency for the upcoming season. The conversation covered topics such as the performance of a specific player in a game, the Cleveland series, and how the three participants became fans of the Orlando Magic. They discussed the success of the Magic’s season and their hopes for the future. The conversation also touched on the popularity of NBA basketball in England and Australia. The participants shared their social media handles and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be on the podcast.

00:00 Introduction
06:53 Connection with Magic Fans and Support
08:04 Bright Future for the Pacers
25:16 Areas of Need for the Magic in the Offseason
26:00 Potential Offseason Moves for the Orlando Magic
36:28 Ideal Offseason for the Indiana Pacers
52:44 The Impact of Player Performance
53:25 Reflections on the Cleveland Series
53:59 A Successful Season Exceeding Expectations
55:14 Becoming Fans of the Orlando Magic
58:06 NBA Basketball’s Popularity in England
59:06 Choosing the Magic Over Local Football Teams
01:00:26 How the Guests Became Magic Fans
01:04:49 Plugging Social Media and Interacting with Fans

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