TreyMachine

Free Agency brings everyone out! Hello, Catalina! haha

what's our beef with WCJ? Does he just don't fit into our identity? Were his numbers bad? I remember we always seemed to be better with him in the lineup.

Are we looking to pay JI more than $20M/year??? He's already at $17M/year and if we're extending the contract, that means we're paying him more guaranteed money.

Good deal for a backup that works hard and has shown to make smart plays when given more time. If anything, we are loading up on quality guys with tradable contracts.

Y'all can do what you want, but I'm not touching a deal with Danny Ainge on the other line. Danny Ainge doesn't lose deals.

I think you can overpay for a two year deal with a young team. It's the 4 years for an aging player where it makes it harder to pay your young guys that is the harder pill to swallow. These deals are definitely a bit crazy. Honestly, do y'all remember when we had a good amount of cap space in the summer of 2016 and what we did with it? Evan Fournier: Five years, $85MM. Fifth year player option. Bismack Biyombo: Four years, $68MM. Fourth year player option. D.J. Augustin: Four years, $29MM Jeff Green: One year, $15MM. We're showing financial restraint rather than paying guys just to fill up our cap space. I'm not convinced we're done but I'd much rather have our 1st day than overpaying Bismarck Biyombo like we did in 2016 just because we had the need and the money.

Cole just feels like such a good locker room guy for our young locker room and a great 6th man off the bench. I get he can be erratic, but both WCJ+Cole are on good contracts for their talent levels. Who do you realistically trade them for and does it really get you net better as you're likely looking at a backup Guard unless you want KCP coming off the bench or Paolo playing the 5.

I think we fill up our Cap Space with 2 year deals to remain flexible this season and next. Mo Wagner (backup center) and another backup guard for insurance on Jett (I'm not convinced he's NBA ready). You can bring in Hartenstein but does he want to just sit not the bench and if so, how does that affect the minutes of Mo and JI? I just don't see it unless we're about to do a trade. If I've learned anything, it's that the Magic brass really value good contracts that keep them flexible outside of their core. The Magic don't want to get stuck with terrible contracts for aging players (Lavine, Beal, Russell Westbrook, Harden, John Wall type of contracts that are basically untradeable).

Andrew Drummond and Eric Gordon signing. You've got Drummond, Gordon, Maxey, and Embiid on that team basically right now. Does that make PG want to go there? It feels like basically PG can ONLY sign with the 76ers at this time with the Clippers officially releasing a statement that he's going to sign with someone else. It's a Big 3 in the East that I'm sure he's hoping works out. Just crazy that PG has played with Harden and all he's likely said behind the scenes and still is willing to sign with the 76ers.

Everyone is hailing KCP as an elite defensive player and saying that we now have "the best defensive backcourt in the league," but KCP has never made an all-defensive team? Are voters not looking at advanced analytics or what?

KCP is 31. He's certainly not old but he's definitely on the back 9 of his career and will likely start losing a step. Any nerves here on that one?

I do like the signing of KCP, don't get me wrong, but does that mean we were never actually serious about Paul George? I have to believe we were never actually in conversation with him then or we got the indication very early on we were actually just the stocking horse for LA/Philly.

I knew you could do this in baseball, but can you do this in basketball? Are players on waivers and a team can make a claim to pick up a $30M contract and make that player play with us next year?

My guess is Lakers. He wants a ring. If Paul george stays in LA, maybe the Clippers. contenders that don’t make sense: Denver, Boston, Mavs, Minnesota, maybe works: OKC. I love him here but I don’t think he’s coming here.

I haven’t refreshed Twitter so much in over a decade on a single day

Does this mean Magic are out or that they have no confirmation of our meeting time? Or is Orlando actually not interested and never was?

It could just be that they connected in person (workout? Met in Orlando?), but that does give me some great hope. i will say he does not follow Paolo nor does Paolo follow him.

Either they met with wives to discuss this off the record a while ago and they both liked each other regardless or… this decision is already over. Ugh

I don’t think the Clippers with a core of Leonard (33) and Harden (34) is going to be competitive for a championship at this point (if that’s what he cares about). If he cares about the money, he’ll keep a lot more money by moving to FL. If it’s about family, Orlando is extremely family oriented and a safe space for kids. Here’s where i think that we actually lose (and it’s a big one): his wife of a decade, Daniela, is an influencer. You look at her instagram and she loves going to fancy restaurants and showing off her wealth. This is NOT a place for someone like that who wants pretty things and that kind of clout. I could be wrong, but if anyone else here is married, you know a move somewhere is just as important to your spouse as it is to you, and I see her totally rejecting Orlando. My heart sinks thinking this could be the weight that tips the scale towards the bigger markets. Ugh.

This is such a good explanation of why PG is the perfect signing for the Magic and for Paul George himself. https://x.com/thelando__/status/1807208479679037777?s=46

I think with our team, depth, and growth, we are contending now with PG. PG + Paolo + some great defensive, team-oriented players = contention. Look at Philly, Milwaukee, Mavericks, Denver, and Boston - all have two strong players at the nucleus with good role players around them. We don’t necessarily win but we are in semi’s if not finals of the East with the team we have.

On a different note, I’m wondering how Joe Ingles fits in with our future. He bought a really nice $6M house in Winter Park (notably above market value) last year. Maybe it’s because he’s got a family and he didn’t want to live in an apartment but from all indications of the circle his family runs in over here it seems like he wanted to be in Orlando for the foreseeable future. Curious if maybe he could retire next year or just keep his family in Orlando while he works somewhere else for a year? Just two cents on my local perspective on the topic.

Here’s what I’m doing if I’m Orlando: lay out the welcome mat and show him around. Have a team highlight video, history of the Magic, and using analytics show that we were basically a playmaker away from being the clear #2 team in the East. Have him meet directly with Paolo, Franz, and Jalen. Have them take him out to lunch. Or maybe just Paolo (though I think Jalen would be the better salesman for the team chemistry and philosophy) Discuss our team philosophy with Coach Mose + the core players there Discuss the Pro/Con of our roster and cap flexibility to create a TEAM vs. Philadelphia. Really emphasize the tax status of our state and how much he makes living in FL on his contract vs. California or Pennsylvania (note - it’s A LOT more)

Boys - it’s true. Strap in. https://x.com/bxnchero/status/1807206482301087817?s=46

This kind of moment doesn’t happen to us. I’m trying to look at this objectively, but I think the Embiid deal at $50M and Maxey at $35M really caps how good the team can be and what kind of players they can get with the rest of the cap space. Orlando has some really, really good young players on great salary deals for the next 2-3 years. We’ve seen how these “super teams” of scorers have failed in the last 5+ years with scrubs in their 2nd unit and how they’ve all failed, including the Clippers. i imagine the pitch from the Magic is just that. Join our TEAM with our team being one great piece away from being competitive for the finals consistently in the East.