2025 Off-Season Thread

[CTMagicUK]

1 hour ago, MagicMan1979 said:

CT do you have a good list of back up PGs for us?  Just curious if you have some more ideas after the trade. 

Not really, here's a list of unrestricted free agent PGs this summer: 

Malcolm Brogdon

D'Angelo Russell 

Dennis Schroder 

Chris Paul

Tre Jones

Spencer Dinwiddie

Dante Exum 

Delon Wright

Cameron Payne 

Tyus Jones

Monte Morris

Dalano Banton

Ideally you're looking for someone who can both shoot and not be a liability on defense and not cost a lot, I dunno if anyone really stands out to me after Brogdon tbh I could be ok with a few of those names without being wowed by any. Then there are guys with team or player options and restricted free agents that could maybe be in play but again because we're likely to be bargain shopping a little I'm not sure if it's worth considering those. 

[CTMagicUK]

2 hours ago, All Eyes On Me said:

I think we’re still over focusing on adding a point guard. I’m at work, so I can’t dig in too deep now, but I have to imagine that the unrecognized assists from Paolo and Franz last year when they made the right read and the wide open shooter just bricked the shot were probably multiple a game. So let’s say Paolo and Franz both add 1.5 assists to their stat lines and then we have Bane who should average 5 or so. For context, Cole averaged 2.9 assists per game last year, and KCP averaged a dreadful 1.8. So we’ve already helped our ball movement tremendously by adding a guy who can shoot and be a primary ball handler when needed. And we still have some new blood coming at guard who we’ll have to see how they continue to help last years major problem 

Agree with all of this. 

[OnlyFranz]

5 hours ago, Chosen54721 said:

I am really enjoying the PG conversations, and I, for whatever reason have been keeping an eye on Dennis Schroder's situation in Detroit. I think he makes sense coming off the bench for us, if Detroit moves away from in this off season. 

I agree. He made sense for us last year and even more so now that CoJo has been waived. Let’s see what Weltman ends up doing. 

[MagicMan1979]

My top PGs to go after would be. 
 

1. Schroder

2. CP3 Won’t leave The Spurs

3. Brogdon

4. Tyus Jones

 

TMF had a good point about NAW. I think getting a PG off the bench might be a better option with the Bane trade now that the starting line up is set. 
 

We only have 15.7 million in free agency after we renounce Mo and Caleb. So there isn’t much left if we the resign Mo for say 10 million for two years or so this year.  One of those cheaper PGs off the bench is probably the way to go. 

[Chosen54721]

3 hours ago, OnlyFranz said:

I agree. He made sense for us last year and even more so now that CoJo has been waived. Let’s see what Weltman ends up doing. 

Exactly! I have a feeling that Detroit may pick up the team option, he saved their bacon quite a few times last season, and especially in the Knicks series.  

[MagicFanDan]

Bane is the best SG Orlando has had since T-Mac. 
 

Anybody disagree with that? 

[Chosen54721]

2 hours ago, MagicMan1979 said:

My top PGs to go after would be. 
 

1. Schroder

2. CP3 Won’t leave The Spurs

3. Brogdon

4. Tyus Jones

 

TMF had a good point about NAW. I think getting a PG off the bench might be a better option with the Bane trade now that the starting line up is set. 
 

We only have 15.7 million in free agency after we renounce Mo and Caleb. So there isn’t much left if we the resign Mo for say 10 million for two years or so this year.  One of those cheaper PGs off the bench is probably the way to go. 

You do make a good point regarding the available Cap $$, however my greatest concern about our offense is, will they change the offense completely, or just try to speed up the pace as Mos said? Which Assistant Coach is actually responsible for our offense anyway? 

[Chosen54721]

10 minutes ago, MagicFanDan said:

Bane is the best SG Orlando has had since T-Mac. 
 

Anybody disagree with that? 

Not at all, I chuckled when I heard one of the talking heads say "best shooting guard since Aron Affello.... my God!

[fan for too long 2]

1 hour ago, MagicFanDan said:

Bane is the best SG Orlando has had since T-Mac. 
 

Anybody disagree with that? 

Probably, but all you got to be better than is probably Fournier. Not saying much there. 

What these two teams in the finals have, is ball movement and guys who can put the ball on the floor confidently and competently. Right now the Magic have four players who can do that. They need more. Caleb, Tristan, AB, Isaac, Jett, Mo, can’t unless it’s a straight line drive to the basket. 

[jmmagicfan]

The mid-level exception rules are fairly complex, but to simplify it, if you’re below the first apron you have up to about $14.1M; but if you’re already above that 1st apron and under the second, you get slightly under $5.7M. This is important to us right now because of where we stand currently. If we exercise our options on Moe and Caleb, and keep/sign pick #25, we will be at about $193M in salary with 13 contracts, which is under the first apron (sort of). We currently have “cap holds” for both McClung and Queen of about $2M each, which effectively puts us over the 1st apron and limits us to the smaller MLE. If we release either or both, we’d sneak back under the 1st apron and have access to most of the MLE ($12M) before hitting the 2nd apron.  If we can move Jett for either a late 1st, or an early 2nd with little or no salary back, it makes the numbers a lot easier to work with. 
 

Obviously we can decline Moe, and the numbers look a lot better, but it doesn’t give us any more money to spend, because our payroll would still limit us to the MLE, so we’ll effectively have only the $14.1M and vet or rookie minimums to fill out the roster.

[CTMagicUK]

3 hours ago, jmmagicfan said:

The mid-level exception rules are fairly complex, but to simplify it, if you’re below the first apron you have up to about $14.1M; but if you’re already above that 1st apron and under the second, you get slightly under $5.7M. This is important to us right now because of where we stand currently. If we exercise our options on Moe and Caleb, and keep/sign pick #25, we will be at about $193M in salary with 13 contracts, which is under the first apron (sort of). We currently have “cap holds” for both McClung and Queen of about $2M each, which effectively puts us over the 1st apron and limits us to the smaller MLE. If we release either or both, we’d sneak back under the 1st apron and have access to most of the MLE ($12M) before hitting the 2nd apron.  If we can move Jett for either a late 1st, or an early 2nd with little or no salary back, it makes the numbers a lot easier to work with. 
 

Obviously we can decline Moe, and the numbers look a lot better, but it doesn’t give us any more money to spend, because our payroll would still limit us to the MLE, so we’ll effectively have only the $14.1M and vet or rookie minimums to fill out the roster.

Another great post. 

Jett Howard is kind of one of the bigger remaining questions of the off-season. Do we think he can play for this team and if we do do we think that play is worth 5.3mil? If not what can we get for him? Or do we have to pay to dump him (compounding an already bad draft pick)?

He, Mo Wagner, the potential MLE and pick 25 and vet minimums are kind of all there is to think about right now unless we somehow use Isaac, Goga or Wendell to swing a trade of some kind.

[MagicFanDan]

9 hours ago, Chosen54721 said:

Not at all, I chuckled when I heard one of the talking heads say "best shooting guard since Aron Affello.... my God!

I heard that as well and laughed. i actually looked up this stats. They are actually better than I expected. But Magic won like 20 games that year and there was nobody else, so I don’t count those seasons. 
 

The other names I was considering were Victor Olidipo or 33 year old Vince Carter. 
 

Main takeaway, Magic haven’t had an all-star quality guard in 20+ years. Glad we finally do and glad Weltman finally had the guts to push all his chip in.