Orlando Magic Cast Episode 3 – Draft, Free Agency, Jase Richardson, Tyus Jones @LockedOnMagic

Orlando Magic Cast Episode 3 – Draft, Free Agency, Jase Richardson, Tyus Jones @LockedOnMagic

whatever you know, whatever you want to talk about, you can bring it up, too. We are live. What is up, everybody? Uh, it’s my friend over here, Lockdown Magic. Um, we’re here to talk about the Magic draft, the Magic free agency, what they can do, what’s left, who’s going to come back, who’s not going to come back. Um, that there are people also Gary Harris now has signed, so we know he’s not coming back, so we can write that off. And then I’m pretty happy about that. I wanted to just take what did you think about that? Um him going to the Bucks?
I I was surprised he got a two-year deal to be honest. Like like again like
I always think fans have different priorities than than teams do when they evaluate players. And
like I would argue I I I was a Gary Harris defender. I would argue with people like look Gary is out there for his defense. He’s not going to get in the way. The fact that he doesn’t take shots is is a feature not a bug. Um, I agree they needed someone who would take more shots. Like I I agree it was time to kind of let go of Gary Harris, but people are like, “Why is Gary playing ahead of Jet?” It’s just because Gary can defend. Gary’s not going to make mistakes. He’s going to help the team win. And he’s still that kind of player. So getting him on I think it was essentially the minimum uh in Milwaukee, especially with everything that happened with Milwaukee today is a good get for the Bucks. I I think he’ll fit in really really nicely there coming off the bench. he’s he needs to be on winning teams. He’s that kind of player.
Um, but I I do agree the Magic had outgrown him and and they needed something else from that spot. And one of my goals for the Magic this summer was to upgrade the Gary Harris spot. That is still something they need to do.
Yeah. And you know what? It’s funny, like I was just looking I was really watching our stream just to see like how close we were. And you were spot on with the Jace Richardson thing and uh yeah, I thought that was a I thought that was a good uh pick at 25. I was I I didn’t know if he would drop that much. I’m happy he did. Um he is undersized. The only thing I don’t like about him, but I think the Magic, you know, obviously us getting more three-point shooting is always good. And um his dad played here and I think he’s a pretty good player. So, I was pretty happy with the Jay Serson pick, and I’m assuming you are as well. Yeah, I I really like I really like him. I think he has a lot of the skills the Magic are looking for. Um he he’s going to compete and again, when you’re looking at smaller players,
Yeah. All you can ask for is that they’re going to compete and and and whatever shortcomings they may have physically, they will maybe not make up all of it, but they’ll make back some of it with effort. And that’s, you know, we’ll talk about Taius Jones. Tyus Jones is very much that quality, too.
Um, where, you know, they may not be the best defenders, but they’re not going they’re going to put up a fight and that allows your defense to to adjust and and and cover for them or help them out when when they get beat. Um, look, Jay says every offense is still the magic need. Obviously, the size is a big concern on both ends of the floor. It’s not just defense. Uh he’s going to have to develop his right hand. That’s that’s that’s a big thing as well, but put him in spot up opportunities. He’s going to make shots. He’s going to attack closeouts. He’s going to finish efficiently at the rim.
This is a guy that that plays hard. I had a conversation with Matt Shien of Locked on Spartans. That episode will be coming out later this week. I’m kind of letting free agency die. Spartan. I didn’t know that.
Oh, there’s a lockdown for everybody. I know, but I didn’t know that it went to that level.
Oh, yeah. No, no, we got college sports has locked on stuff. There’s lock Yeah, locked on. Locked on Gators guy is pretty solid. I think there’s still a locked on seinals. Uh there’s definitely a locked on canes. Like
there there’s locked on SEC. There’s locked on Big 12. There is a locked on Knights for my UCF fans.
How does it work to get the locked on logo? How like, you know, how did you
Bro, we’re part of we’re part of a network. It’s it’s everyone like
Okay. Yeah. like like I mean it started in the NBA like uh the guy who founded is the as the broadcaster for the Jazz. Um it started in the NBA and it’s it’s grown to we have MLB shows, we have NFL shows, we have college shows, we have NHL shows, there’s locked on women’s basketball if you want to cover the the WNBA.
Um there’s if there if there’s a team you can find your Locked On podcast. It’s not just, you know, locked on Magic’s great. Listen to us.
Yes.
Locked on Lightning, Locked On Buccaneers. And do you guys ever like you guys talk to each other like you do podcasts and things like that?
You do the squad shows every week.
Yeah.
Um where we all get together and you know
talk.
What what is your thoughts on the Miami Heat? I’m just curious because you know they’re the team.
Miami like it just feels like Miami has let their opportunity pass them by. Mhm.
Um they kind of just the story always goes that when Pat Riley got into a room with someone, he’d wear all of his championship rings, and I mean all of them, or put them down on the table, and that would just impress people into signing with Miami,
and they’re always like very targeted and specific about who they wanted,
right? And that isn’t working anymore. Like free agent, you don’t get players in free agency anymore. like the the biggest free agent this off seasonason ended up being Miles Turner and that shocking move. But the biggest free agent on day one was Nel Alexander Walker. That’s like not a big free agency name. That’s
that was the guy we thought we might get which
Yeah. Yeah. But like,
but like the way you get players now is trades and
the Heat
have been too precious with their players and too precious with their guys
and they’ve let the clock run out on them. Like they weren’t willing to do what it took to get Damen Lillard.
Um they weren’t willing to do what it took to get Kevin Durant. Um they kind of held their nose at at trying to of doing you know like look at what the Magic did.
The Magic went for it. They said, “We need a shooting guard who is an efficient three-point shooter, can create off the dribble, make passes, and def and and not be a negative defensively.”
They looked at all the options. It’s like Anthony Simons, that doesn’t check off. Colin Sex, that doesn’t check off.
They found Desmond Bane and whatever that cost might have been, they might have been haggling over a first round pick, but at the end of the day, they said, “We got to do this. Like, this is our guy. This is the opportunity. We’ve got to do this.” and they did it. He’d have had two or three of those opportunities over the last five years.
Yeah.
And they passed on every single one
in this environment of the NBA. When that window opens, you got to do it. And the Magic clearly see the window open and they did it.
And they did it. And they took they traded tra uh draft capital, but they don’t really need that capital at this moment.
No.
So, but like
and you can always get it back. Like that’s the thing. That’s the thing people don’t realize is like
Yeah. when the Magic get to like they’re going to get to second apron hell and they’re going to have to make some financial decisions that are going to suck when they trade Desmond Bane or Jaylen Suggs or whoever else. They’re going to get first round picks back.
Like they will get those picks back and they’ll probably go to Memphis and say, “Hey, let’s swap some of our firsts. We have Houston’s first. You want Houston’s first? we’ll give you all of them just to get our pick back in this draft. Like,
yeah, I I agree.
Get those back. It’s not They’re nothing.
Miami Heat is always a big rival for the Magic. We play them multiple times and their fans can be kind of obnoxious at times. But I want to I also wanted to take your what you think about Locked on Heat. Is he a cool person? Have you
I love the Locked on Heat guys. Wes Wes and David are two of the best in on our network. They do an amazing job. Yeah. Yeah. They do two hosts on that one. Uh Wes Wes Goldberg and David Remal both awesome guys um like good good friends um among the lockdown network. Uh our teams may hate each other. We do not hate each other. We like each other a lot.
Um but it’s you know
they like
I mean the difference is the Heat are always playing for a championship. Their fans expect them to play for a championship and like they’re stuck in the playin like windmill now. And look Miami is still an interesting team. Like I like Bam Obio is a really good player. Uh Tyler Hero is a they got they got some guys. Um they’re good enough to be in the playoffs. They should be in the playoffs. Um but they’re not a championship level team. And the last
I think they’re more a playin team than playoff. I just feel like
Yeah. Yeah. I’d agree with that. That they’re missing the one guy that ties the room together. And you know, it was Jimmy Butler, but Jimmy didn’t care until the playoffs and that’s why we’re always a lower seed. Um they need the one guy to tie the room together and they don’t have that guy.
Yeah. Yeah. No, I agree. You know, um but going back to the draft just a second. So, in the second round, we took Noah Penda. We traded a lot of second round capital, which I’m okay with. Second round capital is not that much. And this guy is a first round talent.
Um I didn’t know much about him at the time, so I wasn’t I’ll be honest, my initial reaction, I wasn’t happy. But after looking at it, I I do like uh his game a little more, but you know, he’s an international player, so it’s always hard to gauge like how good they are. What was your thoughts on the Noah apprentice?
Yeah, I look the way we’ve just come to expect the Magic to deal with the second round is to not care and and some of I think a lot of us thought like maybe the Magic wouldn’t use the roster spot and and kind of commit commit the roster spot to it.
Um but I I am generally a big believer of if you have your guy, go get him. Like I liked I Memphis spent two of the first round picks the Magic gave them
to go get Cedric Coward.
Yeah,
he is their guy. You look at the team they’re building, he is their guy.
Go get They went and got him. You know,
the Magic did that with no appenda. And I kind of took him off my board because he wasn’t much of a three-point shooter, but he is a clear first round talent. He’s a clear player who fits the Magic’s identity. He had something like a uh by some like statistics and estimates was like a 29% defensive field goal percentage for Le Man this summer or this season. Um he is an excellent defender or potentially excellent defender. He’s going to have to find his fit in the NBA. He’s gonna have to find his offense. He’s really rudimentary on offense, but there is there’s a lot to like in him and for a second round pick, if you get anything out of a second round pick, you’re doing you’re doing fine. Um, I think the Magic see something that fits their eye. And you know, I I don’t think people are necessarily wrong to surmise and predict that he is kind of a Jonathan Isaac and waiting.
Yes.
And that he like I I’ve even hinted at this like I said I thought the Magic should have been going after Rasher Fleming who went to pick before.
That’s who I thought they would go for. Um,
he was a player that I thought gave the Magic some permission to trade Jonathan Isaac because then you have a versatile four who could defend the perimeter, defend the rim, do all those defensive things.
Though Appenda does that, just not yet. And so I think all of us kind of start seeing the writing on the wall and how the Magic this Magic team is going to evolve.
That feels like a direction they’re going in. So I I like this pick and again we’ll see what he looks like in summer league. We’ll see we’ll get to know his his game a little bit better. Um but there there’s a lot to like in him.
Yeah. No, I agree. Um yeah, I did want Walton Clayton Jr. and I think uh Philip also wanted him, but it was just he was taken before us and to do I I had Walter Clayton above Jace Richardson on my board. If if you had asked me to pick between Walter and Walter Clayton and Jace Richardson, I would have taken Walter Clayton. Size, scoring abilities, a little more consistent, a little more polished guy.
Yeah, a little bit of that. Um there was a you know, they were both very, very close. I would agree with arguments for both. I’m very happy they got Jace. Jace is, I think, a really solid player. So, I don’t think the Magic lost out at all there.
Yeah, I’m really happy with Jace. Uh he he shot pretty good in college and he can um get better. I think I think he’ll develop into a much better much better player, especially like we don’t need him like to start. Obviously, he’s going to come off the bench and um that you know that’s good enough. And then uh in free agency, we got Taius Jones who me and Philip both predicted. We both predicted it last stream which was so funny and uh we just had a comment about Tai Jones. Don’t let Yeah, he’s not going to start. We have Jaylen Suggs and other players that are going to start but him coming off
Suggs Bane Fron Paulo Carter that is your starting lineup that is not changing
starting lineup. Um yeah, unless Wendell Carter gets injured and then Goa could start. But
I mean when healthy when healthy I’m just not the biggest
we’re not assuming injuries yet. Let’s let’s it’s July. Let’s not assume injuries.
No, I don’t assume injury and no nor do I ever want injury, but you know this team
it’s gonna happen. Yeah. Yeah.
No one start No one starts all 82 games. Yeah. So you were talking about Mo Vagner and us like when we were backstage, you were talking about us getting him back. I think that would be great. He’s We need him on this team. Like he’s a really good um like he brings a lot of energy. He’s an energy guy, you know. So what do you think that they’re going to bring? You said that you do think that they’re going to bring him back.
Yeah, all all indications are that they’re going to bring him back. I I do think he is a priority for this team. I I think they, you know, especially because they’ve lost a lot of locker room guys. Like Cole was a big locker room guy. Like Corey Joseph was a big locker room guy.
Um they like I think Bane will be fine. I think Dez is going to fit right in with this group. Uh like culturally, I think Taius Jones is a really nice veteran. They they need to kind of keep some continuity in that locker room. Um they’ve I mean this will be the most this this Magic team has changed uh in since Jeff Welman did the trade since Jeff Welman did the did the Vuvich trade.
Yeah.
Um and so I do think that the Magic want to bring Mo Vagner back. They they know how valuable he is to this team.
They know what he brings. They know him well.
They I’m sure they trust that he will be recovering well from the torn ACL. And it’s just about money now. It’s just about how much is Bo gonna cost and what else do the Magic need to do this off seasonason because they are now hardcapped at the first apron which is a pretty significant restriction that this team is going to have to deal with. So,
uh it’s it’s just about money at this point and figuring out the right price to bring him back at.
Yeah. No, I agree. Um now Caleb Houston, we also talked about do you think that they bring him back or do you think that they move on? You did say that they probably will move on, right? I think it all indications and everything that I have heard would suggest that that that they may not have the roster spot form. They may not have the money for him. Like part of the problem for the Magic right now is they’re limited in how much they can spend. Like they’re because they use the non-T taxpayer MLE and I don’t want to bore everyone with the CBA details, but because of the way that the Magic acquired Taius Jones,
they are hardcapped at the First Apron. They have about uh assuming all the salaries we can assume they are about $6.7 to $6.8 million from the hard cap. That is all they can spend. They cannot spend more than that um on free agents. They still have half of their mid-level exception available or on their own players even with bird rights as as some people have have tried pointing out to me. So they are very very very very restricted in what they can do the rest of this offseason. Um, and so it it feels like Caleb is gonna get squeezed out and and he’s just not they just they just won’t have the ability to bring him back. Um, I I I think that’s a mistake. I think they should be trying to bring him back. I think that he is really important. He had such a strong finish to the season. He shot 40% from three last year. He was at 50% over the last 14 15 games.
Um, like 25 for 50. Like again, not huge numbers, but when you’re the worst three-point shooting team in the league, giving up good shooters is not a good thing. Giving up your best shooter is not a good thing.
Yeah.
Um I I I felt like when Caleb got playing time, and look, he struggled in the playoffs, but during the regular season, when he got playing time, he started figuring things out. And so I do think it would be worth it to bring him back. I I just don’t know if the Magic can.
Yeah. No, I totally agree. I wish they do bring him back. I saw pro I saw like some promise of him. I saw some like I saw that he has potential to be decent at least off the bench and you you always need shooting you know so another guy who can shoot threes in the corner is perfectly fine. Um and
the Magic like the way the Magic are built like they need good spot up shooters who are going to get the ball and shoot shoot it when
Paulo drives when Fron drives when Bane drives when Jayen drives when uh Taius drives when Jace drives. They need guys that are going to spread the floor and and force defenses to respect them. And look, the Magic have more of those guys now.
Like Bane is a knockdown shooter. Tyus Jones is a knockdown shooter. Tyus Jones
is probably the like, and we said this about Kenny last year, but Taius Jones is probably the best shooter the Magic have had in a very, very long time. Um Jaylen Suggs before Paulo’s injury was really really efficient shooting catch and shoot threes and that went down as he got on the ball more and had more responsibility. Um you know they need more guys who are going to be threats from three to create the driving lanes and create the tension in the defense that’s necessary to make the defense make choices. That’s at the end of the day that’s what offense is in the NBA now is to make defenses decide what are we willing to give up right now. like every team would say, “Let’s just give up threes. Who cares how many threes they take? If they make them, they won’t make them four times in a seven game series.”
Um,
that may not be the case anymore. And teams are going to have to decide, well, do we wall up on Paulo? Do we wall up on Fron and give up the three or do we defend the three and just hope that Paulo decides to take a lot of mid-range jumpers instead of getting to the basket, getting to the foul line? That’s that’s that that’s the tension the Magic are trying to create, and they’re better suited to do it now. But the more shooters you have, the more insulated you are from variation and things happening.
Yes, exactly. And like you said, we had a lot of like openl look threes too that we missed like a ton. Like I just I was
the magic shot profile was fine last year. Like they got good looks. They were like middle of the league in creating wide open looks. They got good looks. They just
Beno he requires sometimes double teams. So you’re going to get those wide open looks. Paulo Paulo Bancerero actually this is like one of my favorite stats. Um Paulo Bancero got doubleteamed. I think it was the 15th most in the league.
Yeah.
Um he is one of the most double teamed players in the entire league.
Yes.
Um he has defense’s respect. They’re worried about him.
And part of the reason you could double team him is you did not have to worry about any of the shooting.
You take that away now all of a sudden Paulo’s getting one-on- ones. He’s getting easier lanes to the basket. He’s gonna play a lot more efficiently and we’re gonna see a new side to him that that I think would be really exciting.
Oh yeah. No, I totally agree. You know, Beno, he requires a lot of attention. So does France. France requires a lot of attention. Um so they’re going to have like people like Desmond Bane like wide open sometimes. And um Chase Richardson and Tai Jones like these guys can knock down threes, you know, and we needed more of that. Um my one thing I think is that we need more we need more sensory depth. But then you said they’re bringing back Mo Vagner. So that that kind of helps that right there. I’m just not the biggest Wendell fan because he like you know he has a lot of like injuries and then he’s inconsistent. Not like
he had a bad year.
Yeah.
Bad year last year.
But like his defense in the playoffs was awesome. like like Tatum got him a few times, Brown got him a few times, but the Magic were not would not have been able to execute the defensive plan they had
without the way that Wendell Carter played and Wendell holding his own on on the on the perimeter. And you know, I think the Magic have a lot of belief that he had a healthy season for the most part. Um, last year he was coming off the hand injury and the hand surgery that slowed him down in his preparation for the season. I think the Magic are are hopeful that a kind of reducing their reliance on him offensively. Like think about it this way too.
Yeah.
The Magic have four 20 point scorers in their starting lineup. Like
Bane has averaged 20 points per game. Fron has averaged 20 points per game. Pal has averaged 20 points per game. Jaylen Suggs is at seven 16 17 18. He can be a 20 point per game score.
They don’t need Wendell Carter to be a huge score. Like he’s at 10, 11, 12 points per game.
And I know he’s at like 10 last year.
He doesn’t have to do very much. He just has to make enough shots to keep defenses honest.
Everything else he’s just going to be doing what he’s really good at already. So, I think Wendell Wendell’s in for a bigger season.
Yeah, I agree. Um, what do you think about Goa Batazi? Do you think that he will improve um and get more minutes? Because I feel like last year he wasn’t getting the minutes that maybe like look until until Mo Vagner’s back, Goa’s that’s Goa’s spot. Goa is the backup center until Mo Vagner returns.
Yeah. Um, I think that he’s a luxury and he’s going to have to prove that he is better than the third set. I mean, he’s already proven that, but he’s going to have to prove that he is worth it more for the Magic than Moagnards. I don’t think he’s proven that to be perfectly honest. I think that Goa
Goa can be can be really good on defense.
He can also be really inconsistent. He can also be
like too handsy. He can be just just shoving guys like in the playoffs. He just sh He was just shoving guys. was just like, “Dude, like what are you doing?”
I think he was just trying to be really aggressive.
Yeah. And and I think he was frustrated. He lets his emotions get get him sometimes.
Um offensively, he’s still very limited and because he’s not a jump shooter while he’s very good working from the high post as a passer and screener.
Um because he’s not a jump shooter,
he kind of clogs the lane for Paulo and and so I think the Magic prefer a stretch five or someone who’s more of a stretch five like like Wendell should be or can be. Obviously, he wasn’t last Wendell needs to be that like
Wendell needs to make threes. Like no doubt about it.
Threes last year. He was
couldn’t make threes. It was a problem.
It was a problem. No, no, no. I’m not I’m not going to debate that. But
um like Goa is just too inconsistent right now. And
if he Yeah. Look, I think he
is. One of my favorite players though because when he gets going,
he can be a real
he should be he should be in a rotation somewhere.
Yeah. um the Magic. He’s a luxury to the Magic and that’s why I think he is a like prime trade candidate late in the season. So you think they would trade him and not Wendell? Okay.
Yes. No, Wendell is going to be really tough to trade. His his extension doesn’t kick in until next year. So he’s a like 10 11 million dollar player this year. He’s 18 next year with three years left.
Um it’s going to be hard to trade Wendell.
What was your thought on the Raptors taking Colin Murray Boils? Um, I’m just generally confused with what Toronto is trying to do. Um,
yeah, I was too with that.
Look, Colin Murray Boils is a like glue player. He does all the dirty work. Um, I did not have him on my board for the Magic and kind of rated him low because he’s just not a shooter and he’s a
he’s a 67 power forward and
like the Magic don’t need that. So, I didn’t prep very much on him. I know a lot of a lot of the stat people like him. I know a lot of a lot of other teams really like him. Again, he’s a glue guy. Like, you need those guys. I don’t know what Toronto is trying to do. I don’t know what Toronto is trying to build. I I like a lot of players on their team like Brandon. Like, they’ve got a talented team. Scotty Barnes, Brandon Ingram, Emanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, like they’ve got some talent. I just don’t see how that pulls all together.
Um, how that all pulls together. I don’t see I don’t see like
they’re a playing team at best. I don’t know if Colin Murray Boils like helps them get there or not or you know like I don’t know where he fits with that specifically but
did not think it was a good fit for the Raptors.
Yeah. I mean he didn’t seem like he thought it was a good fit either.
He was not happy as well.
See CMBB’s gonna play he’s going to play well enough. He’s going to earn a spot on the floor because he plays so hard. But I just you know it’s hard to be 67 and not be able to make threes.
Oh this is something else separate from the magic that I want to talk about. Damien Lillard got waved today. What do you think is his market? And do you think a team will What team do you think will sign him?
Um I I think some team will sign him, but I I honestly think that he’s probably not going to be in the league this year. Yeah.
Just because he’s going to miss the entire season with the injury. Um and if I were a team,
I wouldn’t commit money to him
just to sit on my bench and and and and rehab,
you know, and he look, he’s not gonna take a pay cut. He’s not looking to be a minimum guy. like Damen Lillard is a star when he’s healthy, he is still a star and so I think there will be a pretty robust market for him among contending teams. Maybe looking at the maybe like trying to get him for the cheap next summer. Um maybe some team will grab him this this summer or this season and say, “Hey, we want you in house. You like us, we like you. We’ll wait you out.” Um
I I mean it it it’s
it’s a great opportunity. it can be a great opportunity for Dame. Um he’s obviously coming near the end of his career and that contract to just become an albatross for Milwaukee. Um especially with the injury. Um I think stretching it is still wildly reckless and and and
like look they look not reckless. I don’t say that they had to do it to get Miles Turner. They had they had to do it to preserve their chances of being competitive uh with Giannis. I’m not sure Miles Turner is the right fit for them, but
I don’t know if Turner is the fit for them at all. I mean, he’s he’s going to be a more mobile Brook Lopez. Like, I get I get that part. Um, they need a lot more. They have no guards. They have no They have no no one on the
Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. So, I’m I’m They don’t have guards. Exactly.
But like Milwaukee needs to be competitive because Giannis could advocate to leave at any moment. Um, so they had to they had like Damen Lillard was a thing keeping them from being competitive while he was out. They did something shortterm with a lot of short-term thinking to be competitive, but now they’re like sitting with what is it like $22 million of dead money for the next five years,
right?
Like that’s going to really prevent them from doing I was so surprised.
I was shocked.
Yeah, I was so surprised. And I also was surprised that Miles Turner didn’t go. I I thought for sure Pacers automatically. Yeah. Like
Yeah. It it it it really sounds like Indiana was always afraid of going into the luxury tax. Yeah.
And the Tyresese Hallebertton injury gave them permission to or gave them like cover or public cover to say like we’re not paying the tax for a team that’s not competing for a championship and we’re not going to compete for a championship without Tyrese Hallebert. It it
it’s it’s disappointing. I don’t think that’s what the rules were meant to be in place for. But um you know that’s what owners are doing now. That’s what teams are doing around the league now. They’re cutting salary
and saying it’s just too expensive to keep championship teams together and that’s what the NBA kind of wanted. I don’t think they had this in mind when they made these rules.
Do do you think Miami takes a chance? Because you talked about how Miami really wanted Lillard and now they’re talking about it still. Is it a possibility that they
I absolutely I think I think there’s absolutely a chance that Miami is going to end up with Damen Lillard. Like I said,
I don’t think that team is gonna take that chance now.
He’s out for the year. He’s not coming. Like a torn Achilles is a full year.
Yeah.
Like
but they they can wait a year. I mean they’re not
they can they can wait a year but like if they have the money now to do it and it’s like a two year five or whatever it has to be
like okay I don’t think Miami has the cap room to do it. Like no one has cap room to go and sign him to a big contract,
right?
So it’s I don’t know like I I don’t know what the market’s going to be like. I don’t know what Dame is actually looking to do with the last few years of his career. I’m not I’m just not sure. Um, I’m not signing him until I see him work out and seeing what he looks like. And frankly, like I’m rehab.
Would you be interested for the Magic to do anything with him or No. Doesn’t fit the age range.
I don’t want Damen Lillard.
Doesn’t fit the defense. I was gonna say that. The thing I love, he’s a negative defender.
He’s a great shooter, great scorer, but he cannot play defense. And the Magic’s whole identity is you got to be able to play some defense. It’s it’s it’s the same thing I said last time I was on here about Anthony Simons. Like yeah, if the Magic wanted Anthony Simons, he’d be here already.
The dude like rates out as one of the worst defenders in the league. And look, I was willing to overlook that and say like the offense is just so important.
The offense was was really needed.
And like there were numbers that suggest the offense wasn’t as good as his raw stats would would say and and and you have to take that in consideration. I think the Magic clearly did.
They didn’t want a guy that wasn’t that wasn’t going to be able to compete on defense. Like again, like we talked about Jace. Jayce is gonna compete on defense. He may not be good. Like Cole Anthony was the same way.
Cole Anthony wasn’t a good defender, but he competed. He tried. He he he bought in. He did his best.
Dame Dame just isn’t there. And and and at his age with the pressure you’d be under,
you’re just not you’re not winning. Like the Magic don’t have the guys to cover their their defense is everybody working together to make it work.
I’m just happy that the Magic are making changes. I feel like they’ve been stagnant for too long and this year they got like Desmond Bane. They got rid of Cole Anthony. They got rid of KCP which obviously I was happy about because of his really bad season last year. Um we got Jace Richardson. Like this team has a whole new identity. Like it’s still the defensive and all that, but it’s got scoring now. It’s got Tus Jones. It’s got like it’s got more depth that I like about it. Um so I I just like that they are making uh changes. Like I felt like they’ve been stagnant for too long. Yeah, I mean it’s it they’ve they’ve built they they built on continuity and I think they took it as far as they were going to take it. Um look, last year last year the Magic were the seven seed because of injuries. I I think we can all agree with that. They would have been in the four five
Yeah. Yeah. They would have been in the fight with Detroit and Milwaukee for four and five as well as Indiana. Um,
but I think they also but I think they also but like I think they also looked at that series against Boston and said
this is the team we have to beat to win a championship and we’re not good enough to beat this team. Like we we can compete, we can make it hard, but we’re not beating this team four out of seven games. And I think the magic that that decision that that that realization or that recognition is what led them to be aggressive this summer.
But it’s so funny like you brought up Indiana, right? Indiana next year they’re going to struggle because they don’t have Hallebertton. They just lost Miles Turner. Like they are losing huge depth pieces and like Turner was a starter and he was a pretty good player. Like I know he didn’t play that good in the finals at that last game or whatever, but overall it’s a guy you wanted like you know and I couldn’t believe that he left but I guess he wanted to play with Giannis but I wanted
He wanted the money. Indiana didn’t give him the money. It’s really that simple.
Yeah, I got him the money too. Yeah, they wouldn’t give him the money as well. So, um, do you think that Giannis stays or will he leave eventually at some time?
I mean, I think Giannis is ultimately a loyal guy. I think that Milwaukee has shown with this move that they’re willing to keep spending and they’re willing to keep trying to find the right mix. Um, you know, we can say as shocked as we all were about the Dame Lillard trade, Milwaukee wants to win a championship this year, Dame Lillard ain’t helping them win a championship this year. he’s he’s actively hurting them because they can’t spend that $50 million elsewhere. So they, you know, chopped off $28 million and they spent it on someone that can help them win.
Yeah.
Um that is, you know, like give Milwaukee credit. They are not giving up. They’re gonna s if if this ship’s going to sink, they’re gonna do everything they can to save it.
I think they should I I honestly think they should trade Giannis at this point. I just because
I mean look
the team is not good enough to win as
I
so
at the at the end of the day though when you have a player of that caliber
I know it’s hard
it it it’s not just that it’s hard it does not take much to be championship good because Giannis is that good.
Yeah.
Um I agree with Milwaukee’s posture of we’re not trading him unless he asks to be traded. Yeah.
Um because Milwaukee is not going to get it. It took Milwaukee 50 years
to champ win a championship win their second championship.
Yeah. Exactly. They had Kareem. They had Kareem Abdul Jabbar.
Yeah, exactly.
Giannis Giannis didn’t come for 45 years.
45 years later.
No, when you’re like, you don’t know when you’re getting a player that good again. You got to milk it for all it’s worth. The Magic did the same thing with Dwight. And And
I I think ultimately the Magic should have traded Dwight the moment he asked for a trade. Once he asked for the trade, it’s done. It’s over. Don’t There’s no going back. No, I agree with you. Giannis is really good and he could probably go with the East by himself, but it’s like he needs guard depth. There’s no guard.
They need help. Like their their work is not their work is definitely not done. I I agree. Yeah, exactly.
But they’re going for it. Like they’re they’re not giving up. Like I’m I’m not gonna I’m not gonna, you know, like I don’t Do I think if if you ask me today to power rank Eastern Conference, do I have Milwaukee in the top four? No. Do I have them in the playoffs? Probably. I have them like six, seven, eight. Yeah.
Yeah.
Like are they are they where they want to be? No. No. But they’re more they’re closer to where they want to be now than they than they were if
you think it’s a possibility that if they do not they’re not that good that Giannis does ask ask for a trade like the deadline and then they move away.
I I I think so. I think Giannis understands he’s coming to the end of his prime and and that like his chance to win another championship is is close.
It’s going down. Yeah. The window is slowly going down. you know, I mean, you you want to stay in the East because that’s like, you know, where you could dominate the most right now, unless he goes to like a western team that’s already stacked, you know. Um, but yeah, I mean, but those are the only teams that are going to trade for him. Like, that’s that’s the thing you got to understand.
Like the Utah Jazz are not trading for Jiannis Antakmpa. The New Orleans Pelicans are not trading for Jianniska. Yeah. The only teams they’re going for are contenders.
Yeah, for sure. Right. Yeah. It’s gonna be interesting to see what happens with Giannis uh this season because it’s been But like you said, he’s really a loyal guy and he’s stuck there all the way around. It’s like if he wants to win though, I think he’s going to have to leave. I just don’t think Milwaukee is good enough like right now unless they they I mean they can still make moves, but as of right now,
look, he got he got Giannis and that’s half the battle. Like I I I I can’t stress that enough. Like
I know, but you know, you need every
when you’re when you’re in a playoff series, the saying is often the team that has the best player has a chance to win.
Yeah. The only series where where the Bucks don’t have the best player in the series is Oklahoma City and Denver,
right?
Like like that’s the truth. Like Donna, you you have to account for Giannis and everything he does.
Oh, yeah. You too. You too. Yeah. Right. I agree. So, what other free agents do you think the Magic that you would like to see that the Magic go after or like what position or any specific free agents?
Yeah, I think they need some better forward depth. Um, I’d like to see them go after a three-point shooting small forward. I don’t know who that is at this point. Um, just because at this point the Magic are only working with minimum deals um essentially.
Uh, and you know, you’re not going to get the cream of the crop. like would I like to see them maybe take a swing with Lonnie Walker um who played with with uh Philadelphia and Boston this last year? I believe I think Lonnie Walker would be an interesting ad just you know added competition at that that backup small forward spot. You know you’re not going to need a ton of minutes there because you have Bane Vagner and Anthony Black to help fill it. um as along with Tristan Dilva and Jet Howard if you want.
Um
I think some help at that forward position is is really and Penda is probably going to compete for that spot too. Um I think some competition and some better shooting from the forward position off the bench I think would be really really valuable for this team. Um again I don’t know who that target is but
um you’re you’re looking at minimum guys so you probably need you’re probably going to be waiting a little bit before you attack that. Yeah, I think Nuggets are doing really good in this free.
Denver’s not had a really nice summer.
Yeah, Denver Denver Denver got to game seven with Oklahoma City and was like, we can beat this
and and they’re doing the things that
they could they really could. They have a lot of depth now.
Look, you they replaced Michael Porter Jr. who was never a great fit for them with Cam Johnson who is a perfect fit for them.
That’s who I wanted. Plus, at one time I did want Cam Johnson.
Yeah. I mean, he’d be coming off the bench Orlando, but he’s a starter. Like, he deserves a starter. Um, they went out and got Tim Hardway Jr., which I absolutely love for them. Bruce Brown, absolutely love bringing him back.
You know, I wish we got Tim Hardway because he always he always plays well against the Magic.
He’s a great shooter, too. Like, I The Magic don’t have the money. Like, that’s the problem right now is the Magic don’t have the money for any of these guys. But,
um, he would have been great. Like, 100% would have been absolutely great for this team. Great shooter. gonna compete on defense like you know does does all the things the Magic need to do and and would play the position they need.
Yeah. No, I agree man. Like definitely. Um yeah, like so crazy. I can’t believe like
NBA is crazy place, man.
NBA is crazy. So many moves are happening. Yesterday like I was on Twitter and looking at all this stuff and it was boom boom boom. all this like trades happening and people signing and people getting waved like who and I never thought Damian Lillard in my life would get waved like unless he was like really old or something like I understand he’s injured but like in a year or so he’ll I think he’ll come back. I mean I don’t I don’t know like you know like we said not a fit for the Magic but just an overall good player you know definitely a a superstar. Yeah. Do you think that the Magic would trade in the middle of the season?
I I think so. Like it would not like some of it would be prepping for the summer. Um like the Magic are going to be
probably above the second apron are going to end up above the second apron next summer. Um they can try and set their books up a little bit better to try and position themselves back under the luxury tax or or just slightly above the first apron to give them some more wiggle room before the PO contract sets in, before the Dell contract sets in. Um it’s also just that yeah the magic are probably going to be sitting in the three or the four seed um not two seed when we get to February and they’re gonna have a better idea of what their team is and what what it needs and they’re going to sit there and say like if we want to compete for the championship which we think we can this is what we need let’s go get it like like there’s going to be a lot of short-term thinking
to add what’s necessary for this team to to compete and get deeper in the playoffs. So yes, you know again we don’t know what that is. I think the Magic want to keep those assets in reserve for that reason. That’s why I don’t see a go-go or Ja trade.
Like I think a Jed Howard dump might happen or Jet Howard stretch might happen. But still on the team
first round pick, man. They get they get guaranteed guaranteed, you know, two year two-year deals with team options on the second on the third and fourth year. Magic picked up that third year option. I don’t think they’ll pick up the fourth. I I’ve been floating around to people today like the Magic do what what the Bucks did with with Dame Lillard and stretch his contract and just be like,
you know, let’s we need the cap room more than we need the player.
Honestly, I agree. I I think that we need the cap space more than the play player. It’s just we have a lot
if the Magic If the Magic stretch Jet Howard, he goes from $5.7 million to
1.8. And so that gives the Magic like $10 million of room to sign.
That’s a midlevel exception type of guy you can get with that almost, you know.
Yeah. And the Magic still have $7 million left on the mid-level exception. So they could spend six million of it to bring back Mo and then four million of it for another player or two million of it for another player and two million on another minimum on another guy and and be fine. So I I think there is an advantage to doing that. It wouldn’t shock me if that’s ultimately what happens.
Yeah, same here. What what would you expect Mo’s contract to be coming back?
I if I were Mo, I would not accept less than $5 million per year. I I would think I would hope that
get that. Yeah.
If I were Mo, I would be looking for two for 11, five million this year, six million next year.
And if you can do that, I don’t know if you can do that, but um I’d be looking for like two for 11, two for 10.
Team I I’ll accept a team option on the second year just because I’m injured. you can always cut me, give me more money using bird rights next season when you’re not hardcaped. Like understand all that. Um I I think a oneplus one like a a team option on the second year is almost guaranteed. I think the Magic would be happy to give him a second year under those conditions.
Yeah,
it’s just finding the right number. Um I don’t think he should accept lower than five. I don’t think he should come back on a minimum. I wouldn’t come back on a minimum if I were Mo. Um, but the question then is who else is going to give an injured player who’s a bench player who’s really only been successful for one team. Who else is going to give him that security that he’s looking for other than the Magic? It’s It’s just going to come down to dollars and cents. How much are they willing? How much How much is Mo willing to accept based on how much the Magic can pay?
Oh, okay. Okay. Yeah. I was just reading something quick about Caleb Houston. They said that they have his birthright, so they could still sign him if they want. So, so I’ I get this I’ve been getting this question a lot over the last
It’s very confusing. I think it’s like
So, so let’s do CBA 101 here.
Yeah.
So, the NBA has what’s called a soft cap.
Yes.
So, there’s a salary cap. You’re allowed to go over it if you use
and you got to pay luxury tax on
you got to pay the luxury tax. Another line, but but let’s just CBA 101.
Okay.
You’re allowed to go over the salary cap as long as you’re using an exception. So, one of those exceptions is the mid-level exception which the Magic used to sign Tus Jones. Yeah.
Um, another one of those exceptions is called the bird rights exception. So, the bird rights exception was created during like one of the early phases of the collective bargaining agreement when like Red Arbach complained like if we do this salary cap thing, I’m not going to be able to keep Larry Bird, Kevin McCale, and Robert Parish,
you need to create some type of way for me to keep my players because I want to keep paying my players. Why should I be penalized for building such a great team?
And the NBA agreed. And so they put what’s called the bird rights exception which allows you to resign your own players. You’re allowed to go over the cap to resign your own players. Yeah.
The new collective bargaining agreement has made it much more confusing. But this is the big one for the magic.
If you use what’s called the non- taxpayer mid-level exception,
which is up to 14.1 million. If you use more than $5.7 million of that,
you are hardcapped at the first apron.
There are no exceptions to a hard cap.
Exception. Yeah,
there are no exceptions. You cannot go above the hard cap when you are hardcapped.
So, because the Magic used $7 million to sign Taius Jones, the Magic are hardcapped at the first apron. Like I mentioned, they are approximately not, you know, after signing Jones, including Jace Richardson’s contract, including No Append contract, projected numbers.
Yeah.
The Magic are hard are about $6.7 million from the hard cap. Yeah.
They have $6.7 million to spend on two players.
Right. Right.
Um, they can, again, they have about seven $7 million left of mid-level exception to spend. They can use that to bring in a new player, but they can only spend $6.7 million of it. They can use that to bring back Mo Vagner. They can bring use that to bring back Caleb Houston, but they can only spend $6.7 million in that first year. They cannot spend more than that in total on anybody. Um, and so that’s the tension right now for the Magic is Mo Vagner made $11 million last year.
You want to get him back at five, that’s great. Well, now you only have $1.7 million to spend on new players, not two-way players, they don’t count. Um, you have $1.7 million to spend on anybody else for the roster the rest of the season.
Yes.
Um, and that’s very, very tricky. That that makes things very very tricky for them.
Yeah, things are very tricky now financially for the Magic.
It’s a new world. it. Like guys, if all of this is confusing, it is. I learned this stuff in the last like three months.
I know. I’ve been reading up on it and it gets very it gets very confusing
and it gets like the the trade restrictions get more confusing. Like we’ll worry about those next year. The Magic will be a first apron team this year. They’re not a first apron team. Like we were expecting and anticipating the Magic would operate as a first apron team this year. They’re not a first apron team. They’re a tax team for the first time,
but the tax stuff is
for cap nerds like me. Um for for cap nerds, you don’t like most fans don’t need to worry about about what the luxury tax is or how much it costs. Just know that
No, they don’t really care.
Yeah, they don’t care.
It cost money. Like that’s the only problem is it it does like at some point the Magic are going to look at their their their tax bill and be like we’re 55 and 27 55 55 and 27. We’re losing in the second round every year. We can’t justify paying this tax anymore. We got to reset. And that you know that’s going to happen. what what Boston did, every every great team has to do at some point under these new rules. Like that’s just the bottom line. Um every team’s gonna have to do it. Yeah. No, I agree. It’s a lot of info. Like Kuram, that’s perfect what you said. It’s a lot of info. You got to really look into it. I’ve
It’s a lot. It’s a lot.
The CBAs and see like
what even from an
Most fans most fans should not have to worry about this.
Yeah.
Um most fans should not care about this. The Magic are better today than they were on May 1st. That’s all you need to know right now.
Um, their ability to go out and sign players are just they’re they’re strict they’re restricted on it. They can’t do as many things as they’d like to do as as maybe as much as fans would like to do. Um, but know that like in two or three years we’re going to be talking about a lot of this stuff and being like the Magic are going to have to like maybe take a step back because it’s just too expensive to do these things or they want to add players and the only way they can add players is by subtracting players and doing all this stuff. It’s It’s a lot. It It It’s a lot.
So, let’s just have fun here, right? We’re talking about This is early prediction kind of stuff.
Yeah.
Top six teams in the East. Go
right now.
Um Cleveland, New York. I think Orlando is going to end up third.
I have them third also. I have Cleveland, New York three. Yeah.
I I think
Magic at three.
I think it’s going to be between Detroit and Atlanta for four and five. I really love Atlanta summer. I don’t want to like like New York poo poo Detroit. I actually think Boston’s gonna be fine. I think it’s the the four the 456 is gonna be
probably I’ll go this Boston four, Atlanta five, Detroit six. Um I want I don’t want to dismiss Detroit too much, but I I don’t think they’ve had a very good summer. I think they’ve had a very bad summer. In fact,
I agree that they have not had a great summer, but the one thing they do have is con continuity. So, it’s kind of like they’ll stare on that.
I mean, I I’ve been I’ve been warning the I’ve been like warning the host of Locked On Pistons, Cukah Hill, who also does a great job. I love I love his show.
Um I’ve been warning him like doing it the second time. Like the first year is awesome. Everybody’s having fun. Winning’s great. You you just you just you just don’t you just love that feeling of newness. Um that second year is tough. like doing it again when everybody knows what you’re capable of. That that gets tough. And I do think Detroit’s still gonna be good. Don’t get me wrong.
I think they take a little bit of a step back kind of like the Magic did last year. And like I was warning this people last year with Orlando. I was like,
“Oh yeah,
I was like telling people about it last year.”
Like I had like a lot of a lot like a lot of national people were like Orlando’s gonna be better. They’re going to win 50 games. They’re going to be they’re going to be better this year. Their over like their over under is 46 and a half. Take that over. And I was like, look, I think Orlando is a better team this year, but like
random things happen. Like last year was kind of it wasn’t like fluky, but it was like
last year. Last year was stressful because we had two injuries. Exactly.
Once again, I was like I was telling people like I have the Magic as a better team, but they’re going to win 45 games and probably be like the six seed. It’ll feel like it on the standings it’ll look like they took a step back,
but I think they’re a better team that just isn’t going to hit the same marks that they did. It’s hard.
And so like I wasn’t like I was shocked by the injuries. Yeah. But I wasn’t shocked that the Magic took like looked like they took a little bit of a step back. Like I was expecting that.
Now the Magic are like, “Okay, now we know what we need. We’ve seen our weaknesses. We’ve seen us be successful. We’ve seen us fail. Now we can take this big step.” And that’s what the Magic did. So I think the Magic still got what they wanted out of last season, honestly. Um even though they didn’t accomplish the goals they wanted to accomplish.
Yeah. No, I agree. Um it was a season that was a little bit down, but then again, if you look at all the injuries and all the different changes they had to go through, they navigated it pretty well to still get in the playoffs and
to get to 41 and 41.
41 and 41,
everything they faced.
Yeah. They faced a lot of adversity and a lot of injuries and a lot of
like let me let me put it this way. Like 18 games, a small sample. Yeah.
Um and like
it’s about it’s less than a quarter of the season. It’s a little bit less than a quarter of the season. They went 12 and six over those last 18 games. That is a 55 win pace.
Like, so at the end of the season, the Magic were playing like a 55 win team.
Now, granted,
they ran into the Boston Celtics.
They got their butts kicked. They lost. They played hard. They played well. They they saw their shortcomings. They saw they didn’t have enough.
Um, so I’m not saying that that’s set in stone, but
right,
we saw what when we when this team was finally healthy, we saw what they were capable of.
Yeah. No, I agree. and team is gonna if they stay fully healthy, they’re gonna be a top three team in the
I agree with that.
They could be they could finish one. I’m not saying that
anything like
anything is possible, you know,
anything could happen.
Uh but I have
remember remember 2024 Orlando was the two seed entering the last week of the season.
Yeah.
Like they like it that the se that the difference is a few games. So like I don’t stress over seedings. It’s just get the job done. Win the most games you can get to the playoffs. Let’s see what happens. Who do you think is going to be the sixman for the Magic and in your opinion?
Um I I think the guy who plays the most minutes off the bench is Anthony Black. Yes.
I think that like as far as the role of sixth man.
Yeah.
Um when Mo’s back, it’ll be Mo. Like I think he’ll be the highest score off the bench when he’s back.
I think Tyus Jones is going to be that guy. like just I think he’s gonna be the guy they trust the most to kind of do things.
Um, look, people either believe in Anthony Black or they don’t. I like him a lot.
I do. I I did not like him until last year,
but he’s got to be consistent.
He’s got to be consistent. And it’s just like
like every time I heard players talk, anytime we talk to players about Anthony Black, they’d be like, “He’s got to be aggressive. We want him to be aggressive. We’re urging him to be aggressive.” And it’s just like the biggest thing holding Anthony Black Anthony Black back right now is himself is Anthony Black. Know how good he is.
Yeah. He’s got to know how good he is. And I don’t think he does. Like I think that’s like and I’ve seen this before. It’s just like I’ve watched a player that’s just like I don’t think he understands how good he is yet. And and the moment he does is the moment it’s going to click.
And AB is like AB is the sweetest kid in the world. We all love We all love him as a person. He is chill. He like he still acts like I mean he’s what 20 years old. Like he still acts like he’s 16 17 just like chilling in the locker room.
Yeah. And it’s just like okay it’s it’s time for you to like understand who you are and have some confidence in yourself. Carry yourself with some swagger maybe and
and be the guy and and hopefully in year three we see this leap.
Yeah. No, I agree. I think Anthony Black has a perfect chance. Another guy I like is Tristan Dilva. I think he showed really they’re putting a lot on him.
He showed a lot of crashes and last year when he was thrown into the starting role because Fran went down and Carol went down.
Summer league is going to be huge for Tristan because
like look Jayce Jayce is gonna have the ball in his hands a lot and Jace is going to be the the star I think of summer league. Like I think he’s gonna be the one making a lot of decisions. The Magic, I think, in summer league, and we don’t have the summer league roster yet, but yeah, I think the Magic in Summer League are going to make Jace Richardson the point guard and say, “Okay, you you want you want us to think you’re a point guard? Show us. Show us.” Like, yeah, we don’t care. Show us.
Yeah.
Um Tristan needs to have a big summer league. When the ball’s in his hands, he needs to he needs to be the man.
I think I think he’s really talented. his only problem is and it’s very similar to Anthony Black. It’s like he doesn’t know how good he is and he gets really frustrated and he just
you as a rookie you expect that.
Yeah.
So like like I always I always say like so like for me summer league isn’t about how well you do like you know trust and had a really good summer league last year.
Um summer league you don’t figure out who can play you figure out who can’t.
Yeah. Um, but the biggest thing that I’d like to see from summer league from secondyear players especially is that you own the floor. If you’ve been on an NBA court before, you know exact you like own that court. You own that floor. It’s just like nothing phases you. You’re better than everybody out there. You know, you you understand what works, what doesn’t. You understand what your role is on the team.
Um,
I want to see Tristan Dilva own the floor and be like after one game be like, I don’t need to see any more from him. He’s done. Shut him down. Like we’ve seen enough.
Yeah. I think I think he can definitely um help this team, you know. Yeah. No, there’s there’s a lot to like and like
look the biggest thing I think people don’t realize is the Magic have been off have been on their off season for two months now.
Yeah.
Um a lot of these guys like Tristan Tristan told us that he uh went back home for a little bit
for a couple weeks and then came back to Orlando and he’s been in the gym every day since.
Yeah. Um, the Magic do not make these like free agency decisions in a vacuum.
Yeah.
Like Caleb has been in Orlando a lot. Um, obviously he’s not with the team anymore now. Like Jonathan Isaac’s been in Orlando a lot. Andy Black’s been in Orlando a lot.
Jeff Welman’s office, Jamal Mosley’s office overlook the court. They see everybody who’s out there
and they’re watching and coaches are working with them and they know who’s gotten better in the last two months
and can say like, “Okay,
as we’re planning this summer, we think Tristan’s taken this leap. We don’t need a We don’t need a backup three. Tristan’s got it. Tristan can be
No, I agree. He’s just
Yeah, he he surprised me last year for a rookie to have to do what he was able to do at times.
And he hit the wall. He got a little tired. Like it’s normal stuff.
It’s normal stuff. he’s a rookie and he showed promise and then he like you said hit the wall. Um but going back to Kale Houston for a second if he doesn’t sign back with Orlando what team do you think would would take a chance on him?
Um I mean Milwaukee needs guards. Like I I think he’s probably landing somewhere on close to a minimum deal. Um
but like every team needs shooters. He proved that he could be a good shooter. Like do you want him to like do you want to like pencil him in or put him in pen on a rotation spot? No. Do you want to let him compete for one? Absolutely.
I think the Someone will give him a chance. He’s got to end up somewhere. He’s too young and and he’s done enough to to make you think he can do he can play he can play at this level.
I have the Knicks taking a chance on him. Possibly
wouldn’t shock me. The Knicks love our players. Like as soon as they’re like free agents, they love
30 teams. All 30 teams would love a Caleb Houston. Like I’m sorry. Like
do you remember? You remember Mario Honia? Like yeah Mario like Mario is trying to get back in the league. Like really he’s play he’s had
he he bounced around a little bit after he left the Blazers.
Yeah.
But he’s been killing it for Real Madrid. Let me go look up the stats real fast. Actually, he has been killing it for
I’m just saying like I remember like as soon as he was gone from Orlando, the Knicks scooped him up.
Yeah. You know,
I mean it’s a second draft guy.
Alfred Payton. Alfred Payton. Another guy.
Alf Alfred Payeyton’s available. I wouldn’t I mean I would I would like him now because because the Magic filled out their point guard rotation, but
yeah, we got a good point guard rotation now.
Uh let’s see. Mario Honia this season for Real Madrid in uh ACB League, which is the Spanish domestic league. 14.1 points per game. Shot 39.9% from three. Uh 4.9 rebounds per game.
47.2% from the floor.
Shock He’s only He’s only 30 years old.
He’s only 30. Yeah, he’s not very old.
Yeah, that’s crazy. Mario. Mario’s Mario’s found his niche. Like, can he jump back to the NBA and be successful?
I don’t know.
I don’t know. But he’s kid I mean, he’s not a kid anymore, but he’s talented. Like, he’s found his niche. He’s had a really nice run with Real Madrid. He’s been really, really good.
He’s been good Euro League. Like, he’s been good.
Who did you want in that draft? Was it Mario Honia? I bet not. Like,
uh, who’s in that draft? Let me let me I mean, I can go back and grab my mock drafts because I was writing at the time.
Deon Booker. I think Deon Booker was in that draft. I don’t I don’t I didn’t have I didn’t think Deon Booker was good enough. Um Deon Booker wasn’t mocked at that spot.
I know, but like looking at looking at it now, it’s like wow.
I think I would have been I think I was either going for Justice Winslow or I think I was cool with with Honia.
Oh, okay. Yeah.
Like there’s there was like
and then Winslow didn’t work out either for
Winslow was a little bit better, but like there was no reason to think Mario was going to fail. like yeah,
even at even at his low end, everyone saw him as a great shooter and and athletic player. He just
like wasn’t ready for the NBA and the Magic weren’t a good environment for him. Like I I like I I know Mario has spoken about this. He was starting to figure things out late in his rookie year under Scott Skyles and and Skles didn’t really like him because kind of really immature. He wasn’t ready for the league.
Yeah. He thought he thought he was like the best player.
Yeah. Yeah. I mean like and look, guys need a little bit mature. There’s nothing wrong with that. But he wasn’t like the way he carried himself, the way he went about his business. It’s one thing to be confident. It’s another thing to be, you know, to it’s another thing to not put the work in. And I’m not saying he didn’t put the work in, but like treat the work seriously and do all that. Um Skylles was like finally getting through to him and and Mario, I think, has spoken about it how much he felt that he was starting to figure it out late in that se in his rookie season. And then Skylles resigns. They bring in Frank Vogle. Vogle has different ideas for him and he just gets lost in the shuffle and it was just it just didn’t work.
Yeah, I think I think that was also something. Coaching wasn’t like
Yeah,
they didn’t prioritize him like they should have.
If you look back at that era of Magic Basketball,
the players the Magic had were not bad. Nicole Vuch was a two-time all-star. Yes,
Evan Forier was I know people didn’t like Evan Forier for whatever reasons.
Evan,
I thought he was good. I mean, he was 19 he aaged 19 points. He’s fine. Um, Victor Oladipo became an NBA all-star. Tobias Harris is still playing and contributing meaningful basketball playoff team.
Let me tell you, when we traded Alado and Harris, that was when I was mad at the organization. Yeah. But like, but like none of those guys like Aaron Gordon same way. Like none of those guys hit their highs with Orlando because the Magic didn’t have direction.
They had guys playing in the wrong roles. They didn’t have good coaching. Like Jacqu Vaughn was a babysitter. He wasn’t a head coach yet. Oh my god, he was not good.
He’s gotten better. Like Jacqu Vaughn is a good coach now. Kansas has got a good one. Like I really like I really like him in that role as assistant coach. He’s been he had that great stint with the Brooklyn Nets.
Um
yeah,
he’s he he got better. And I I I remember even saying this to people after the Jacqu Vaughn opening press conference like I don’t think he’s the coach for this Magic team, but he’s going to do a lot better in his second job than he does in his first. Like he’s going to learn a lot. He’s going to make some mistakes. Um, but like the Magic just didn’t have direction and so they they, you know, dropped the ball on a lot of this talent that they had on their roster.
Yeah.
I I often say like bad teams aren’t bad for lack of talent for the most part. Bad teams are bad because they ask that talent to do the wrong things.
Yeah. No, I agree. Um, I think the Yeah, I just didn’t like how the Magic Organization back then was bad. They were they were directionless at that point. Like like Rob Rob Hennean was in over his head, you know. Congrats to him for winning a championship, but they were he was in over his head.
I know Rob Hennegan did make that great,
but like I said the same thing about Rob. Like I think Rob has some good ideas. He just wasn’t ready for the responsibility of that job at that time and he’ll do better in his second job if he ever leaves Oklahoma City.
Yeah, that’s true.
He’s ready for it now. Like like I like I am sure if I interviewed Rob Hennean and asked him what mistakes did you make in Orlando that you would not repeat this time or what did you learn from the that Orlando and he’d probably have a whole list of things.
Oh he would have a list.
I would point out that everyone would know and he’d say I learned my lesson on that. I’m ready.
Isn’t it crazy that he just went back to OKC after Orlando? Like this this is great.
Pressy Prey always takes care of his own man. Like that like the whole OKC front office has been there for like 15 years. 15 20 years. Yeah. Yeah, Reich is a really cool name is what he said. Yeah. No, I I just Yeah, I know. I I like this. I like where we are now. I like
the Magic are in a good spot.
I like our Yeah, I like our general manager now. I like um our VP of uh basketball operations. Like I think the the Magic are well built right now. Like especially what they did this year with getting Bane. I’ve been dying for a trade or a big name and Desert Main has always been one of my favorite players to watch because he does so much like especially when Jaw’s out. He took over that team, you know. Um he actually showed instances where he’s better than Jaw and Jaw was supposed to be like this superstar remember because he was taken I think second overall in the draft or whatever like that
after after Zion I believe he was in that draft right? Yeah. Yeah. So, and he doesn’t have any character issues like Josh. We don’t have to worry.
He’s a hard worker, man. Like picking the draft, three-year college player. Like, he had to bust his butt.
Great shooter, which is like exactly what the Magic need.
Doesn’t back down from anybody. Like, like he’s he’s going to fit in with this team because he is going to talk.
And Paulo’s a talker.
Fron is a talker. Jaylen’s always yapping. Mo’s always yapping. Dez is going to yap, too. Like, like they’re all gonna talk. They’re g The Magic are gonna be the most annoying team in the league. Everyone’s gonna hate playing the Magic and it’s gonna be great. It’s gonna be so much fun.
It’s the grittiness, you know. It’s the defensive style.
Everyone already hates playing the Magic and and it just got worse. Yeah. Where do you think Messiah is going?
Uh I don’t know. Um
it wouldn’t shock me if he goes back to um
like NBA Africa. if if the NBA puts him in charge of their efforts in Africa or he becomes like the commissioner of the basketball Africa of the NBA Africa league of the basketball Africa league
um wouldn’t shock me he’s he’s big on giving back to to his his home continent to his home country
I forget exactly which country he’s from so I apologize for that
um he’s very very big on giving back to that
um
some team’s got a
Were you not surprised that they fired him? I was kind of surprised.
Um I was a little surprised. Um, but it also kind of felt like they’d spun their wheels out and it was just like we need change. Like we’re not, you know, we’re not good enough to pay for one of the best GMs in the in the league anymore. Um, it sounds like Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment is cutting some cost, too. And I think that was probably part of it.
Yeah. Yeah. No, I agree. He’s he’s Nigerian, so
he’s Nigerian. Okay. Thank you.
I I I I I want to like first recognize I understand Africa is not a country. I am very aware of that.
Um
um I know that is a very bad canard that that happens. Africa is not a country. It is full of many different countries and many people.
I just forget which country he is from. I got and I know he is very involved in all of the NBA’s efforts throughout the entire continent. So I just want to make that clear.
Oh yeah. You know what? I was surprised that the Cavs let go of Ty Jerome. Were you not surprised by that?
No. Like no
Cavs are a second apron team. They’re they don’t have they didn’t have the money to keep him like so like the way it works because Ty Jerome was a free agent that came to Cleveland on like a minimum.
Oh yeah. He wasn’t drafted by that.
They’re they’re limited in how much they
they don’t have bird rights or anything.
They didn’t have bird rights. They’re very limited what they could offer him and he was very clearly going to get more than that
because he’s a [ __ ] talker too. He was talking to
I like what Memphis did honestly. Like coming out like part of me is like why didn’t they just keep Desmond Bane if that’s what they were going to do. Um but I like what Memphis did. I think Memphis recovered from trading Bane and and did some really nice things with their with their off seasonason.
Yeah, they did. Also, oh, one big thing. When do you think Pablo signs his uh max contract? This week.
Um I think it’ll happen sooner than later. Um my understanding is that there was a death in his family and so it would not shock me if things have been put on hold uh for that.
Okay, that makes sense.
If you look if you looked at his socials, I believe his aunt died. Um and so there’s a lot of there’s a lot of inmemoriams on his socials right now. So that makes sense.
Um hoping hoping that um hoping that her memory is a blessing to to those in to those in his family. So
Oh yeah, that definitely makes sense. I was wondering what the hold up was.
I had an idea of the person.
I was literally expecting it to be the first thing Shams tweeted at like 6:01 p.m.
Yeah, we were talking about it last week about that happening,
but but it sounds like like there’s a good reason for the delay. It’s it’s going to happen like and maybe some of it is I like I don’t think they should dick I don’t think they should stick around with it. Excuse the language there.
Um I don’t think they should mess around with it. um they need to get it done. It’s a max. Like don’t worry about anything else. Um max with supermax language. Um don’t worry about that. Um it’s just, you know, maybe they’re negotiating player option. Maybe there’s some other things to negotiate, but it’ll it’ll get done sooner than later.
Yeah. Yeah. I think it’s just, you know, a formality. It’s going to happen. It’s just a matter of when. You know, I can’t wait to announce the deal. Like when it happened with France, I was really excited. I thought Fron deserved it. I want to keep this team with the original core as much as possible. And obviously Bane already has a contract, so we ain’t got to worry about that. They’re set. They’re set for the next. They got they got three to four years to win. Like their window is three to four years
and then they got to maybe reset for contract reasons and you know because Paulo and France become a little bit more expensive after that. But right like their windows open. This is this is the time to go for it.
Yeah. Exactly. So, I think that’s it. I think we talked about pretty much mostly everything I could think of. Like, you know, it was a it was a fun podcast. Thanks for coming on. Always appreciate it.
Um, I thought it was a I thought it was a good draft for the Magic. I I really liked it. Um, I thought the free agency move was good with Tyus Jones. I can’t wait to see if they do pick up one more player. I really hope that they do. Um, just because having depth, especially with the Magic, is always important, you know. We’ll see later. Nothing nothing is official till July 6th. So, we got we got time before we have to worry about things.
Yeah. So, um anything you want to say before I end this? Um
um no, just thanks as always for having me on. Good to good to bounce around the league a little bit and uh and uh talk about things.
Yeah, definitely subscribe to Lockdown Magic. You got to do that for sure. Um sub his channel link is here. Um it’s in the description, everything. So, check out uh Lockdown Magic for Magic News podcast. Uh he did a premiere the other day I saw was great. I really enjoyed it. Um so yeah, thanks for coming on. Uh we’re going to end this. See you. Peace out everybody. Take care. And um yeah, go magic.

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