jmmagicfan

Always ready, whether it is every game, or multiple games on the bench between appearances!

I can actually see the Magic signing someone to that spot, since we have Isaac's injury exception of about $4.7K that expires the middle of this month if it isn't used. Not sure if there is anyone on the waiver wire in that range that we would be interested in, but I could see it happening.

I agree about Birch, and I would add similar comments about Ennis - these are guys who have worked hard to get/stay in the league and are extremely professional in their approach. As both are free agents at the end of the season, I am doubtful that either will be back, but depending on who else is available, I would not be mad to see either or both of them back. I think Ennis especially is really underrated and undervalued by most of us. I don't get why his PER is only 13.53, but I think it doesn't account for his defense and hustle. He's getting 8ppg, 4rpg in 22mpg, shooting 44% from three, 79% at the line, and really never forces anything, without plays being run for him. Randle is an end-of-the bench 3rd/4th PG who was signed late as an emergency fill-in. I think we have definitely gotten our money's worth, but I don't expect him to be back. We currently have Fultz/Anthony/Hampton/MCW all under contract for next year. Once we get a couple of them healthy (or in Hampton's case, some practice with the team), there will be less need for Randle. Bacon has an unguaranteed contract for next year. Again, I think he has gotten a lot more playing time than anyone anticipated due to injuries and players being out. I think he is a good 13th-15th player who does bring offensive attack. He is one of our most aggressive drivers. I don't know if he will be back or not, but I think he has done okay as a deep-bench player forced to contribute due to injury situation.

MCW/Randle Bacon/Mane Ennis/Bacon Okeke/Ennis/Birch Birch/Bamba That is a frightening rotation.

It's possible there might be a couple more trades finalized/announced in the next hour, as there are always some that seem to hit the league office at the last minute and take time to be processed and/or finalized, but this does seem to be it. Looks like Ross, Ennis, and Birch are here the rest of this season anyway. Ennis and Birch are FA this summer.

This moves us from $1.7M under the luxury tax, to about $20M under it - still over the regular cap, but with some room, and exceptions available to fill the now open roster space. We have Isaac's injury exception ($3.68M) and Fournier's Trade Exception ($17.5M) to absorb salary into.

I can't say that I am sorry to see Fournier gone - I'm just disappointed that all we got for him was 2 - 2nd round picks, a trade exception, and roster space. Hopefully we can use the exception and roster spot to make this seem less one-sided in Boston's favor? Vuc/Aminu for Wendell Carter, Jr., Otto Porter, Jr (expiring), and two protected firsts in 2021 and 2023 - I don't hate this deal, and it does clear up our cap a bit. No way we pay Porter his FA cap hold next summer, so this is probably just a waive/cap space over the summer. Gordon/Clark for Harris/Hampton and a protected 1st in 2025 - again, I am a little disappointed that this is all we got for Gordon, but this could be a sneaky good trade down the road. Remember Harris was a top FA a couple years ago before injuries, and Hampton was once a top-5 recruit out of high school a couple years ago. I can't say that I feel like management did a very good job with maximizing our return on existing assets. I am not entirely without hope, but this is definitely not what I would have expected to receive for what we gave up.

God, let’s hope not!

AG, Evan and Vuc are all starting, along with Aminu and MCW.

Thanks for the game thread TMF!

Spotrac is showing Clark as guaranteed for next year, but Bacon as non-guaranteed. A decision on Bacon has to happen before August, or he becomes guaranteed automatically. https://www.spotrac.com/nba/orlando-magic/cap/2021/. They are usually pretty accurate, though they do sometimes take a few days to update after a trade or other change. The disabled player exception we received for Fultz has expired (unused, obviously), and the one for Isaac expires 4/17/21. We could possibly waive Clark, and use a portion of that exception to add a non-minimum salary player if someone gets bought out, and not signed elsewhere. Since we are more than half-way through the season, even if we sign someone to the full $3.6M exception, it still wouldn't put us in the tax-payer category, as we'd pay less than half a year's salary. Not sure why we would, or why someone might come here for that, but never say never. Fournier, Birch, Randle, Mane, and Ennis all expire at the end of the season, so I would expect that they are shopping Fournier, Birch, and Ennis right now. I would expect that Birch, Ennis, Clark, and Bacon are all available to "make the numbers work" in any other trades we might be exploring, as well. With our injuries, we need Randle right now, unless we get another (better) PG in a trade; and I don't see Mane going anywhere. He's a young, developmental guy that I think sticks either as a 2-way again next year, or an end of the bench slot. It seems like he had a lot of growth playing in Lakeland, and may have a future with the parent club.

Maybe they told him they’re trading Fournier?!?

It makes you wonder if he was one of those who had “long haul” residual issues from COVID. Maybe he was being held out for legitimate reasons?

Yes, welcome back. We’ve missed you! So sorry to hear about your health issues and hope they are in the side view mirror! Hopefully you can continue to pull ahead and put them all the way in the rear view!

It's so hard to tell where we really are right now. 2018-19 we were very lucky with health for most of the year, and ended up with the 8th seed. 2019-20 we had average/slightly above average games missed due to injury, but still ended up with the 8th seed. This year we started strong (4-0), but have been ravaged by injuries since. I've seen varying degrees of improvement - Vucevic is playing like he's at his peak, Fultz was settling in nicely until the injury, Birch has looked better/more comfortable backing up the PF, Okeke and Anthony have done fairly well for rookies. Ennis and MCW consistently bring energy, and Bacon has played better of late. Bamba even seems to be getting a few more minutes, so maybe he has worked his way out of Clifford's doghouse. He still looks slow and plodding, but seems to have one of the better (+) numbers every game. Not sure how that is happening, cause it doesn't match what I'm seeing?!? I have been disappointed with Fournier, Ross, Gordon, and Clark the most this season. Having said that, even Gordon (before the ankle) and Ross have started to play better. I think Gordon was beginning to really respond to the "point forward" role. Fournier hasn't changed, he still tries to do more than he is capable of, and Clark has just been awful. Aminu is just beginning to play again, so who knows where he is at? We really miss Fultz and Isaac, but I'm still not sure how these pieces all fit together. I wish we could get healthy so we can see!