The Orlando Magic just had the PERFECT offseason

The Orlando Magic just had the PERFECT offseason

On February 6th, 2025, the day of the NBA trade deadline, the Orlando Magic found themselves in eighth place in the Eastern Conference after being as high as third for an entire month spanning November and December. It was obvious to everyone watching at the time that something needed to change. But lo and behold, the deadline came and went. The Magic didn’t make moves, and Magic fans were not happy. Some fans were even calling for the job of president of basketball operations Jeff Welman. And it was no secret the amount of pressure the entire front office would carry on their shoulders heading into the summer. A 32-point blowout loss that night in Denver did little to ease fan tension. After their two stars, Paliban Carow and Fron Vagner miss a significant chunk of the season and blossoming sixman of the year candidate Mo Vagner to ACI in late December. And finally, Jaylen Suggs being confirmed out for the season just weeks after the deadline. A dreadful Orlando season culminated in a swift first round playoff exit at the hands of the Boston Celtics in five games. However, the gentleman sweep wasn’t a total loss. The Magic came out of the series knowing they had two bonafide stars in France and Paulo. Now, while there were tons of questions the front office needed to find answers for heading into the summer break, one thing was for certain. They had to find a way to build around number five and number 22. What came next was the perfect off season. What’s up, guys? First of all, welcome to the channel. We’re the six-man show bringing you all things Orlando Match basketball year round. We’d love if you leave a like and subscribe, and we hope you enjoy the video. Now, while the front office had its work cut out for the summer, the organization had plans to start the off season with a bang. After a decade marred with losing seasons in draft lottery dreams, towards the top of most Magic fans wish list was a total branding overhaul, a return to the past. On June 3rd, those wishes were fully realized. After a multi-year project in partnering with sports branding firm Sky, the Magic unveiled three new logos, a new word mark, a re-energized playing surface, and three brand new jerseys, which were clear homages to the golden years of Magic basketball. The organization made it clear this was a new look for a new era for players like Paulo Banker, Fran Vagner, and Jaylen Suggs to etch their own marks in Orlando Magic lore. Fans were given everything they could ask for in new signage and jerseys amongst the very best in the league. Now, during exit interviews, Jeff Waltman let no room for doubt in which direction the Magic were headed, stating that the Magic were now pivoting into win now mode. In the very beginnings of an off seasonason where he couldn’t afford a miss, an offseason still under the covering of an ongoing NBA finals, Wellman stared down the barrel and made his first calculated strike. A blockbuster trade for guard Desmond Bane in a deal that saw Contavis Cowwell Pope signed by the Magic a year prior. Fan favorite Cole Anthony, four first round picks, and a first round pick swap all sent to the Memphis Grizzlies. While it was a steep cost for Orlando, it was a necessary one. Shooting, shot creation, and playmaking were huge, inescapable flaws in the Magic roster a season ago. The move for Bane saw them address all three in one fell swoop, all while allowing them to maintain their defense verse identity. After an up and down rookie season, the soontobe six-year guard has averaged 20.6 points per game, 4.4 for assists, 1.1 steel, while shooting a blistering 47% from the floor, 40% from behind the ark, and 88% at the free throw line. While he might not ever make an alldefensive team, he’s still more than passable on that end. With his mix of movement, shooting, ability to convert from behind the ark, attack closeouts, find open teammates, and shoot off the dribble. It cannot be overstated how perfect a fit this deal was for the Magic. Not to mention the fact that Bane is under contract for the next four years. With the Bane deal happening on June 15th, Father’s Day, the next day found the Orlando Magic making the expected moves of declining the team options of Gary Harris and Cory Joseph, thus freeing up salary for more moves to come. With the organization shifting to the draft and free agency, the Magic still needed to add shooting and playmaking to further remedy their fatal flaws. On June 25th, the Magic twice found themselves the beneficiary of talented players sliding from their projected draft positions and capitalized by selecting sharpshooter and defensive pest Jace Richardson from Michigan State at 25 and then packaging their two second round picks to trade up to 32 to select the French can do a little bit of everything 69 wing and no appenda. While the Magic will bring them along slowly, they both project to be valued and cheap contributors down the line. With the Magic’s financial status, hitting on both of these late picks is as paramount as ever. Once the draft concluded, the NBA world’s attention focused to the start of free agency. In the early part of the league’s transaction window, the Magic yet again doubled down on patching the holes of the sinking ship that has been the team’s bottom 10 offense each season since the first Obama term. this time by signing veteran guard Tyus Jones to a one-year $7 million deal. Jones has led the league in assist to turnover ratio five out of the last six years, has shot at least 39% from deep three out of the last four years, is a great locker room presence, and gives the Magic bench a muchneeded additional ball handler in the back court next to Anthony Black. In addition to outsourcing shooting and playmaking by way of Jones, the Magic were able to keep a vital source of talent in-house in Mo Vagner. Before his ACL injury in late December, Mo was having a career year, averaging 12.9 points per game, four rebounds in just 18 minutes while shooting 56% from the floor, and 36% from behind the ark while placing himself squarely in the six-man of the year conversation. The Magic declined Vagger’s team option at the start of free agency and left Magic fans a little stressed over whether or not the team would be able to afford to bring him back on a new deal. On the birthday of America, July 4th, it was reported Mo had agreed to a one-year deal worth $5 million that would keep him in Orlando for at least another season. Mo’s impact on the floor as a scorer and opposing team irritant is undeniable. Yet, his biggest impact for the team may come elsewhere. Apart from being the older brother of star forward France Vagner, Mo’s presence as a vocal leader and banner upholding the Magic standard cannot be dismissed. With so many personalities exiting the team this summer, it was paramount the Magic kept 21’s jersey hanging in the same locker room. In a documentary aired last summer, Mo made it fairly obvious how important it was to him to feel appreciated and valued by a team. And while I can’t speak to how he feels about the team these days, I hope he’s felt over the past few weeks just how valued and appreciated he is by the Magic faithful. Last, but certainly not least, I mean, the off season isn’t completely over, but it mostly is. The moment Magic fans have looked forward to since June 23rd, 2022, the night of the NBA draft in which they held the first pick. On July 7th, the Magic signed Palo Banko to a five-year $239 million extension. It’s really a $287 million extension once he makes AllNBA this year. And he will. You can quote me. Magic fans everywhere took a muchneeded welldeserved exhale. We have our guy. He wants to be here. He loves the city and we’ve got him locked up long term. Yes, there’s a player option for the 203031 season, but if the Magic’s off seasonason to come are anything like this one, Paulo won’t be going anywhere for a very long time. Number five will sit in the Raptors for eternity. Aario O’Brien will have a permanent Orlando address. At least one, maybe three, maybe four. There will be a bronze figure immortalizing the signature moment of Paulo’s career outside Kia Center. and Magic fans will finally finally have our guy, one who no other fan bases will have an argument to claim. And I believe it’s all fully starting with this summer. Our core of Paulo, Fron, Jaylen, and Desmond is locked in. And while people might still be sleeping on Orlando, they will wake up very soon. Yes, the ball will be rolled out in October and the games will need to be played. But how does the song go? There’s a spirit in Orlando. There’s a magic in our town. Indeed, there is. And it took a big step this off season. The perfect off season. Well, we hope you enjoyed this video. If you did, be sure to like and subscribe and share with a friend and come back to the channel for all content Orlando Magic. And as always, go Magic.

The Orlando Magic just had the PERFECT offseason.

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