Orlando Magic Podcast – Ep. 185 – “Welp.Man“

Orlando Magic Podcast – Ep. 185 – “Welp.Man“

Live from Orlando Florida you’re listening to the Orlando Magic HQ podcast the voice of magic fans join us every week for a unique fan perspective on all of the latest Magic news and updates the show starts now what’s up magic fans welcome back to another episode of the Orlando Magic HQ

Podcast brought to you by the believe podcast work in bet online I’m your host Anthony and if you can’t tell already Al is not in today and filling in for out is our man Stephen U from the closeup what’s up Stephen yo what’s going on

Anthony I am psyched to be here uh Al I hope you are having a good work trip appreciate you let me fill in I got some big shoes to fill in but I’m psyched to psyched to get into it man it’s gonna be a fun show yeah man I got some fancy

Dinner they flew them out somewhere somewhere in the United States they flew him out and uh he uh he couldn’t make it on trade deadline you believe he had to work all day on trade deadland that’s crazy it’s probably that’s probably why nothing happened right because he he had

To work all day he had work all day now he’s probably sitting back at the hotel or you know restaurant having flaming yaan and like some nice whiskey or something like ni old go do you enjoy yourself must be nice he called out how do you call out on the podcast and not

Call out for the work his priorities are that’s so that’s what it is got to flip out you you got to flip it around you know I I had a I had my a personal friend before we get into the Show Out close friend of mine literally called

Out of work for for for the for the day because he knew he just wasn’t going to get anything done I sat in the office of my boss’s boss’s office and didn’t do anything for two hours it was that’s terrible hopefully they don’t listen to the show because you just outed yourself

Completely I’m not going to say anything I’m going to say that I was super productive today I didn’t pay attention to no Magic news nothing I I I focus I knew my priorities were um but man uh if you don’t know Al spents a good amount

Of time during the week kind of getting the agenda together for the podcast and make sure that we’re we’re squared away he does a great job but since he isn’t here we’re just G to throw all that out the window I’m really sorry Al he’s

Going to hear he’s gonna be like damn I spent so much time on it we’re gonna throw it out and we’re GNA jump right into uh the NBA trade deadline and kind of get our thoughts and our perspective from what did didn’t go down today um

But before we get into it just a quick word from our sponsors the big game is finally here bet online is your number one storage for playoff football odds stats Trends and lines with everything from point spreads to hundreds of player performance props with dozens of odds

Props and info on hundreds of sports events politics and entertainment you can access the world’s best wagering information anytime from desktop or your mobile devices heads to B online today to stay updated on all the action bet online the game starts here so Stephen talk to me NBA trade deadline um it’s

Cool if you haven’t heard we hosted a spaces uh with Stephen Stanley and Bryce you guys killed it today had a lot of great participants and speakers from 1:30 to about 3:30 um if you hadn’t had a chance to listen to everyone’s reaction that came up there you are able

To listen to the playback um on Twitter on X whatever it is that you call that platform now but you are able to go back and listen to it but Stephen the magic didn’t do anything there was a lot of there was a lot of talks man we we’ve

Heard a lot of the rumors we heard about a lot of the names could the magic be interested in in Chris Paul could the magic be interested in KY Lowry we heard tyus Jones we heard buddy heeld we heard a lot of different things but at the end

Of the day I don’t think anyone’s really surprised I think the the perspective that we’ve got across the fan basee is that people are really they’re disappointed people were expecting something even big names from the national media they’re a little confused as to why the magic didn’t do anything nonetheless magic they decided

This is the team that we’re going to run with whatever those reasons may be what are your what are your thoughts are you okay with the magic not doing anything sticking to their guns sticking with what they have already and then just kind of rolling with it man that’s a

Great great question um you know first off like I was wrong I was wrong this year I thought the magic were going to do a move I didn’t think they were going to do a sexy move a big splashy move um but I thought there was going to be at

Least something because every year since the front office has joined this team uh I think it’s since 201 what 16 17 something like that they’ve done a move every single trade deadline so um I figured we were GNA be in line for some marginal move that you know maybe opened

Up space for another player to play or or you know brought in brought in something so I just I thought that’s what I thought was going to happen and we didn’t get anything um so that that was a little surprising because it it kind of broke the trend of doing

Something every single deadline am I sad we didn’t do anything um itd s like a little little bummed it would have been nice to just have like a little excitement even if it was just like simply getting a different veteran on the bench in place of like chumo KK or

Um you know moving Gary Harris to open up more minutes for Anthony black or and you know just little things like that I didn’t think anything splashy was going to happen um I think there’s a couple things man when we really look at all this outside of like my personal

Excitement for just wanting something new and fresh to be on this roster um I I look at a lot of the names that we were actually tied to right we were never really tied to Buddy hee um but we were like people attached us a little

Bit to Malcolm Brogden to tus Jones to Chris Paul to Kyle Lowry to a bunch of point guards right Deontay Murray even him a little bit right or at least we all thought we might be a little bit into it none of those guys got moved

Right so what that tells me is those teams were probably asking way too much and our front office was like you know what we’re not going to overpay we’re not going to do something that we really shouldn’t and we can also just like address a little bit better with a

Little bit more long-term clarity um this off season so it’s it’s it’s bummer it’s sad I wish there was something exciting for us to talk about right now but at the same point I’m thankful we don’t have something bad and we didn’t overpay for something gnarly um and that you know

Just it kind of just shows that other teams also didn’t want to go after whatever these asking prices were for like tus Jones and Malcolm Brogden because they were just they’re obviously just outrageous because they’re still on those teams they haven’t moved so that’s kind of how I’m looking at it like

Almost thankful um but also a little bummed like who doesn’t like in talking about it this this episode would be awesome if we were talking about Malcolm Brogden on the magic right now and like getting reactions to that but instead we’re talking about continuing to run

The same path and it’s not nearly as sexy as a conversation but but it’s I think it’s okay I think it’s okay that we’re in this place what about you man what how are you feeling yeah I I think first and foremost if anyone’s UPS set if anyone’s disappointed I think

Everyone has a right to feel that way like it it’s trade deadline this is the NBA this is what people are excited about like people love trades love transactions yeah they love transactions that’s that’s part of the sexiest thing about NBA basketball because NBA is all

Year long off season is an exciting time for NBA basketball it just it just is and I think that people really wanted to move um first and foremost because it’s a trade deadline nobody wants it it’s it’s kind of like um it’s kind of like

Being a kid and you see all your friends go outside and and they’re playing but you’re stuck in the house and you can’t go outside and play right everyone all these teams they’re making a bunch of Trades and we’re stuck in the house and we’re not allowed to go outside and play

With the rest of the kids that’s pretty much what’s happening right we made Zero moves and yes the magic have a lot of issues that we were hoping that they would address it didn’t at least one of them yeah at least anything right personally I think that people would

Have been happy like an example if we would have traded for tus Jones like if we’re being honest tus Jones is Not Gonna Move the needle like that like he’s just not he’s not going to do that I think in my opinion the minute that I

Saw buddy healed off the board it was like eh like for me yeah you could have traded for Malcolm Brogden yeah you could have done different things it didn’t happen right um and and I think that again it’s okay to feel that way it’s okay to be upset the magic are

Going to be big players in the off season like that’s just that’s just happening right and I think that for me when you talk about what the goals are for this season we have the players we have the pieces to to be to reach that goal and I think that the goal has

Shifted right in the beginning of the Season it was playing the magic started playing really good basketball and although we weren’t healthy we were still winning Gam games and the goal po changed and then it went from playing to now playoffs now we’re expecting to make the playoffs and with

The team that we have if we can stay healthy that’s still in sight that’s not going to change um but with that said you know it doesn’t mean that the magic won’t make any changes or adjustments you still got players out that could be potential candidates on the buyout

Market I want to throw a couple names at you and then you just give me your your yes or no right tell me what you feel if it’s an immediate yes if it’s a media no or stamp Pat so obviously the the name that uh we heard um connected to the

Magic from the national media um first and foremost Kyle Lowry yes or no potential he hasn’t been bought out yet but potential bile candidate is that something that you think that the magic could fall into and then if you think that they could is that something you would even

Want I feel like Kyle would want to go to like a true Contender um you know go sign with with the Suns I don’t think we’re a strong enough playoff team for him to really consider us but if he did want to yeah I I would entertain it

Right you know if we like cut chuma off the roster um and that was our open roster spot like yeah I I’d entertain it I know magic fans hate him I know I sort of hate him too but he he’d be a nice veteran presence that has a ton of

Playoff experience um if he’s if he’s buying in and the rest of the team’s buying in with him I wouldn’t hate it yeah I think people are so upset at him for uh injuring Aaron Gordon bro bro his his ass rightfully her eye guy in

The middle of the in the middle of the playoffs I I I don’t I don’t love Kyle Lowry but I I think he would help this team you know yeah I so so I wouldn’t necessarily want it to happen like if we we didn’t do anything in the trade

Deadline I’m cool with keeping it as is like Anthony black only played three minutes a day in that SP game like you you have you have these guys that or anything can change and then we we that’s that’s the great thing about this team is that this team is really really

Deep and there’s not enough minutes to to go around right so in the event that’s something would happen you know someone can step up you have somebody like KY Lowry that I agree with you I I don’t why why would you want to join the magic right right so um that makes sense

All right the next one this one was a little surprising um just because we know that you know the Pistons are a dumpster fire uh they made a lot of questionable things the Knicks got really really good like the Knicks the Knicks are solid Nicks got

Better and um the Pistons helped a lot with that but they ended up making the decision of cutting Killian Hayes Killian Hayes if you don’t know is is a local kid um from Central Florida is that something that interests you Killian Hayes who has completely fall f it it’s kind of crazy that

Literally they drop him right but yet he was starting over Jaden ivy for a very very long time so the fact that they dropped them is kind of is kind of concerning but is that is that someone that would interest you at all no sir I

I have no desire to have Killian Hayes on this team I the type of veterans I want or the type of players I would look at from this buyout market and we can keep going down the list but I want I don’t want projects to like reclaim and reshape into this into AER

We have enough of that on our team yeah especially if you got you know jet Howard still baking in the oven like we’re still we’re still getting him ready to to be able to play with the big boys so you’re you’re absolutely right there’s not enough effort to go around

Yeah we we want to give Anthony black those minutes you know yeah so another player that it’s pretty interesting we know that the the area of opportunity the challenge for the magic is shooting and you have a player like Joe Harris um that’s out there as well is

That somebody that you think that hey if the magic really wanted to bring somebody off the bench that could be U that can bring his level of shooting um does that Peak your interest I I don’t hate Joe Harris as as an idea I don’t

Know if I would cut Gary Harris to bring in Joe Harris I think I would still try and get let go of like like chuma to to bring in that roster spot if chuma is someone they really don’t want to to to to bring on next year um I think I I

Think I would consider that you have two harrises if if Harris starts like doing real if uh uh the new Harris um sorry what’s what’s his first name again I’m spacing uh if if help me out here what’s his first name again Gary no the other

Harris Joe Joe thank you if Joe Harris was really crushing it and practice and like Out Gary Harris um sure yeah I’m all about it like low impact low risk um but I don’t think I’m cutting uh you know the two-way player of Gary Harris

To bring in Joe Harris you know that I’m still cutting probably chuma to make that happen yeah I mean I listen I I would I would be for it because we’ve seen what he’s able to do yeah he might have fallen off a bit he’s only played

16 games this season but he still a career averaging above 40% from the three-point line and listen just think about the marketing that you’re able to do if you just have a bunch of Joe’s on your team that can shoot Jo and a bunch of harrises that’s

It that’s it Jos and Harris give him the rock let him shoot behind the three-point line he’ll be somebody that I’ll would be open to um but I I don’t I don’t think like I can’t see the magic doing it at this point I think they’re going to just write it out

With what they have uh the team is finally healthy and I think that for the most part when we talk about the people in Central Florida in Orlando there’s nobody more excited about the outcome of today than the players and you saw that in today’s game like everyone seemed

Happier than usual like we already have a good group that’s really happy to play basketball with each other they there’s good good good team chemistry um but everyone was happy that they made it through even if they don’t talk about Jonathan I in his interview was talking

About he didn’t even know that today was the day for the trade demil right sure Jonathan yeah right where there’s no way that this team does not have a group chat and they’re all not talking about this like you know that today is the NBA trade deadline um but you know I’m I’m

Good with them not making a decision I was really disappointed earlier today I’m a lot calmer now magic get a win against the San Antonio Spurs which really isn’t something to be too excited about like that’s that’s a team that you should be beating um but I I think that

If anyone is feeling any type of way you have a right to do so I understand your your frustrations I understand why you’re upset but something to highlight like this is this is going to be a successful season the team has already won they’ve already exceeded everyone’s

Expectations now it’s just a matter of getting the job done as we go into the second half of the season do you see any challenges outside of what we know which we know that the magic struggle from behind the three-point line we know that Marquel foldz is is slowly working his

Way back but when it comes to finishing out the season now and and making it to the playoffs we didn’t add anyone there’s still a chance that we might but what do you think is in the way of the magic making it to the playoffs man I think it’s just themselves right now

Right you know like we have we had a great game tonight versus the Spurs where good energy played hard defended hard um you know there was a little bit of like SL happiness within the game here and there uh but overall like I think it’s just the magic being in their

Own way having too many nights where they come out flat-footed like they did against Miami you know end of a road trip but you know it’s it’s if they fall into that rut where they just are complacent and they’re not giving 100% effort every single game um then then

That’s going to cause a downward spiral um like we’ve seen uh through through certain segments throughout the year we can’t go on like a another really big long two three week losing streak where you know where we go like three out of 12 you know we we gota we gotta stay

Pretty much 500 or better the rest of the year and that’s going to take like just showing up to every game in every quarter giving it your all um I’m sure there’s going to be a couple more games here and there where they’re just like just don’t have it that night um and

It’s not a competition but as long as that Trend doesn’t happen multi games in a row um and those games are few and far in between that’s that’s that’s what I think is going to stop us because when when we play top five defense we can

Beat any game we can be in any game and we can beat any team and we know Paulo is getting a lot better at closing games fron is starting to find his rhythm so that’s sort of how I’m how I’m looking at that question a what do you think man

So as I look at the the standings right the magic currently say eighth seed in the East 28 24 we’re tied with the Miami Heat for um that seventh to eighth spot you got the Pacers who are one game ahead of us um followed by the Sixers

Sixers are at 30 and 20 they’re dealing with their injuries with Joel embiid um I I see them falling I see us catching up and then you look behind us we got the Bulls where we’re you know eight games ahead of the Bulls they didn’t do nothing absolutely nothing during this

Trade deadline I really thought that that was going to be dumpster fire and they they decided to stand P I don’t I don’t know what they’re doing if I was a Chicago Bulls fan I would be pissed and then the Hawks end up doing the exact same thing they they really didn’t make

Any moves they decided to keep the jonte Murray then you look at Brooklyn who you know they’re for whatever reason we struggle against them and everyone else just you know they they annihilate them then you got the Raptors Hornets Wizards Pistons I like where the magic are at I

Think there’s definitely opportunity for us to move on uh move up I would love a scenario where we didn’t have to do the play um but I think that as magic continue to get the ball like they’re they’re still working they’re still learning each other right because you’re

Still bringing in wendelle and Marquel folz from their injuries and it’s still taking them a bit to get acclimated with everyone else especially Marquel and I think that as time goes on we’re going to see more and more of that you know uh good basketball on the Flor and I and I

Think that’s going to help us out it’s going to go a long way so I like our position I like where we’re at um Miami Heat they obviously got better with with adding um Terry Rosier so I’m interested to see how that goes and then you know

Tyrese hurn he’s been dealing with his injuries can he stay healthy the rest of the season so the the great thing the awesome thing is that as we’re in the Midway point of the Season things could really go any way like we’ve dealt with our injuries early on other teams you

Know there there’s no there’s no guarantee here like anything can happen with any of these teams in front of us so I’m I’m with you I think the magic we need to focus on us we need to stay healthy stay the course and we need to continue you know shooting the

Basketball at least decently well like we we need to be able to find you know that that trigger point where we can find success in that space I’m really interested to see what happens with the 76ers and how long is embiid going to be out we know it’s probably going to be at

Least a month is you know six six seven eight weeks probably um you know Tyrese Maxi incredible player but he is now the best player on that team is and they got better you know they got buddy heeled today um and I think they had another

Move that that might have made him a little bit better as well but but I I don’t know like they could we could catch them you know they’re they’re only two games ahead of us right now um they have uh well they they haven’t played as

Many games as us they’re 30 and 20 we 28 and 24 um but but they they easily they easily could be caught up to if they start going on a little bit of a losing streak here um you know Indiana they haven’t really found their groove yet

You’re right Tyrese has been in and out with with injuries and sakam is you know he’s there but they’re still trying to find their Rhythm there um Miami you know they they they run a downward spiral but they’re going to figure things out so I potentially think we

Could catch the Pacers um and I think we potentially could catch the 76ers Miami they they got better so they I think we’re kind of neck and neck with them going hopefully upwards in the standings and yeah could we could we get in that six spot could we potentially at least

Not drop any further than than seventh um you know and and verse the Hawks or the Bulls or whoever is going to end up in that 10th spot and just beat him once and move on to the playoffs so I’m liking where we’re at too man I agree

Agree with you a lot with that I think I think we’re in a good position to to to to be in the plan or or in the playoffs and if we’re in the plan get into the playoffs yeah man I listen I I wish that there was more to talk about when it

Comes to the NBA trade deadline I mean that’s that’s that’s it man the magic we didn’t we didn’t do anything and that’s that’s okay the worst thing that could happen is we trade for someone that messes up the chemistry of the team we trade for someone that um derails us

From our mission of making the playoffs obviously we know that our front office they’re a very Savvy group so I don’t I don’t believe that they would put us in the position the the way that I view it is let’s be honest no matter how upset

Anyone may be the front office is not sitting on their ass they’re just not they’re taking calls they’re they’re having conversations and you brought up a really good point um during the spaces where you talked about like some of the deals that were made that people believe

That the magic might make they it there may not have been an offer for us right there may have been an offer for someone else based on relationships based on a million different things and I agree with you 100% some things just don’t fall for certain teams and a lot of it

Has to do with relationships but I don’t believe that it was a deal there was either not a good enough deal that the magic felt like was fair or there wasn’t one that they liked or they really do believe in the group that they have as

Long as we can stay healthy and I think that although it might be a risky move it’s a move that they decid to make and we just have to accept it eat it move on and keep going that’s it and I want to add on to that too man because it’s like

We know this front office said a few things like we know they have a couple of values right now they really like a flexible cap sheet right so they didn’t want to bring on someone I’m assuming like tus Jones who or you know could have been Gary Trent Jr or even buddy

Hee right like a player that’s going to be a free agent this summer and then have to B pay them another contract right I just don’t think they were ready to say we’re trading for this guy and we’re GNA give them another contract and I don’t think if if if they don’t fully

Believe they want to give that player another contract then it doesn’t make sense to to to go rent them out right now they’d probably rather retain whatever draft Capital Bill Capital would have been to to get that player and just have that as more ammo this summer um

And that that allows them to continue to have flexibility there um there were a couple of players I think that would have allowed us to still have flexibility there but those types of players are still on the teams that didn’t you know like like Malcolm Brogden like that that player is still

On his on on his roster like he didn’t get traded at all so it’s like you got to think of it that way and then you you know to to bring it back to the point that you mentioned that I mentioned is like we know certain teams just only

Want to work with with certain people like Leon Rose from the Knicks did not want to do with any clutch players whatsoever um you know until I think even maybe even now but like you know it took Rich Paul going to New York just a couple

Weeks ago to be like dude we got to bury this Hatchet like you can hate me but please stop hating my my players on my agency right um you know they’re gonna want at some point there’s going to be someone on clutch sports that wants to

Play in New York city so it’s like and they might want them so you know there’s weird random agendas like that throughout the league and stuff like that and like GM doing another one of their buddy GM’s a favor and and saying like yeah I’m going to take your deal

Over the Magic’s deal because I want to like help you because I know you’ve helped me in the past or I want you to help me in the future kind of stuff so there’s all sorts of random politics that we don’t know about um but man I

Guarantee John and John and uh Anthony were on the phone um and they were talking to people probably right up until the very last minute um you know seeing if anything was going to make sense for this team going forward yeah and that’s that’s just

Where the NBA is at man and I and I think that the magic again we we didn’t make a bad deal and at the very least you can you can hang your hat on that we finish off the second half of the Season then we’re off into the off season where

The magic are expected to be uh pretty big players and and if you’re out there and and Buddy heeld if you’re like me and you really wanted buddy heeld on your roster um man he’s gonna be an unrestricted free agent and I mean obviously if he doesn’t resign with the

With the Sixers or whatever the case may be you know it’s it’s it’s there’s still an opportunity and and like you said tus Jones didn’t go anywhere Malcolm Brogden didn’t go anywhere they didn’t make a deal with anybody and this is after hearing numerous different rumors from

Different teams it just didn’t happen so uh we weren’t the only team connected to those players either what’s that we weren’t the only team connected to those players either so yeah they were connected to at least four or five different teams and and it just they must have had some high asking prices

Yeah so from this point right the magic have a few games before the All-Star break they got Saturday uh so we just finished up San Antonio Spurs we got Saturday against the Bulls uh Tuesday against OKC where they’re doing shaqs retirement Jersey after the game and then Wednesday versus the Knicks I kind

Of hate the fact that they’re doing uh the retirement Jersey after OKC OKC is a tough game kind of killed def fle like if we if we win amazing but if we lose it’s kind of like yeah it kind of kills the vibe a bit bro and

Shaq’s on that announcing crew too it’s the TNT Crew He yeah he’s gonna be on that that that that crew which which will be cool but that’s going to be a tough game I mean OKC is not an easy feat um they’re you know they’re they’re booming hot in the western conference

Right now um playing some really good basketball and that is not going to be an easy matchup thank thankfully it’s a home game um but but yeah that’s that’s like a tough night to have a celebration because if we lose you know hopefully if we do lose it’s at least competitive and

Like down to the wire um and Paulo and France go off and and you know but but I I mean ideally we we spank that ass and we’re just we’re just winning I I swear I’m I’m gonna be listening to every single word from Shaquille O’Neal if

This man says anything negative on that broadcast uh I’m going to lose it I’m going to lose it I’m going to lose it I’m going to lose it because we we are literally trying our best to be able to have like this this good pathway of of rebuilding a relationship so this man

Better be talking nothing but positivity and flowers about our Orlando Magic because we’re we’re putting your jersey in the Raptors man at the very least you can give us that at the very least on our one and only game on National and television you can lead give us that yes

Sir no man I I think I mean it’s gonna be fun man because like we we got a national t television game there the Jersey retirement 2 and then we have one more game versus the Knicks on the 14th um the very next night and then it’s Allstar break and we get to

Watch apulo and I I’m just teeing it up then we go to All-Star break with some other really exciting things right I I’ll let you take over this transition but it’s GNA be a fun little bit yeah yeah so perfect segue so it was announced that Pao b car

Was going to be participating in the skills Challenge and uh it it’s kind of funny the way that they they adjusted these teams man how they put these teams together so uh the first team just to kind of break it down if you didn’t get

A chance to see it um the first team is the team top pick so former number one picks in the NBA you got Paulo Bank Carroll Anthony Edwards and Victor win banama on one team followed by the home team of Tyrese hurn uh Benedict mathine and then Miles Turner and then the kind

Of Team all stars with Scotty Barnes Tyrese Ma and Trey young so um so first and foremost what are your thoughts on Pao Bank Caro and the skills challenge um and teaming up with the number one picks and then talk talk to me about why they thought adding some Replacements in

Scotty Barnes and Trey young and for Team all stars was a good idea I’m dude I’m laughing just because you called them almost all stars um no man to to to calm my laughs down listen wait okay wait wait before you even answer that question all right does it feel the same

Does it feel the same if you weren’t selected for the original group the the the First cast and you’re only in it for the injuries I mean does it does it count do you do you still feel do you feel pride in that you’re still an

All-Star but there is a level of there’s levels to this right um and and you are definitely not on the same level as the ones that are getting voted in by the coaches just like the ones getting voted in by the coaches are not on the same

Level as the starters um no disrespect to Paulo he will get there one day but um there there’s levels to this right you know Paulo’s gonna play like 10 minutes compared to some of these other guys that’ll play 15 plus minutes in the All-Star Game you know um and and it’s

Just you know these guys like Scotty like the injury Replacements and stuff like that the almost all stars like I’m sure they’re happy to be there I’m sure they’re honored that their name got called that way um but do they feel some type of way about it absolutely I think

Who was it um was Anthony Edwards a injury replacement his his first Allstar it was someone on the west that was like in the last year or two that was an injury replacement and they they said you know what it meant more the second time when they were they were voted in

Right um then than the first time so uh it it’s yeah man I I I I think it does mean a little bit more when you are not an injury replacement yeah man because list listen I I know that when they announc the the reserves for the

All-Star Paulo Ben Carrol’s name was the last one to be is the last one to be named um but man it it to me if Pao Bank Carrol’s name wasn’t named and he’s only making it in because Julius Randle got injured it just it wouldn’t it wouldn’t

Have the same feeling for me as just as a as a viewer as a consumer I just wouldn’t be able to accept it the same way right so Scotty Barnes making it in Trey young Trey young in my opinion he’s an allar you can debate with your mom’s

He should have been in there he wasn’t it is what it is but Scotty Barnes in my opinion I still got people in my mentions like I I I got responded to a tweet from 2021 right 2021 maybe yes maybe no um 2021 talking about Scotty Barnes in

Comparison with Jaylen sugs like the whatever there the the fight that we have the beef that we have with Raptors fans over the Jay sugs and Scotty Barnes is just never going to die out it’s just it’s just not but I do find it fun too what’s that it’s evolving too first it

Was Scotty first it was Suggs then it transitioned to frons and now it’s transition to Paulo they just roling like us it’s revolving but man I’m I’m expecting for Paulo Anthony and Victor to to dominate like I think that those three are you know their number one

Picks for a reason and I think that they’re they’re going to do well man um I will say if it’s not us if it’s not you know team number one picking the draft I do think that Scotty bar tyres and Trey has it over Indiana yeah I mean

Those guys are all as much as we joke about them they’re all very skilled ball handlers skilled passers um I I think that’s going to be a really fun team in probably our our stiffest competition over the the you know the the home team with with Miles Turner in it you know no

Disrespect Miles Turner but he’s not the ball handler and pass and that’s kind of like you need those skills when it comes to the skill challenge yeah now let me ask you does it feel different for you with Paulo making it in it’s representing the Magic in the skills

Challenge representing the Magic in in the allstar game but does it feel different with Paulo than it did when let’s say uh nicoa made it in yeah man um I mean I was really psyched for uh for Vu to make it those years um you know I thought he earned it particularly

That first year he was playing amazing that year the team was winning that year um but you know I think he was like 28 29 when he made it something like that um and and we have a Allstar who’s 21 so it’s like he’s not even at his Peak where

Where Vu made it at his Peak and we kind of all knew like the writing was on the wall with this team like it was not going to last another I it kind of was maxing out and we kind of knew they had to do some big changes for it to to get

To the next step um and with with this we know it’s just getting started right and and for him to be the youngest Allstar on the that that’s on the entire thing not including the the the fake All Stars the you know the injury Replacements with Scotty

Barnes but like the real Allstars um he’s the youngest one out of all of them by like two or three seasons you know I think the next youngest is is Anthony Edwards and then it jumps to a bunch of dudes in their like mid to late 20s and

30s and um you know it’s just like it means a lot you know like no one else in his draft class got got selected no one else in the class before him got selected or after him so it’s like the the next closest with Anthony Edwards

And so I I think it does mean a lot and it shows how truly dominant he’s been in that the coaches even because like when he got voted in like the magic had won a couple more games but we had kind of just slowly starting to get out of that

Like two week three week slump of just sludge with this magic team um and even Paulo had a couple weird games back then too so it’s like yeah man it does mean a lot and I’m damn proud of him and um you know it just shows that we got a really

Bright future ahead of us what about you yeah man super exciting like uh again I I was super excited when V made it in um and I I talked about this with Al in the last episode that U with you also because you were on there but um when we

Found when we found out that you know apulo won it like I there was a lot of internal excitement to another like like I felt like we won the number one draft pick all over again like it was that level of excitement um so I’m really happy for Paulo man because this is

Where things change right we we talked about how we feel like this is going to impact us from a national level right we we talked about how you know just from a voting perspective from the fans you know we we saw that there was a want a

Need a a uh recognition from fan base not just from Orlando but from everywhere from a national standpoint that that people also believe that Palo Ben Caro should should be there right so absolutely um yeah man super excited it does feel different and uh we we know

That he’s going to represent the magic well which is which is the exciting part now I’ll be honest with you poo B Carol is not the only one representing the Orlando Magic or should I say the magic at um Allstar Weekend uh MC mclung man so want your perspect so couple things

Uh obviously magic related and then not magic related first and foremost Matt McClung who is not signed on the Orlando Magic roster he’s signed under Oola magic do you think that he’s GNA end up uh rocking the osola magic Jersey like do he’s so la last year he was Rock he

He had a contract with the Sixers yeah right they gave him a two-way yes they gave him a two-way right right before right before the Finish Line right this will be the first time that they have like a g-league participant right um if he doesn’t sign

With the magic so I guess a couple things if he does sign with the magic on a two-way who gets cut and then uh how excited are you to see him represent the Magic The Magic The Magic having a player represented in the slam dunk contest is kind of starting to become

More tradition than than anything we we got a lot of participants over our years but got get some more trophies yeah I know telling us man they they they got us in debt we need we need some of that but what what are your thoughts do you

Think he has a chance he’s obviously going against it was uh announced Jaylen Brown uh haime hakz and Jacob toppen did did uh did did Jaylen Brown actually commit I know he was like thinking about it he actually dude that’s awesome heck yeah yeah man it’s so it’s official and

It’s funny because I I kind of spoke too early when I heard that it was uh you know Jacob toppen he sign he has a two-way with the Knicks and I’m just like man this slam dun contest is starting to turn into just you know a g-league slam dun contest and then

Immediately after I read Jaylen Brown and I’m like okay that’s that’s awesome because it’s been a minute since we have like you know a caliber player like Jaylen Brown I think the last time was Aaron Gordon and Zack LaVine um but I mean get give me your thoughts m m I’ll

In Magic I’m really excited I think I think two things man I wouldn’t be surprised if right before we cut Admiral scoffield thank you for your services you’ve been great but you’re CLE this is the last year you can even be a 2A um so it’s like and he’s clearly not going to

Be a part of our future long term at all um but you know I think he would be the one cut and then we would bring Mack into a two-way spot so he can wear magic Jersey I I’ll be honest with you you that’s dude that’s grimy like that is

Super that’s a little sleazy man oh it cut Admiral cutting Admiral scoffield even even if it’s not would you cut Queen would you cut Harris I I mean I wouldn’t cut honestly I think I think it’s traveling but here’s here’s my thing though Travelin he’s the only one that H

Has has played he’s played significant yes and fr and folz is injury prone so it’s like we kind of can’t cut him like we’re not going to cut me Kon Harris hasn’t played a second but Admiral is just Vibes he’s just there for Vibes and

Sness um no dis admal Kon a Hooper man he’s he’s he’s a dog also he just hasn’t been healthy I I would personally cut Admiral um but but but at the same point the league is trying to promote the g-league more that’s why there’s a bunch of g-league players playing in like the

Rising stars competition they’re trying to to level up that League give it more attention so I could also see the magic you know in the league kind of talking this over should we like because they could be having those discussions like do we bring them up do we not the league

Could potentially be involved in those discussions a little bit like what kind of Optics do they want at the All-Star break uh or at the All-Star events and they could say you know what like let’s bring let’s highlight the amazing players we have in the g-league and

Allow him to participate in a g-league Jersey and all that I think I would prefer to have him in a magic Jersey than a g-league Jersey to be quite honest with you um but yo we got the reigning Dunk champion in the in a magic Jersey it could be orlandic it could be

Oola I don’t know um but that’s kind of exciting hopefully he brings us home another trophy but gosh if he brings home Oola a trophy and it’s not even not even Kia Center that’s going to be a weird look too listen listen as as in a Oola

Resident so I don’t want to disrespect you listen us cians we’re hyped about M mclung representing the Oola magic like people are hyped about it all right how much Oola magic have you watched this year Anthony zero but but at my job we we got they they sto a magic they they stopped

By the office they they dropped off this nice little box that has like all the schedules right and when people walk in you know my clients here they’re taking them right it’s empty man so people people there’s there’s a there’s a want there’s a need I haven’t gone to the

Game yet I haven’t watched the game yet um but it seen any G League High highlights what’s that have you seen any Mac Mong g-league highlights absolutely of of games yes all right wait of MC mclung no not one not one they’ve all been strictly J Howard every

Single one of them have been J Howard yeah I think it’s great that he’s in there I think it’s great that he’s a part of our Squad getting invited back um either way whether it’s Oola or Orlando I think it’s awesome um but I do

Hope it is with with a magic Jersey and again thank you for your services Admiral scoffield you’ve been great um I think we have enough muscle elsewhere in case we get into a fight that can probably handle it um MC mclung looks pretty swole for like a foot person you

Know like let’s go yeah honestly from from a a business marketing perspective it would make the most sense to assign him to a two-way put them in a magic uniform um and the magic be on one of the biggest stages you know on that day which is the slam du contest

It just it just is what it is he could have played three minutes tonight in garbage time versus the Spurs he he could have you know it’s it’s interesting because now you make me want to do some research in terms of did he get any minutes in Philadelphia has

He scored a point in the NBA it’s a lot of questions that I probably should have researched before this podcast now I feel unprepared I I did the research once and I think it’s like I think he’s played like less than 20 NBA like minutes in like three seasons yeah that

That that sounds accurate but regardless man I’m I’m ruin for him this this is what I want right I would love it if mck mclung beats Jaylen Brown that’s what I would love my personal perspective I think that would be great TV it would be a great Underdog Story um

And I think that you know if they if if the magic decide not to it would be amazing to see aola like on the on the grand stage marketing on another level the most highlighted and respected g-league team in all of G League I think that’d be a great a great

Story that needs to be written I lied sorry I I lied he’s played more than 20 minutes in his Seasons he’s played Four career he’s had four seasons in the NBA um with two-way positions and um he’s played a total of uh five games two with Philadelphia one with the Lakers one

With Chicago and two with Toronto um very impressive stats with the Philadelphia in those two games he played uh he played 20 average 20 minutes uh per game he shot 36% from three on five attempts per game he had a 55% uh efficiency rating and he averaged

12 points a game 12.5 um zero blocks zero Steals and 4.5 assists um not bad you know if we if we could get that for like you know when we blow out the Knicks uh and and he gets five minutes of garbage time and we blow out um you

Know Oklahoma City in front of sha on TNT and he gets some like good five six minutes there throws up a couple windmills in the middle of garbage time like I’d be psyched on that yeah I think I think we need to do some research in

Terms of what when the cut off time is when is the deadline when do the magic if they if they made the decision to add mck mclung like do they have to do it before that OKC game can they do it before you know allar break begins like

When is when is it cut off time could they do it 10 minutes before the game that would be I would just do it now though is Admiral really gonna be in the lineup at all we’re healthy I don’t I don’t know I’ve never personally I’ve never liked the way that we’ve handled

Two-ways I I feel like two-ways should have been a more of a a development position I don’t feel like we’ve truly truly utilized it in that way it’s it’s always been you know fillers we could we can go down that rabbit hole another day I partially agree with you and I I also

There there was a couple people we attempted it just didn’t turn out well no it didn’t it didn’t well anyways on that note Allstar break is the next the next big thing we got the Bulls OKC the and then a nice nice little break before we get into the second half of the

Season trade deadline was a dud but we’re expecting some some great things happening for Allstar Weekend and hopefully after that we continue to stay healthy and then man it’s a it’s a straight Pathway to the postseason it’s going to be a lot of exciting basketball

Ahead of us and um man it’s it’s it’s it’s buckle up time man all the kings said that we need to work out have the players enjoy this little break and then is goal time so Stephen man I I appreciate you joining um joining me today and and replacing Al

And uh man we we got to do it again man absolutely I appreciate you having me Al thank you for going on a work trip so I can hang out with anunt for another hour in the middle of the week um that’s always exciting um magic are are six and

Four out of the last 10 they’re starting to roll they’re they’re four- one out of the last five and this podcast is rolling just like the magic and I love that check out HQ Orlando Magic HQ we got tons of stuff going on right now for

All you listeners um you know shout out to our spaces guys we we had you know uh Bryce and Stanley they’ve been doing some big things the Friday they have a Friday special with Kendra um Kendra Douglas tomorrow so tune in to that or the day you’re listening to this on on

February 9th tune in to that big time that’ll be fun um and then uh you know keep keep tapping into our podcasts and and our live streams and and and let’s go magic aun appreciate you having me man this is a lot of fun good stuff good

Stuff the show was presented by bent online it’s a WAP we’ll catch you guys next week for all the latest Magic news and updates visit Orlando Magic hq.com and follow us on Instagram at Orlando Magic HQ and on Twitter at om magic HQ also remember to subscribe to our YouTube

Channel And subscribe and leave a five-star review on your favorite listening platform

In this episode of the Orlando Magic HQ podcast, Anthony and Stephen discuss the disappointment of the NBA trade deadline and the Magic’s decision to stand pat.

They also explore potential buyout candidates and the team’s challenges in making the playoffs, their excitement for Paolo Banchero’s All-Star selection and discuss Matt McClung’s participation in the Slam Dunk Contest.

The conversation concludes with a look ahead to the All-Star break and the second half of the season.

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