EP. 420 – Year In Review – Orlando Magic Podcast

EP. 420 – Year In Review – Orlando Magic Podcast

this is the sixthman show an Orlando Magic podcast with your hosts Luke Sylvia and Jonathan Osborne covering all things Magic Basketball by fans for fans go [Music] magic what’s going on Orlando Magic fans you guys are back with the six-man show today is May 20th 2024 Jon Osborne here as always and back from our break with my co-host Luke Sylvia Luke how have the uh last 10 days been to you my friend uh what we left the the listeners the viewers on an emotional note uh so first and foremost I received a lot of people just reaching out um saying that that they’ll miss me and that you know whatever right they they were super nice um and super encouraging so I appreciate you guys for that but in the meantime we’ve yeah’ been what like 10 days or something like that and with the offseason I mean that’s why we do it right because there hasn’t been a ton of magic pertinent news just a bunch of rumors that who knows we’re all taking with the grain of salt because we have no idea but the magic are being linked to to people which is you know maybe more than we could say in years past so that’s been cool to see but um and on a personal note Lauren and I getting ready here in about 10 10 days to close on our first home uh which is super exciting but also means that this 10day break has been welcomed because we’ve just been packing left and right trying to get things together and uh trying to keep our kids out of these boxes that we’ve already packed and it’s been a lot of fun so our our house is on its way to being in fully in boxes here and uh yeah it’s the break’s been good but it’s definitely been been busy for sure yeah I usually take this part of the off season like right after the Magic season ends like usually it’s quite a few weeks before and we’re getting ready for the lottery and the lottery came and went I I got to admit I did watch the lottery I just wanted to see what was going to happen I watched like the last like four picks unfold you know Atlanta you know wins the the number one pick I tuned in once everybody was talking about how Detroit got screwed and they ended up with the fifth pick but I tuned in just to see what was going to go on but it was great to not really have like skin in the game like I just going back to the last few last decade really with the lottery um so yeah paid a little bit of attention to that but uh yeah for me um I put an emphasis on this heading in the last off season but like getting into and staying in shape hopefully this time around last year at the draft lottery I was the heaviest that I have ever been at 203 and by a media Day last year I had got down to like like 180ish I think and now I’m like in between like 180 185 again I want to get down to like 170 and just kind of stay there and pick up some better healthier habits going into next basketball season because I have a tendency once we get in basketball season really just screws with my sleep schedule like after a big win I want to stay up on Twitter and and you know YouTube see what everybody’s talking about with the magic and see how other fans are reacting to the game all that kind of stuff and then don’t wake up as early don’t get to the gym work from home lifestyle just rinse and repeat and over the course of the season the pounds just slowly get packed back on so this year I’m determined to get in shape and stay in shape heading into next Magic basketball season and just sort of staying more disciplined with that but yeah I’ve obviously played a little bit of golf over the course of the last you know 10 days trying to get the rest of my life back into order and you know just sitting back into you know the offseason mode but it is good to be back like getting ready to do the Pod tonight it just felt like ah okay my life is really now back to normal here’s what I just thought about you’re talking about my the way that I got there in my brain you were talking about season starting eating habits and I just thought I just my mind goes to like those that West Coast one or two West Coast road trips and it’s like those are the nights where like I’m eating at at hours I didn’t think was possible since like Middle School I’m eating at like 11:45 midnight it’s halftime I’m slamming whatever is in my pantry I that that is definitely when it gets me for sure during the season is the late night stuff where I’m like I don’t really want to be awake right now but if I’m here I might as well eat something I like so who that’s the other thing too I didn’t just think I just thought about this next season obviously we revealed this I will not be on the podcast I will admit there’s a part of me on the West Coast Road Trip we’re playing like the Portland Trailblazers there’s a chance that I just like go to bed that crazy catch the recap in the morning it feels gross to just listen to Kevin’s post game live the next morning exactly right because I’ve been we like I’ve been doing it the past four years now and that’s a lot of West Coast road trips to just stay up and we record at 1 whatever time so now don’t get me wrong I’m going to be somewhat of a sicko still like the Lakers game nuggets games Clippers games I’ll I’ll be up for those don’t you guys worry but yeah no those those Portland teams and things like that they you I might be falling asleep there on my couch before the end of the game for sure I wanted something that that happened right after we released the last episode and obviously we haven’t recorded since then some of y’all like Luke’s body was not even Cold Yet before people are throwing their hat into the ring for the the V co-host position which uh you we’re still you know figuring out and discussing really how we’re going to move forward with all that but I was just like man people it was like it was like 1:00 a.m. and we’re getting comments on oh Luke I love it man sorry I’m so happy for you but hey by the way if you guys need somebody let me know I’m telling you remind me to not befriend any of you guys because if something were to happen to me and we were friends you’d show up at my funeral and you’d like hit on my wife IM me at the funeral at the funeral you’d be like I’m so sorry for your loss but hey he’s not here anymore so that’s how that would go step that’s exactly with you guys that’s I love you guys and and I appreciate the grind as someone who is someone that that that that grinds as well but that was crazy and hilarious I did get a lot of laughs out of that they don’t want to be the stepdad they want to be the dad that stepped up you know what I mean it’s exactly right exactly oh man so yeah I mean not too much has happened in the way of of of Magic news since the the last time that we’ve recorded there have been some rumors over the course of the last you several months not only since the end of The Magic season but I feel like some of them feel a little bit far-fetched and we haven’t really sat down and and discussed a lot of those so let’s take the opportunity to just do that for a couple of minutes I mean I think the main names off the top of my head that the magic have been linked to have been like Klay Thompson right like if he’s leaving Golden State uh you know Paul George he’s set to be a a free agent uh I think there’s been some either deante Murray Trey young talks just based off of their situation what they may want to do and I know that you know you and I have been talking about tus Jones going back to December January approaching the trade deadline and then of course Malik monk who is a free agent as well what do you like just touch on each of those names like pretty briefly I don’t I don’t want to spend a ton of time uh because we still have you know a a month and a half almost until free agency actually starts and at that point if rumors are still pretty consistent at that time I may take some of those a bit more seriously Luke but what were some of your thoughts and hearing that kind of stuff it’s all about perspective and what you want for this team if you’re because there’s all different sides of the spectrum with this if you’re someone like myself that is just thinking bringing bring in shooters that will shoot that are going to be high volume that in the process you know might take away shots from some of your key guys guys but at the same time they’re going to shoot threes replace those twos with threes and knock them down you’re you’re probably like me in that respect and and you want Malik monk right you you want a guy that’s going to shoot a decently High clip it’s just a great man Off the Bench too like I think that’s what would happen is that he’d come off the bench he’s been six man in Sacramento and then you’re bringing in a a point guard whatever that is I will say I have a buddy of mine who’s a Kings fan that has texted me this is how I know I’m okay for wanting Malik monk that I that I’m not wrong here for wanting him he texts me randomly I’m kid you not randomly will text me we will not talked in a week or something and all he says is please tell the magic to focus on Paul George not Malik bunk that was one uh another one said randomly horrible locker room guy shot chucker League average threo percentage you don’t want that we’ll do the right thing and keep you guys from that disappointment and then he texted me the other day Garland shoots better than Malik monk please tell your front office Malik has a drug charge from years ago surely you don’t want that kind of presence around your young Stars so he’s giving me the whole pitch as to why I shouldn’t want Malik monk but obviously it just wants me it makes me want him even more by him pitching this because I’m like oh you you guys really love Malik monk in Sacramento so I’m I’m on board with Malik monk I think he would be great to have around minus the drug charge and Paul George again this is all perception what you want I don’t know that I’m ready so soon to jump into a Paul George type scenario where it’s going to be a lot of money and obviously Paul George doesn’t exactly fit the timeline at 34 years old would it be cool to have a guy like Paul George in the magic blue for a couple Seasons obviously like that would be awesome but also I just have to remind myself the dude’s 34 he’s going to cost a lot of money and I’d rather them go out and sign some shoooter veterans things like that make the decisions they need to make so in those regards that’s dealing with Malik monk Paul George um and then who else did we name Klay Thompson I I’m good I think I would love like I said I did say I want a high volume shooter but I think that’s going to be an expensive high volume shooter Malik monk is going to cost you less and is probably going to take your team further and you don’t have to worry about too much with with Malik monk versus Klay Thompson so for me like with Malik monk like I I think if he is going to leave Sacramento one obviously it’s going to be for a pay grade a pay raise but he I think he’s also looking for a bigger role so I would be of the mind like if you bring Le monk in next year he’s that sort of you know tertiary Creator you know take a little bit of the pressure off of Jaylen Suggs like on the nights that you Pao or fron doesn’t have it you’re not asking Jaylen to have a 18 to 20 point night you know Malik monk is a guy that’s probably going to be more comfortable stepping into a role like that and having those big scoring nights when when needed um now is a guy that you know the last you know year he’s shot in 35 and 36% from behind the ark uh but on you know five almost six attempts a game so there is that volume there you probably want to see him get closer to the 40 39% he shot from behind the ark a couple of seasons ago with Charlotte and with the Lakers U but a guy that has proven a lot of value offensively for the kings in the last couple of years so Malik monk is a guy that I feel like fits the timeline fits what the magic need here if he can be a little bit more efficient in a a bit of a bigger role that would be awesome if the magic are willing to bet on him when it comes to the big names you know Paul George Klay Thompson Paul George for me the the concern is how much is he G to take the ball out of Paulo’s hands out of France’s hands is he willing at you know 34 years old he’s gonna come here probably gonna Garner close to a Max like are you gonna sign him to a two-year Max he’s not at the point where he’s going to do like a one-year deal but is he willing to take a two-year Max I don’t know maybe but in that instance is he willing to be the third wheel I I just don’t see that happening for a guy who has shown that he’s still very capable as a as a you Creator and and number one option at times is he the guy that you want to build your your franchise around anymore well no but can still do it in spurts if he was going to come in and hey Paul George is going to be your shooting guard and he is going to take that sort of third wheel roll behind poo behind frons and and you know not deviate from you know the use rate that those guys were accustomed to the last couple of Seasons then fine uh bringing a name in like a Paul George just expedites the the timeline quite a bit and also just adds you know added pressure and added expectations to this team that I don’t know they’re that they’re quite ready for I think they’re going to take a step next year there will be added expectations and added pressure but you had a Paul George to this team now you’re going to start hearing people say oh the magic should be contending in the Eastern Conference which I think they’re just like a step before that I I don’t know that I’m ready to say next year they’re going to contend in the Eastern Conference now depending on what we do in freny I might change my mind but for the moves that I expect the magic to make which probably will be minor uh but also significant moves for the magic they should take the next step and be competing for homecourt advantage next season I don’t expect that they’re all of a sudden going to come out and like contend for the Eastern Conference like you know the the one or the two seed next year I would expect the magic to be you the three or the four seed next year you had Paul George the perspective nationally I think changes to like okay the magic need to be competing and contending you know for one of the the top seas in the Eastern Conference I don’t know that they’re ready to to make that move I don’t think Paul Georgia is probably the move at this point clay uh not sort of on the other hand because it is sort of in the the same vein but I think the thinking is a little bit different with Clay is that he’s just not the guy anymore more right like I I think he’s proven that he’s still a high volume efficient three-point shooter but the other aspects of his game where he used to be able to do a little bit off the dribble he used to be one of the better defenders in the league he’s not that guy anymore so if he is a guy who is leaving Golden State because he’s looking for a big pay raise or or a big payday a last big contract which is really the only way that I see him leaving golden state is if golden state is not willing to pay him anywhere near what he wants and somebody else is going to offer him you know or a two or a threeyear Max that’s the scenario under which I see him leaving Golden State I don’t see that being Orlando because if he is going to be here he’s just going to be a I mean in most places unless you’re just overly valuing him significantly he’s going to be a a contributing piece he’s not a main building block at this point in his career and I also Clay used to be one of the most universally like well-liked guy in the entire NBA that’s changed the last couple of years because this is a guy who like prior to the injuries in 2019 was like one of the absolute best two-way guys in the league before the ACL and then the Achilles injury and he’s a guy who used to be at the the very top you the peak of the mountain and has fallen from Grace because of those injuries and has gotten a little bit bitter in the last couple of years as he’s talked through adjusting to not being that guy anymore in Golden State and coming off the bench you know at one point adjusting to his new role if he’s coming to Orlando it has to be like he’s looking for a new lease on life he’s looking for a new outlook on life you’re not gonna get a Max in here in Orlando I just don’t see that happening with with Jeff welman and you’re coming here to be like the Jo Engles on steroids role this past year maybe not so much as like a ball handler but that veteran presid a guy that brings Championship experience to the team and is going to knock down threes at a high clip and you high efficiency with a lot of volume so I I just don’t see the Paul George the the Klay Thompson like that level of a move especially when it comes to those guys I just don’t see that for the magic just yet the other thing too is like with Malik monk you haven’t had to worry about health recently the last three seasons he played 72 games this year in the regular season 77 games the year before that and 76 games the year before that stepping in that year um and starting like 37 games in that season 4 the Lakers so health is a huge thing that I’m going to be looking at the magic had some injury bug stuff this year not really close to what it was in years past but health is still going to be on my radar just severe PTSD from from these past Seasons with with health so Malik monk that’s another reason that I would love to have him on board is because of Health Klay Thompson I mean don’t get me wrong if if you tell me the magic signed him you don’t tell me numbers or anything like that if you just point blank if I find out if we get the Tweet magic and Clay Thompson have agreed to terms on a 2-year deal to send him to yourl of magic they there’s going to be part of me that getss chills when I see that tweet right cuz I’m like this is Klay Thompson I and and to your point like he had those two injuries obviously which now we’re coming up on which is crazy like five years ago and he’s trying to adjust like you said and maybe coming off a little bitter in those instances but yeah I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a part of me if I saw that tweet come across my timeline or my notification on my phone I wouldn’t be a little bit EXC excited regardless of the number if I’m being honest with you it’s hard not to and to be quite Frank he still Thompson comes in two years 40 mil a year I’m going to throw up and not because I’m happy but he but like this year for instance even though he is adjusting to his role and kind of taking a back seat didn’t start all the games for Golden State he shot almost 39% on nine attempts a game uh year before that he shot got 10 and a half attempts on 41% so if the magic want Strictly Shooting you can bring in Klay Thompson the one that I just completely am out on is the Paul George one just because of what he does taking the ball out of Pao and Fran’s hands completely costing you a ton of money no matter the scenario and being 34 Klay Thompson his role would be very specific in the sense of like hey we bring we are bringing in you in to be a veteran and to shoot the basketball you get the ball you’re open shoot it you get the ball you got a guy within two feet two two three feet of you just shoot it Let it Fly Klay Thompson will do that and I’m almost positive it’ll be at an efficient clip that being said I’m still not on board like I still am where I’m at at the beginning of this conversation but I understand like it for two seasons him to just come in and shoot the basketball we’ve brought in good Shooters but we haven’t brought in like a nine 89 attempt threo three-pointers a game guy at a high clip and an high efficiency let let’s run a quick exercise here Klay Thompson made $43 million this uh last season are you paying Klay Thompson for two years 40 a year 40 a year 40 a year are you paying Klay Thompson 40 a year are you pay 35 a year no are you paying him 30 a year no 25 I think 20 is where I go 25 I start to get interested I’ve got to be honest 20 to 25 I I could be talked into it because of just you just said it would make you sick no I said 40 I said 40 for two 40 a year for two years would make me sick okay I think you phrased it I to where I heard 40 for 2 years I thought you were saying like 20 a year but yeah said 40 a year but if I didn’t I yes I meant for 2 years so 80 million total for two years I would vomit and not in a good way if your move this season is to let Klay Thompson eat up all of your cap space MH yes I would I would vomit and I would be incredibly unhappy with that we can get to what like 38 the magic can get to like if the magic do like ridiculous things J Jonathan Isaac and yeah they can get to crazy numbers but yeah I think the magic are are projected to have around like 32 38 like somewhere around there in projected cast Bas for sure okay so yeah the 25 that’s when I’m like I I’ll think about it you get close to 20 I would absolutely do Klay Thompson two years for $40 million total $20 million a year given just the amount of shooting that would give you and just the level of Championship experience that he has and just the knowledge that guys like Pao and fron and Jaylen and these other guys would be able to absorb you know being around a guy like that and if he is going to come in with this like you know new outlook New Perspective this new lease on life and be like the Happy go-lucky everybody loves clay you know drinking a nice cold Kors light after a game clay Thompson that we knew prior to the injuries absolutely if he’s going to be that kind of guy for this culture if he’s going to be the guy that’s still you know bitter and and is showing everybody that he’s got four rings all the time that is a guy that I don’t think our front office would want any part of uh there are a lot of conditions for me that would have to be met for a move like that to make sense realistically I think like the Paul George would be more realistic but I just I don’t see that happening the clay thing I I don’t think is happening because if he leaves Golden State like it’s to get close to Max money if he’s going to take a pay cut anyways he may as well just stay in Golden State yeah now the try in and de jante Stu I think is where you and I differ you’ve had some some texts in the group chat about Trey young I’m just going to say like my view on that is it would just change the like Dynamic of this team so much and it goes against basically everything that this team has built over the course of the last you know three or four years here doesn’t make a lot of sense for me the deante Murray thing I don’t love it uh just for the sake of like I do think it would take the ball out of Palo and Fran’s hands more than I would like it to more than like a you know malink monk type of signing would uh but if we’re talking about a guy who is still really good defensively and is going to help uh with like playmaking creation uh offensive organization like being able to settle the team down and not put so much of a of a attacks on Palo and frons to generate everything all the time then the dejonte move makes sense in that same vein I understand where people are coming from with the Trey young stuff because he obviously would help with all that stuff as well but I just think the jante Murray fits the mold of what the magic have been building for the last couple of years a lot more than Trey does and he’s not nearly as expensive right and yeah I listen Trey would also be another piece that’s just a lot of fun he’s high assist guy in the pick and roll which is the most popular action in the NBA he’s Elite in the pick and roll he’s incredible he’s got his floater down Pat his vision is incredible the the oops to anybody that’s setting that screen for Trey young would be electric uh that would just be fun we’re getting to the point where I can go there in my mind because this team is proving is proving right in front of our eyes that they’re worthy of Superstar Talent being on this team we’re we’re getting to the point and and like I said I still stay at the point where I’m like I just want to add some Shooters this offseason so I’ll say that however I’m not going to fight you if you go out and sign Trey young I’m just not or trade for or trade sorry yes trade for trade for Trey young like I I’m I’m not going to fight you on that at all I think it gives the opportunity to finally consolidate some of this young talent that is on the horizon we’re almost there because there just there’s going to continue to be this tension until you do it that the better you get the clock is ticking to to get some of that talent that young Talent young potential out of the organization and bring in some Proven Winners and Superstars and just guys that are going to All Around complete the roster it’s got to happen sooner or later I think that we see more of that next year before the trade deadline will be super interesting because if the magic are just setting the league on fire and then you’re approaching deadline you’re like hey we are a guy away from contending for to get to the Eastern Conference Finals you that’s going to be a really interesting conversation surrounding the magic at the trade deadline next year that’ll that gets me super excited to think about but in the meantime I don’t think anything happens that big this summer a trade on draft night or however they do it but I do think you are going to have to trade some of your young guys and get more talent in in the you know in the in the sense of bringing one guy in and and sending two or three young guys out let’s just say you trade for for Trey young right which like if if you’re making the trade for Trey young this team just looks drastically different come October right mhm you trade for Trey young and you’re able to hold on to poo bener and fron vter I’m I’m not starting that conversation with Landry Fields you know the the GM of the Hawks unless it’s like look we’re going into this understanding that pal and frons are off limits anybody else will have conversations around but those guys to me are would be off limits in a in a trade involving like bringing trade young in so you make you make the trade for Trey young and then fron is getting a max if fron doesn’t get a Max this summer hats off again to Jeff welman it’ll be just an incredible achievement of negotiating if you just look at France varder stats and you compare the that to other guys in the league that are are putting up the same numbers it’s a list of like uh like RJ Barrett and then all Max contract guys you you want to argue that fron Varner is closer to RJ Barrett than as a Max guy I I can not help you at all if if that’s the way that you think about France vogner but if you do that that is your opinion so fron vonner gets a designated Rooks rookie uh Max contract extension this summer Palo banero is going to get one the following year so that means like three years from now I yeah three yeah three years from now Palo banero Trey young fron Varner would be accounting for somewhere between 80 to 90% of your team’s cap space leaving you that 10% and then you’re talking about getting into the first and second T tax aprons to build around the rest of your team so you have to just be absolutely 100% sure that pal Bank car bronze Barner and Trey young would be enough to win a title would it be it very well might be enough but if you just look at the history of these super teams and these teams that have tried to build around three max guys we have more examples of it not working than we do it actually working so that is really my big hesitation with bringing in like one of these like super max level type of guys in whether that be a Paul George or a Trey young or any of those other guys I would much rather bring in a guy like de jante Murray who is sort of you know close-ish to the max range but is not a Max guy a mik monk who is obviously not a Max guy uh or one of these any of these other guys that we have talked about like a tias Jones and and so on and so forth so for me that is why like I’m just not interested in bringing a guy in who is going to be here eating up you know 25 to 30% of the cap space for the foreseeable future I I just don’t think that is going to put the Magic in a position to really build a team the way that they want to and the way that you need to I think the days of these like three Superstar teams with you know the max contracts I just think those days are over with with the new Collective baring agreement that I think the rest of those changes are going into effect this summer if I’m not mistaken so anyway we’re like 32 minutes here almost into the Pod and we’ve barely really talked about the magic so let’s go ahead we’re going to take a quick break and then we’re going to talk about some of our favorite moments from this past season from the magic well we’re going to take a break here uh to talk about our wonderful patrons the folks that help make each and every episode possible not not only during the regular season but especially into the offseason here we can’t do anything that we do without all of you we have a few new patrons since the last pod want to give them very special shouts shout out to Daniel Anderson Barry who joined at our Elite tier uh my boy Jay hadam who joined at our rookie tier and then rror magic who joined at the All-Star tier thank you guys so much for joining the patreon really really appreciate your support anytime we have brand new patrons we give them a special shout out just like that and then we give our Hall of Fame and Elite tier patrons a special shout out each and every episode let’s go ahead and start with our friends over at the court cousins podcast Drew Gooden Armen Carson tulo Ellis Jonathan borgas normal magic player history Gabe gains wiffle Michael Martin Jamal Miller Michael salop pong Donkey Punch Dave pal and Fran’s warmth Pierre a Dylan Holden Mr Mikey danal Bobby Skinner goie 93 Teddy Sylvia D Lopez fuchsia Bill Folton Emon lagone Jose aalin Kayla Pete canabalism time Mr TV ESPN really sucks gear 95 shred Junior Bruce halfrey K shahan 177 bulby the dawn himo B hro RM improv 221 Ray Pastrana Magic Kid 714 mysterious Mosley Victor cologne Irish Magic Mike Austin lampy random hustle only France Maria Keith walls Fritz RV Sal Case green salty Leon Kane Eckler the distract Amad timsa chantu Tom Gadson der Richard Tuttle Jeremiah Cano magicwire dbo1 1980 magic Matt Michael Thompson Mama Richmond next snappa what’s up playoffs 2024 Dylan Fay Sammy David Duffy Smith Sheiks Bueno time stano Suggs mugs Derek Smith Jay Rodrigo and Daniel Anderson Barry a big shout out to all of our patrons you can find us at patreon.com the6 man show Luke want to talk favorite moments of the Season where we just talk about our favorite moments of the Magic season I sat down I went through the schedule to the best of my recollection to go through what I felt like were the most memorable moments of the season I started at the beginning of the season and worked my way obviously like through the playoffs what about you like what was your thinking in making this list and like where do you want to start uh for me I kind of just went chronologically in terms of my memory and looking at the schedule the first one that I think of as as being kind of the the first huge moment of the season early on in this season if you guys will remember because I remember it well because I was irritated about this but magic start out two and0 and then they go on that West Coast Road Trip they they fall to 2 and two then they lose to Atlanta uh on November 9th and and at that point they’re four- four so like there just became this hump right you beat Milwaukee you go five- four at that point you’re you improved to five and four and then you lose by 20 to Brooklyn and it was like man this team just can not get over the hump it feels like we’re we’re already experiencing a hump and we’re 10 games into the season but then comes November 15th in Chicago Paulo banero is uh ball in his hands with the game on the line because Zack LaVine has just hit a ridiculous three-pointer to tie the game at 94 which you texted into existence existence I did do that I said I can’t wait for Zack LaVine to hit this three and something of that nature and then he does it but hey I just know ball I knew it was coming so it happens and then we go down we’re at the other end of the Court believe it was a sideline out of bounds Palo banero ends up getting the basketball uh and gets away with maybe a controversial uh play there but we won’t I only saw what they called which they didn’t call anything I didn’t hear any whistles poo banero hits the shot gives the magic a two-point victory over Chicago now in the moment like yes that was an incredible win Pao only had 17 in that game and the magic improved to six and five and then you’re like okay well we’re on to the next one we play Chicago again two nights later right but this kick starts what would become a historic run the Magic win and rip off nine straight and in that nine straight Jonathan you get a win against the nuggets at home huge huge win kind of puts the league on notice and you also have the inseason tournament game and so like really it’s a separate memory for me because it was the end-season tournament and I damn separated the season in that respect it went toward the N game whn streak that pal B Carol jump started against Chicago and the magic that that is going to always be something that I hold dear because I was at the game like we were at the game and it was an inseason Tournament game the court was different the vibe was different and the magic just have a gutsy performance and beat Boston by like 17 113 to 96 was the final there so for me that’s kind of like encapsulates the beginning of the season for me but that was you know getting over the hump with that Chicago win and going through ripping off those nine straight wins against Denver wins against B wi against Boston the n Season tournament that’s what I thought of when I think of the beginning of the season in favorite memories for me I quite literally go back to the very beginning of the Season uh opening night against the Houston Rockets it’s the first time that we got to see the classic the star jerseys uh this year on the classic floor it was just the really the best way to start the year and like when you start talking about the the the preseason and the prior off season right like Houston was a team that went out and and made some moves Fred B vet Dylan Brooks they bring in em udoka they had been struggling the last couple of years you had alren shenon who showed a lot of you know promise the year before obviously Jabari Smith Jr you know Jaylen green like they they’ve got these young pieces that they really like and you know there was a bit of chatter between the the Orlando Magic and the Houston Rocket fan bases really even going back to uh the the 2022 draft where poo Banker is drafted because a lot of you have seen that footage from the the Houston Rockets uh watch party of the draft of Pao going number one and Houston just like they were they were gutted because they wanted Palo banero they believed Jabari Smith was going number one and they had convinced themselves to that Palo banero was going to fall to them at three um and there was like Hey where is Orlando in the grand scheme of things right like we’re being uh you know we’re being compared to Toronto and to Detroit and Houston and Charlotte and sort of these other teams now the magic went on to show that they are obviously the the best team of that young Bunch but coming out opening night in front of your home crowd beating them by 30 like the the big block from ji like obviously stands out um and then just really everybody you know for the magic played well in that game so that’s where the season starts for me uh and then the next Palo ban Caro like the the first few games you know 12 points five rebounds 14 points s rebounds four assists nine points five rebounds 15 points four rebounds four assists the magic are sitting there at two and two and we’re all like okay what like what’s going on with with Pao right like it was it the the long summer you know playing for Team USA at the feeble World Cup like what’s going on and then he comes out drops 30 points on 69% shooting nine rebounds five assists three steals two blocks and the winner and then after the game drops the iconic line of rough start so what this is what I do that was like okay we were we’re getting a little bit concerned with Pao and then he came back and obviously for the rest of the season like really showed us look yo this is who I am I also have here in my list the Pao game winner in Chicago which was huge um the win at home over Denver like right before the day before Thanksgiving and then Black Friday Friday the win at home over Boston in the inseason tournament obviously the entire niname win streak for me after that like the you know the the month of December you know obviously you had a few wins in there um but didn’t go as great obviously as October and November had gone but for me the next one if we go back to the beginning of January one of those West Coast Road Trips bronze Varner gets hurt the game before uh you know against golden state no bronze Varner in this Sacramento game it looks like you’re going to lose Paulo banero early in that game when he goes out you know with the ankle he comes back uh but that second half especially from the Magic The Magic set a franchise record of 25 made threes in that game Poo banero has 43 points uh the magic lose in double overtime to the Sacramento Kings to me it’s the best loss of the year right like all the circumstances it was an incredibly entertaining game genuinely could not believe what was unfolding as you were watching that game and the magic just come like just short of being able to to pull off the victory in Sacramento so for me uh that was definitely the the best loss of the year and was just such a testament to Jamal Mosley and the way that he’s coached these guys up and and the mindset that this team has with sort of like the next man up and it was like the magic resiliency just epitomized it was awesome I’ll I’ll take you to uh the day of Love Jonathan for this next one you are uh at this point you were playing against the New York Knicks February 14th of 2024 and Pao banero decides he’s going to give us a gift for Valentine’s Day pal benero has 36 points and it’s not the 36 points that really was the the the the lead here the lead was the fact that he scored a high amount of points and had zero free throws this was one of the games where you’re just thinking I can’t believe we have Pala B Caro on this team because that’s that easily could have been a 40 ball right is a guy that averages like what seven seven free throws a game maybe more he if he would have shot his average amount he probably hits 40 in this one he he drops 36 and that is one of the games that I will probably always remember because it is so unique that there wasn’t a single free throw so for me that’s another one Jonathan and then I I want to keep this in the same vein of Pao scoring a high amount of points the other one that I think of and that that I that I come to is a loss unfortunately but the first first 40 ball of our guy’s career Palo benero scores 42 against Cleveland on December 6th and just you had a terrible first quarter the team just had an awful awful first quarter in that one um for those of you who don’t remember that I’m pulling it up here Cleveland scored 37 in the first quarter and Orlando had 20 and that at that point like you’re not going to win that game palaban Caro finishes the game 42 points 16 of 26 doesn’t shoot the three ball well one of five and 9 of 12 from the free throw line adds six rebounds as well but Palo benero just decided that he was going to do everything in his power to try to win this game and how could you not have this as one of the most memorable because it was a 40 ball for our Superstar pal banero I’m glad that we’re not doing like a a draft here cuz I feel like I I I’d be killing you cuz you’re you’re missing uh some some good ones here I’m going to go back to like the very um the next game I talked about the Sacramento game but the next one we were at Denver uh Palo ban Caro’s first triple double in that game you have 27 points from Jaylen he was seven of nine from three in that one Mo vogner had 19 and 11 in that game no andell go no Goa baz Goa baz out with the illness Mo Vagner steps into the starting lineup 19 11 Cole Anthony 23 points uh Off the Bench just like the ultimate like gut check for this team who was already like riddled and and just decimated with injuries lose a few more guys in that game and you just get like all World performances from Pao Jaylen moar Cole Anthony just like guy after guy stepping up uh after you know that tough loss in in Sacramento just a couple of nights before so that one was awesome uh the pal Bank All-Star selection like going back to the end of January we had all had assumed that it was going to happen but watching that broadcast like the announcement on TNT and him being the very last Eastern Conference Allstar that was announced really made us think that hey maybe Paulo is going to get snubbed and he’s not going to be named here because there were some other guys that were in the conversation for uh an All-Star selection there he would have made it regardless with you know the The Replacements uh you know due to other guys being being injured uh but him making his his first All-Star selection like seeing the the all access like the all uh like the behind the scenes video that the magic released and um especially now when you go back and you can sort of watch it from them leaving practice to getting on to the bus and Joe Engles is asking Pao like hey do you know whether or not you know you made the team he’s like no I have no idea and Joe’s like well this might be a little bit awkward then you know we’re all sitting here watching it and and you don’t get picked and then them going into the hotel frantically trying to find a ballroom that everybody can go into and watch the the broadcast and then seeing the team just you know react and celebrate with him was a ton of fun um I go back to the win um at home against Phoenix in late January uh where you win that one 113 and 98 U obviously star a team over there Devin Booker Bradley Beal Kevin Durant but you hold them to 13 fourth quarter points they only scored Four Points in the last 10 minutes of that game just a really impressive defensive performance that was sort of the start of of ji like really playing closing minutes um and then a couple of of uh games later February 2nd at Minnesota the win in Minnesota you’re down 17 in the second quarter and then you outscore them like 28- 18 in the fourth one of the biggest wins of the Year Minnesota who is in a a dog fight in a game seven with Denver right now with a minute 16 left in the third they’re only down by four that team might go on to the Western Conference finals and that was a team who wanted that game beginning of February as teams were getting closer to the all-star break and our magic team big comeback uh you know come from behind Victory um where you were like really getting close this team like to their credit never got to uh like never fell below 500 but you get to the end end of uh the end of January there this team you they were 24 and 23 after the January 29 loss at Dallas and flirida with 500 there but but never fell below 500 all season long I’ve got some more stuff uh after after the All-Star break but what what else do you have I want I want to actually because I’m looking at you know going back through the schedule and if we’re talking memorable nights the most one of the most memorable nights of the season was early in the season November the best offense in the league versus the best defense in the league coming into that game it was are the Orlando Magic legitimate on the defensive end of can they keep up with a team like Indiana who at that point was the number one offensive rated team in the league they’re scoring at an outrageous clip can the magic keep up and the magic go to Indiana and win that game 128 to 116 and put a put the league on notice in that respect too because it’s like oh well if they’re able to hold the top you know if they’re able to go in and not just keep up with the top top offense in the league but give them some troubles and come out with a double digit win they they’ve got to be legitimate at that point and the it wasn’t just the final score 128 16 Jonathan it was the fact that in the first half that first quarter you outscore them 42 to 21 you double them up you hold the best offense in the league to 21 points in the first quarter and 23 in the second quarter Indiana doing did all they could in the second half and played better in the second half than the Orlando Magic but it didn’t matter because going at halftime that top offense in the league had 45 points the the score at halftime was was 78 to 45 like the magic were incredible and and there to show the league that that that they are here and they did just that and for me that is definitely looking back on it that was the headline the entire time it was a headline before the game headline after the game and I that was when I was like wow the this team could be really incredible this year yeah the wins over Indiana you just talked about the one in in November was really impressive and then they had another big one um Saturday uh December 23d and then later in the season uh obviously like March 8th you have a a blowout loss to the New York Knicks which up to that point we’re like do we want to face New York in the playoffs and then after that game was like they made us look absolutely terrible it was one of if not the Magic’s worst offensive performances of the year and then it was like okay well we’ve matched up with Indiana pretty well let’s have a b bounce back game against them and at that point like all the Eastern Conference standings were very much up in the air and you lose that one 111 to 97 so those were I don’t want to say low points of the year but as we shift and and the conversation goes to like after the All-Star break to me I don’t have as you know memorable moments or like key wins because a lot of those were like these are just games that you need to win and that you should win and to the Magic’s credit like they took care of business but for me after the All-Star break where it starts is Palo banero comes back after the All-Star break sick like a lot of the allstars you know came down with whatever illness that was uh but Saturday February 24th in Detroit Palo benero just obviously does not have it in that game ends up hitting the gamewinner the team still trusts him still goes to him down the stretch hits the gamewinner obviously is is super you know emotional after that game um so the the how bad he was in that game and then to come and hit the game-winning shot and then the way that his teammates reacted to him and the way that he reacted after the game to me that’s always going to be super me memorable then uh it’s not really moments more it is like chunks like you have two separate five-game win streaks in the second half of the season after the allstar break you know you have uh versus Brooklyn versus Utah versus Detroit at Charlotte at Washington and then verse Brooklyn at Toronto verse Toronto verse Charlotte verse New Orleans both of those win streaks you really needed to stay in contention in the Eastern Conference as other teams uh were were getting hot and we’re we’re winning around you so to stay in the conversation and um you know heading out of the All-Star break like the magic we’re hovering you know around like 78 got themselves they were you know we talked about this a lot but at the end of the year like you’re you’re poised to be as high as two or three you lose a couple of those you know at Charlotte April 5th at Houston April 9th you have two opportun at Houston at Milwaukee you can’t pull those off um but then game 82 to me um probably my win of the year just given the stakes like you can talk about the win at home over Boston either of the wins over Denver especially the win in Denver if you pick the win in Denver I’m not going to argue with anybody you know that is obviously a big one but game 82 versus Milwaukee lose or you’re facing the play in you just lost to Milwaukee you just lost to Philadelphia you lost the Houston game you lost the Charlotte game games that if you just would have taken care of business you would have been in a position to clinch much earlier but like that second quarter like defensive performance and the way they just shut down Milwaukee and then really to win that game going away was just super super impressive and um those are my most memorable games of the Season obviously before we talk a little bit about the postseason uh and then I’ll just throw in one more here because cuz it’s we’re talking personal favorite Magic Memories of the Season boys trip to Charlotte oh I mean yeah can’t forget that yeah and uh and and getting to see wasn’t a very memorable game in the sense of the magic looked terrible to start that game end up winning that one in Charlotte but getting to see everybody talk to people exchang like looks with with some of the players our guy Jaylen and and joh and Isaac come to mind obviously during shoot around seeing us there and and uh and B hanging out with jcole that night was pretty cool you know sitting right in front of us partying with jcole yeah uh but yeah so looking at the back of j.cole’s head for two hours it was really yeah I didn’t even watch the game I was just like wow that’s J.Cole in front of me uh so yeah the the charlot trip was uh was one for the books for sure and uh and I guess that’ll probably round out the regular season most memorable things of the Magic season if if we’re going like regular season superlatives uh the the Eddie House beef definitely comes to mind you know that that was a lot of fun uh you know we had we you know we’ just been so fortunate to be able to do this and to have the opportunities that we get like you know going back to Media day was really cool um you know the the Palo banero interview obviously you know we we’ve had some some jayen Suggs interviews the the fiveyear anniversary was was super special to me that’s something that that I’ll always remember and cherish and then uh we also had like the 400th you know episode uh you know a couple of weeks later where we had the the Pao interview that was uh included in that so yeah just a awesome regular season for sure and then the the postseason had you know memorable moments like the the watch parties were were fantastic but for me the my favorite moments of the postseason came in games that we actually won like I just go back to the environment being at game three the Jaylen windmill dunk in the second half which you know put the magic up by a billion and really felt like it put the the exclamation mark on that Victory game four I was not there I know Kevin was and I know the crowd there was crazy but the ji inbound steel pass to Jaylen Jaylen passes back to ji ji hits the three to put the magic up by a million it really in that moment you’re like okay this game’s over the magic are going to win this one going away uh game six all of us being there there I have a a a memory from the 2019 first round series versus the Toronto Raptors game three of being uh in then Amway now Kia before the game and over the PA then playing Queens we will rock you nothing gets white people more hyped and crazier than 18,000 people singing and stomping and clapping to We Will Rock You and they played it at game six and I was like dude I’m ready to die I am ready if you need me to get on this court and like give a blood sacrifice to for us to win this game I’m willing to do it so much now to the the point like when I’m on the golf course dude we always listen to 70s rock when we’re on the golf course somebody brings a a radio and I always have a request to play Queen we will rock you because that song Just it gets the people going you know what I mean the white the white people especially white people like you got the the boys over on the the next part three hear it and they’re like yeah turn that up boy you know no I’m they don’t they don’t do that but in game six the Cole Anthony putback if I could like pick any one moment from that game that this felt like the biggest play of the game it was probably that Cole Anthony put back um like the Wendell Carter you know block and then you know Pao scoring on the other I believe it was Pao scoring on the other end that that was a big one I think it was an an one from Pao if I’m I’m not mistaken that whole playoff series feels like such a blur I do have game seven the Palo B in the first half 24 points eight rebounds two assists two steals a block just him looking like one of the best players in the world in that first half second half you know we’re working on that still like we we’ll we’ll get it till he gives us a full 48 in a playoff you know game seven uh but that first half it was just like look at our guy man like I know that the entire magic fan base believes in this guy but seeing him do that in front of the entire basketball world at one o’clock on ABC you know playoff game seven Sunday was just awesome and we don’t have to talk about the way the rest of that game went but uh that was really really cool yeah the other thing I’ll note just about like the the memorable part is that in every single game that the magic played in this postseason their backs like that they were that they ended up winning their backs were against the wall you’re down 2 you can’t go down 3 0 okay great we got one at home we blew the doors off them we’re down 2-1 you can’t lose game four you can’t go down 3-1 nobody comes back down from 3-1 in some specific cases if Doc Rivers on the other end maybe you do but in this case probably not going to happen magic go in they win that game obviously you tie the series 22 you go back to Cleveland you lose you’re down 3-2 okay well we can’t lose this one obviously we can’t lose game six backs against the wall what do you do poo banero steps up again 27 points in that one you win 103 to 96 and then obviously we hate how how the series ended but point being in virtually every scenario except for game seven the magic were able to step up to the call and and get the win so that was super memorable to me that and coupled with like Pao B Caro throughout the entire playoffs aside from the game where he had like nine points incredible and gained my trust even more of who he can be one day France Vagner has 34 in game four like just the performances that we got from our guys were incredible and unheard of at the ages that they are unless your name is like Anthony Edwards and Luka donic at this point so that’s the that the postseason was incredible you wish you win that game seven but that’s about as as good as it can get while also losing around yeah and I I know we talked about this on the last pod but like this the conversations around fron Varner to me were I mean they’ve cooled off a little bit but they did people still saying like oh like I wouldn’t Max this guy like look if it comes down to it and you Max him or you don’t you you Max him I I I really like I I I don’t understand the Thinking by and by the way by the way if it comes down to it and fron Vagner doesn’t get the rookie Max it’s not because of the the final game of the series just so we’re clear it’s not the reason like that welman did not sit down and sight that game and be like hey this is why this is why bud you almost had it but that last game really did it for me and you didn’t get the max as a result that would be stupid and irresponsible for one game to determine a man’s contract just like it’s stupid and irresponsible for that one game to dictate your opinion on fron vogner so don’t go beating your chest if fron doesn’t get the rookie Max it’s not for the same reasons that you would have given him one if we’re being clear well let me I’m just going to give a a list of guys averaging 19 points five rebounds on 48% field goal shooting or better Joel embiid Giannis andeta kmo Kevin Durant niika yic Anthony Davis Larry marinan Carl Anthony towns alrin shenon Chris as porzingis fron Varner demonus sabonis and then RJ Barrett is also on that list like almost all of those guys are Max guys and bronze is let’s see six year four to six years older than almost every guy on that list other than Al other than Al shenon yeah he’s four like yeah four to six years younger than all the other guys on on that list like he’s putting up obviously it’s it you know it’s different but like Chris dping is his 28 the Mona sabon is is 28 cat is 28 markkanen is 26 yic is 28 like just think of what this kid is going to be in three or four years from now and he’s only shooting 48% by the way because of the fact that he shot like 20 something percent 28% from the three-point line this year if he was you know 35% then he’s shooting like in the 50% he’s he’s just a Max guy I don’t know what to tell you guys like he like was an injury away from like being in the allstar conversation this year like if he doesn’t have that uh you know ankle injury at the beginning of the year he’s in the allstar conversation like it it’s it’s just silly to me yeah wanted to shout out uh really quickly if you haven’t read the article uh in the Washington Post by Ben golliver on Palo Bano it’s a genen z is coming for the NBA Palo banero is ready to lead the moment um there were just a couple of quotes from that that I wanted to share uh just being like talking about free agency PO said front office wants twoa guys who add to what we already have in terms of our defensive identity length and versatility Ben Caro said shooting is a big part of what we need to improve on whether we go and get somebody or try to develop guys I don’t know which way they’re going to approach that and having a guy who can set the table and be reliable we have a lot of talented guys who can make shots and make plays me France Jaylen Suggs I would rather be more of an offensive Hub than the point guard if that makes sense sense so if that gives you like any sort of idea into the thinking of Pao banero uh like going into the off season wants Shooters wants somebody that’s going to help organize the offense yeah that’s what I would want to talk about for sure is like him talking about one to set the T someone who can set the table that’s alluding to a point guard obviously who can help get you into the offense and if we already didn’t know what this front office thought because he got benched in Marquel fults that goes to show you that Pao understands they’re going a different direction at the point guard position next season whatever that looks like and I don’t get fired up for role players much but I’ll get fired up for tus Jones right now on this podcast that guy can set the table if we want to talk about guys who nobody sets a f ER table than tus Jones who has multiple times led the league in the best assist of turnover ratio that guy knows how to set a table give me that guy he’s folding napkins he’s putting the forks and the knives and the spoons in the right spots he’s setting the freaking table bring me Ty Jones Paulo banero talking about setting the table that’ll set the table well you know he also you know talks about like defensive versus and stuff like that doesn’t exactly but Nar needs to be a narrative all right I need I need agenda pieces I don’t need logic yeah at this point fair fair enough for sure I need tyus Jones well he he closes out this interview and says they’ll see eventually we’re trying to come for it all that gets me excited like just talking about the the playoffs and when he talks about coming for it all like they they want to win a championship using the word we in that is big in terms of magic organization and himself right we so yeah yeah man what a guy man I I can’t wait for this offseason to see what happens man I know that it’s probably not going to be anything ridiculous but this is as ridiculous as they can get this far into the rebuild like there’s never been as much excitement about an off season for the Magic in the last decade plus as there is right now teams at an all-time high your breaking records left and right with the team you had you have a chance to improve you have the salary cap to make some signings you got young guys that you can deal away if you need to draft Capital this is an ridiculously exciting off season and uh if you can’t get fired up about this off season you probably just hate the offseason this has the opportunity to be like the most exciting off season for the magic not talking about like the the draft but in terms of like free agency or trades since like we thought maybe we were getting Paul Milsap like I was I was hyped up in what you know like 2013 2014 I thought we were getting Paul Milsap and he was on on Twitter was rumored to be at like uh you know different uh like Orlando establishments with with Rob henigan so yeah looking forward to that uh in terms of like offseason content we’re going to get into you know player grades and all all that kind of stuff like breaking down like each guy obviously we’ll talk about J M mosy in the front office as well in the coming weeks um obviously with the the draft coming up we’re going to start diving more into that bring on some guests that it can bring some good insight and relating to you know a lot of the prospects in this draft the draft and you some people think it is a decent draft some people think it’s one of the worst drafts in 25 years we’ll sort of see how we feel about that uh but yeah just typical offseason stuff as we get through the draft summer league free agency obviously we’re going to have a plethora of guests to to try to to fill the void and then we’re going to have international basketball as well France moer Goa bad Joe Eng Les you know a lot of these guys playing for their countries in the Olympics so a lot of stuff to look forward to and um I know we’ve talked about this already but this was just such an awesome season I hope we don’t really lose sight of that and now it’s been over for for two weeks as we record this always going to be one of my very favorite seasons and yeah just appreciate it for for what it was and excited about the future I I just want to say you talk about Paul Milsap meeting with Rob henan in hindsight you lose out on on Paul Milsap in hindsight I can just be like I I’m my only thought is Paul milet sat down with Rob henan a couple times walked away was like man that dude’s an idiot I’m not going there I’m not going to Orlando and I just want to I’ll never not take a jab at Rob henan uh so shout out Rob henan for being the reason the magic didn’t land Paul Milsap but uh Hey it it led us all to where we are today so shout out Rob henan anyway I just need to say that because I I know he screwed that for us I know it if if Rob henan ever ends up with another GM job I will legitimately be shocked because he was so bad here um like any team that’s like you know what this guy’s had some time I think we’re going to give him a shot the day that that happened happens I will just wish that fan base well and let them know that anytime you all need a vent are like we’re we’re we’re available and we will understand it all so um Luke I think that is going to do it for this one we jumped on this and we’re like hey like you know it’s off season we’ve got a few things to talk about maybe this won’t be an hour and here we are now at like you know hour 10 minutes plus here so yeah you kept us from being behind the mic for 10 plus days I don’t know what you what you really thought would happen there yeah yeah it is what it is but yeah um offseason mode hopefully you all are doing well and we’re going to be doing our best here to to keep your magic brain uh busy between now and October but that is going to do it for this one for Jonathan Osborne and Luke Sylvia you all have been listening to the six-man show and we will catch you guys next time see you thanks for listening to the Sixth Man Show be sure to subscribe on iTunes and Spotify to get new episodes downloaded directly to your phone if you enjoyed the show please take a minute to give us a fstar rating and a review it helps out the show a lot follow us on Twitter Instagram and Facebook at 6man show we’ll catch you guys next time go magic go magic go Magic’s go magic

The boys are back from a small break! We talk our favorite moments of the season and discuss the hottest trade & free agency rumors.

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0:00 – Intro
7:14 – Trade & Free Agency Rumors
31:36 – Patron Shoutout
33:46 – Best Moments of the Year

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