First Triple Double | Episode 154 | Orlando Magic Podcast
[Applause] in order for the magic to work you have to truly believe in the magic welcome to let’s talk magic tonight I am with the Welsh wizard as you’ll see on your screen G you’ve been battling the card of cold you’re sponsored by cavona how you
Doing I’ve just literally had a big gulp of cavona for the podcast so I don’t start coughing and spluttering everywhere I’m good thank you mate I’m better now um I’ve had the flu this week so I’ve been laid up a little bit um so yeah you know Christmas blues a little
Bit as well you know what January is like um unfortunately some of us have birthdays in January don’t we Paul Mike Mike as well I’ve already had a rant off camera about it I can’t wait I can’t wait for the merry Christmas um gift box that I’m
Bound to receive from somebody bought in the boot sale palmed off as a uh happy birthday gift yeah love that’s it yeah that’s it how are you guys are you good mate yeah all good in the hood mate just uh ticking on and you’ll notice as well
If you haven’t heard already we’ve got uh the the the slice himself the sheriff of the slice Mr bacon how are we doing all right my friend thank you very much yeah it’s been there I I before we go any further I will apologize to everybody for not having done uh game
Preview since the Golden State game we it’s been a bit of a run at the start of the year we’ve had one or two issues bit of a roof leak and uh lack of Internet for a couple of days so it’s uh bit a bit full on so I do
Apologize these things happen Paul yeah absolutely as long as it gets sort all good all good mate all good good right today’s episode is brought to you in association with attraction tickets the UK’s number one attraction ticket and Theme Park Hotel provider for Disney SeaWorld and Universal Studios
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Shows sports events basically everything the city beautiful and surrounding area has to offer you can also visit let’s talk magic.com for all of our affiliate links and discount codes including the NBA Store and fanatics on today pod we’re going to be discussing Paulo banero recent games the
First man to have his jersey retired the big diesel himself Shaq we’re going to discuss trades injuries a little bit maybe and we’re going to look forward to some upcoming magic feet fixtures however before we do that patreon it’s been absolutely brilliant for us we love having the patreon
Membership and sponsors people who do back us it’s massively appreciated we see it every episode but shouting those guys out no particular order we’ve got o law Gary Clark Angus Craig Dylan Holden Alan K Tom sa Mark Jos drum drummy drum drum I saw that just in my background
Notes I thought here we go well I trip up on that one Paulo and France warmth Liam radborne Andy Lindley Stuart Benes and Barry con so the magic we’ve played a few games since we’ve last recorded and we’re going to just keep this very very open because there’s been a lot
Going on but obviously there’s been games against the Knicks we’ve played the Suns we played the Golden State Warriors we played the Sacramento Kings and we’re fresh off a tremendous tremendous Victory with a very short-handed magic team against the NBA champion Denver Nuggets for me the big
Takeaway was I think Paulo Banko’s taken another leap in this time period and he looks every inch a top 20 player in the NBA he looked like a superstar he just he just looks a whole different level so I’m just going to throw it out there basically guys and
G I’ll start with you what are your takeaways about what you’ve seen lately and then we’ll jump the poll and see what uh the slice is live um yeah so just just have a quick look back at the last two games really obviously you know that Sacramento game
Um it was a fun game to watch um other than the fact you know we were on the losing end uh it went back and forth uh we thought we were going to win we thought we going to lose we thought we were going to win um we had that share
Of bad officiating uh which I’m sure we’ll get to in a little bit um obviously France Vagner got injured early on which was you know a significant part uh of the game and to our team um but it was just the way that the team came together um and reacted um
In you know being able to to compete with with the Kings um on a backto back um obviously after losing in Golden State the night pre previous uh which I thought was quite a bad loss to be honest with you because I don’t think Golden State um is’s much about them
Anymore you know they live and die by the three um Unfortunately they got hot in the fourth quarter that was a game that you know I I thought we let slip um but no the you know the Kings game let’s just start with that um you know losing
It in uh two overtimes um banero scoring 43 points and as you said Gary you know he’s he’s become that star and you know through all of this losing in the last week uh the one major positive for me is we’ve got ban Caro and France Vagner
Locked up that they are Bonafide stars um and we’ve seen now in the last two games you know we’ve got very very good pieces around who can step up um no matter you know what needs doing Goga Bard then at the beginning of the season um Mo Varner yesterday against Nicola y
Um Caleb Houston knocking threes chumo K you know coming in in the third quarter against Sacramento uh drilling a few threes you know Fresh Off the Bench you know it first sort of proper minute in in a very long time uh and it was a nice reminder but obviously we lost to
The Kings um but the way we competed you know we got beat up on the on by on the rebounds by 58 to 39 um we set a franchise record with the three-point field goals made which was absolutely superb um and long that long may that
Continue this season you know um but it was unfortunately it was a game you know I thought the officials didn’t officiate this one very well and I know I tend to have a bit of a winge before we go any further G before we go any further yeah and now a reant with
Garant music sweep Cur W going the screen as well oh yeah know get get the get the come on M get it out there come on you and I you and I we we were watching within minutes of one another weren’t we by the time we done we were I
Mean it was that overtime we were have one 25 seconds to go and you know the last twom minute report from the referees says that the officials got what three or four calls wrong three calls in 25 seconds that’s absolutely disgusting that just changes the whole complexion of a game you know traveling
Queen shouldn’t have been called for for a foul on monk sabonis leans in sets an absolute killer of a screen uh on traveling Queen busts a guy’s eye open dripping blood everywhere and fair play to Joe Engles coming on the court and pointing out in his street clothes uh to
The officials you know the blood was Dripping all the all the way to the locker room um they don’t even look at it um for me that was an offensive foul and a flagrant foul because the way he lent in obviously he rolled to the basket of flr 2 even yeah that’s right
He knew exactly what he was doing but he was freed him up and and he got an easy basket I can’t remember if it was an and one as well probably a little Ticky Tack and one whereas he’s just set the screen of his life um then Paulo shouldn’t have
Been called for a charge on lyes the next possession um okay there was then a possession where Paulo um the ball went off him but you know come on um and then end of overtime sorry my uh coughs just about to come back so I’ll let Paul take over in a
Second but the the um the play where Paulo made the the layup act should have been an and one opportunity to to basically win the game at the free throw line so oh my gosh it’s just absolutely raging after that um but yeah go on Paul
You take it over from you well wa on this ref my whatsapps to G were should we say blue at the least they were I was incensed that that 25 seconds was ridiculous um first of all on the week there’s been some gritty attitude you’ve got I was really impressed by our win
Over the Knicks um I know it’s going back a bit but we really came out with a hell of an attitude and coming into your point about Paulo I loved that battle between him and Julius Randall both were super and you look at who Paulo’s gone up
Against uh this week um some of the best in the league in the position he’s faced and he’s come out with flying colors he’s had so much praise from we had uh Mike Malone Tom tho we’ve had Steve Kerr uh I think Frank vocal was complimentary
About him as well um um then there’s been Kevin Duran Devin Booker Steph Curry all have come out and said that this guy is phenomenal um his his effort is incessant it really is I’m gonna come back to Paulo in a minute but because I think we’ve got to also mention
Um the effort that Anthony black and jayen sugs have put in uh it started with the defense against Jaylen Bronson where again you listen to The Post games and the respect that they were getting saying that nobody has given Jaylen Bronson a harder game than those two did
That they never gave him an inch um Wally zerak wasn’t it the next play byplay guy yeah yeah um you know it’s it’s good to see the love that’s that we are now seeing for some of the magic players and that’s becoming increasingly true around Paulo it’s becoming
Increasingly true for France and I think you’ve got to throw jayen in there as well as players who are finally getting some recognition um I’ll be honest coming back to the week I don’t get the criticism that um a couple of lesser performances from both Jaylen and goer garard um
Phoenix yet Perhaps because that game was winnable as was the Golden State game but you know what do you going to work every day and have a perfect day everybody has a dip in performance at sometime and it’s true of sport and you look at um how jaylen’s bounced back in
These last two games the performances he’s put in has been superb including getting his uh career high tying his career high and getting his career high um in the last two games I think for me when you look at what Paulo has done um there’s all sorts of incredible
Highlights out there of his play he’s Ultra reliable he’s professional he’s a pure role model modest polite in interview and there’s so much else besides adding all these incredible statistics that Josh Cohen highlights and I say please go and have a look at that because it’s incredible what this man has
Done he’s up there with the very very best of the NBA at present he is I would say playing at a level that is an MVP almost an MVP level he’s as playing as well as your emids and your tatums your yers and your Nico yices he is having
Such an influence on this team but still he gets ignored effectively by the NBA media and TV utter disrespect for a number one pick Rookie of the Year and still to have his first nationalized TV game man it’s wrong he’s got to be at if we if his
First nationalized TV game is Allstar wow what date is the allar game this year uh I think it’s in fact be OKC will it be the OKC it will be the OKC game then yeah the OKC game but it’s mad if his second nationalized TV game is part
Of the All-Star Game absolutely mad I just don’t get it it’s interesting you say that poll because it’s one of the topics we’ll jump into it now obviously the the first returns have came out and Paulo’s sitting down the list to about 10th for um forward front Court players
Shall we say in the Eastern Conference what’s people’s thoughts on that yeah he’s he’s behind kosmer and people like that isn’t he um unfortunately I think you’ve got you know people out west Laker fans Etc probably voting kma as one of their previous and there’s lots of Laker fans
That’s my thinking behind it and obviously as PA just mentioned about National coverage we never see ban Caro’s name in it um you know he’s he did win player of the week didn’t he uh that one week um but other than that you barely see his
Name on ESPN you don’t don’t have the TNT guys talking about him um so unfortunately until we get a bit more Limelight on us um and hopefully you know that’s going to start now that people are actually taking us seriously um and obviously this game in February
Is obviously going to help and let’s just hope that you know the um big TV companies flax a couple of the San Antonio or Detroit games that they’ve pencell in for lat later in the year um and switch them to Magic games because obviously you know
I can’t remember a bad Magic game this SE season can you I think again could we just back to um his four his last four games I don’t know if you’ve seen this one on X orando Muse all Orlando Muse the guy he comes out with some fantastic stats yeah and
This latest one that he’s come up with players 21 or under to average 328 and seven over a 4 game span Michael Jordan LeBron James Luca dtic and now Paulo vano that’s some Elite company that’s Elite company what he’s you look at what he’s done on this West Coast trip the statistics are
Phenomenal absolutely phenomenal 32.5 points per game 8.8 rebounds 7.3 assists 32 point performance all have been 27 plus points and 43 including a triple double then also against the defending champs what more a man got to do to get attention I I just don’t get it yeah we
Just need to keep voting we just need to keep voting daily but he has been incredible he has been incredible he’s he perhaps might not be the most efficient efficiencies up from that’s when he even when he misses he still puts himself back in that position to to have another
Shot he’s playing he’s playing a point guard role a lot of the time it’s just he’s so influential on this team you just cannot overstate the impact that he’s had for us yeah well just looking at the season starts this season he’s at 22.7 where he was 20 last season in terms of
Points and you got seven 7.1 rebounds against 6.9 last year and then you’ve got 4.9 assists against three so obviously he’s getting double teamed more he’s getting scouted more and then you look at the efficiency he’s 46% from the field uh where he was 42 last season
And then he’s shooting 37 from downtown whereas last year he was 29 29 so you know we can’t ask any more out of him um and he’s become you know the real leader I think somebody put a photo up yesterday of a tattoo he’s got on the
Back of his leg I think it’s El Capitan uh you know he is the captain um so yeah let’s just hope he continues the uh the Great Performances you know he compare him compare his figures to a Jason Tatum and I you know I’m I’m a fan of TR tatm I
Think the guy’s brilliant but his figures for his rookie season and this point of his sophomore season are so far ahead of where ton was it’s incredible what he’s what he’s doing and you add to the fact that he’s bigger he’s stronger on the Block um so he’s got a you know a
Wider load and more opportunity to you know bully other opponents like we saw against Julius Randall you know going toe-to-toe with him somebody who often you know gets his way down in the in the paint uh it was good to see well somebody else put out um a comparison
Between uh where Paulo is at this moment and where Julius Randall was at the end of his second season and again the stats that Paulo is producing are so far in front it’s it’s mind-blowing absolutely mindblowing the I I think I think that the guy will get
There I do think that the guy will get um I don’t I don’t think any others expected him to get voted in I think that would be an over stretch at this point um I also think that but I do think 10th is a little low as far as Eastern
Conference uh in your your forward positions um but I think that he will get selected by the uh the coaches I do think he get selected yeah and he deserves to be it can’t I can’t really blame people though I know I’ve seen people like going getting really upset on Twitter
About the voting system which I get but it’s the system we’ve got but I can’t blame people that much for where he is because if you were to take a new like a an interested NBA fan or somebody who just likes the NBA without like a massive affiliation
You’re probably going to vote for embiid you’re going to vote for jannis and you’re going to vote for Tatum as the front court so it’s kind of like Paulo dislodging one of those to get the votes and it’s really really hard to do when the magic don’t get the national
Recognition on TV that that’s what does it because people who like like basketball like the NBA I know people who just watched for players I’m a Yannis fan or or I’m a a Luca fan and things like that and then I just watch around that they are getting H that’s where I
Started yeah but they are get so they don’t get the chance to see Paul so you’re gonna see what like G said where you’re gonna have maybe Laker fans who go oh I don’t like particular superstar X because of when we’ve encountered them over the years so I
Will vote for one of our guys Kyle kma and we do it yeah we do it as well we do it as well we’ll vote for former magic players who’ve left a good impression so it’s kind of in that thing where it’s really hard for Paulo to break into there but
On the other hand it’s it’s quite good when we know that this if he doesn’t get brought in as a coach’s pick on a team with probably going to have a winning record going in I hope I haven’t jinxed it going into the allstar game it’s like one of the snub of all
Snubs and I feel for banero a lot because he wasn’t a clear number one pick and then he’s came in he’s the least he’s he’s not respected when you look at like kid Cunningham Victor wanyama Paulo’s just sitting there putting up generational statistics and we’ve mentioned Julius Randall if Paulo
Banko’s career pans out into Julius Randall he’s actually hit a floor of exp we talking about a guy here whose floor is a bench Allstar that’s his flaw and he’s halfway into his second season and we know the comparisons and the stats like you said about JT there Paul about Tatum he
Paul’s I think in the last six to seven games taken that leap yeah the Tatum took like a year and a half later down the line where it was like wow this guy really is it Paulo’s doing that now and he’s doing it as option one the first option
And it was in JT’s third season yeah his first season 13.9 points where he played and started in all in 80 games sophomore season played and started in 79 games you’ve got to remember what he’s got round him at this point in this in these
Two teams he was at 15.7 points and then it was his third season where he took a massive leap to 23.4 points um his assists went up to three a game his total rebounding went up to seven a game and you saw um some improvements in efficiency and stuff like that
Yeah year one two he’s a year and a half ahead yeah yep it’s it’s it’s absolute mad but then we’re dealing in an NBA where I’m not knocking wanyama here but it’s still wemi wemy wemi and chat hr’s for me the Rookie of the Year I agree
100% you know so it’s it’s kind of it is a crazy world we live and we just got to hope that the coaches are going to do the business because what if they don’t hey maybe it works in Al fa anyway and banko goes on
A tear with a chip on his shoulder post Allstar but it’s encouraging I think gu said about those two being locked up as two future stars with him and Vagner it’s really interesting I’m keeping it like a lowkey slightly more of an eye on jayen sugs than I normally would not
That I don’t keep an attention on him but i’ just have been watching a little bit more he’s creeping towards 40% from three this season he’s about 39% right now and you know Paulo was given him the love pul game in that Captain type role saying he you know backed sugs and keeps
Telling him he’s the man and we know that he has the coaches behind him but the comparisons being Boston Celtics with Tatum Brown and’s smart and right now you’re looking and you’re going well Paulo ahead of JT at the same stage I would say Jaylen sugs is head of Marcus Smart
Significantly for where smart was as well I think I think I still think there’s a chance that Jill and Suggs is more of a Drew holiday I still think that yeah and if you think back to Marcus Smart if I remember the first two seasons he couldn’t hit a three to save
His life um yeah um so obviously he he worked on his game and he got very good but yeah yeah jaylen’s absolutely brilliant you know and testament to him you know seven of nine on on three-point field goals yesterday they scor in 27 career high but his defense down the
Stretch on um Jamal Murray my gosh he didn’t give him an inch did he and it was good to see Mosley as well on the sideline um I don’t think it was that play I think traveling Queen was guarding Murray on a different position he was like he’s not gonna shoot he’s
Not gonna shoot just trying to oh was it Murray it might be Reggie Jackson actually was Reggie Jackson it was Reggie Jackson wasn’t he but it was it was good to see coach uh get into it as well with the Mind Games so against the Nuggets but um no just going back to
That Denver game I didn’t finish uh when I when I just started early before my little coffing uh fit um but that team performance yesterday I mean I’m sure when we all started watching it you know you see Anthony black you know get benched because he’s ill we’ve got an
Eight-man rotation we’ve got one Center um and the job you know mo Vagner did on yic um it was just him really wasn’t it you know other people you know switched up Paulo played a bit of five then you had a lot of okk minutes you’ve got
Admiral scoffield coming in um just that was probably one of the best wins of the Season wasn’t it I think one guy who has to have a huge amount of credit in that game is Cole Anthony because yeah that guy was in pain throughout every time he jumped landed you could see discomfort
Through his his quad muscle every time there was an impact with another player you could see that discomfort and he came out and he gave 100% he left nothing and knocked in 23 points the man was fantastic second half the second half he was unreal unreal I agree absolutely
Unreal but I also think over the week you’ve just mentioned a couple of them there G treving Queen hats off he’s come in and he’s worked his absolute backside off uh Caleb done the best he can and Schumer you’ve got to just every single man who’s been asked
To play it’s turned up and worked and those but I think those those final three have to be sh we never mention them we rarely mention them and you’ve got to say that they’ve come in and really produced some excellent performances because we were we were unlucky in Sacramento and Denver
Last night was just stunning the I on the cake there is obviously Paulo getting his first triple double as well yep yeah which have you seen that I mean that stat as well with that one that it um it becomes one of seven players all time in NBA history
For a 30 10 and 10 game before turning 22 one of only seven players and the others are Michael Jordan LeBron James Magic Johnson Isaiah Thomas Steph Curry and Luca Dage my God Elite company you do you know if we I know we always look at if we always
Look at things through like magic glasses which we do and that’s fair enough we are biased and we never said any other but I was watching the fourth quarter of the Nuggets game today you’re seeing things you know like where Mosley’s Off the Bench and he’s he’s
Hounding him I saw Paulo Paulo give Gordon a couple of herbals during the game you know when you’re reading his lips and stuff I was I was loving that you’re seeing Cole playing through the pain you’re seeing Anthony black suiting up and he’s not ready to play you see
Him Paulo saying the things he did in the press conference after and Jaylen sugs talking about the battles he’s gone through the support he’s had these guys like chuma coming in you know travel and queen Etc with the the big bench minutes we’re seeing Jo Engles running on the
Court and stuff in the Sacramento game that’s a culture that just and I was sat back and I was like even if I’m not a magic fan now I’m sat back and I’m going if you’re a player who’s looking the move and you’re not happy you’ve got to
Be looking at this going hold on this is interesting this this is interesting where you’ve got a young coach you’ve got the players who go out there and the the players love Mosley like to me it’s it’s it’s obvious now that the respect he’s generated in
The culture he’s brought in cuz it’s the next guy up mental but these guys are I’m struggling really maybe early Stan Van Gundy but where there’s that like Bond and respect and I just hope it continues because if I was a free agent or a person who was trying
To get traded in the NBA I’d be putting orando going I like what I’m seeing there to the point of where I think our next city Jersey should have culture across the front the magic culture additions he’s they’ve just got an incredible spirit they don’t make excuses when they lose yeah even when
Excuses are available they don’t make excuses for the themselves they take it firmly on the chin and as you just said they have really bought in to what the coach is bring in they’d run through a wall for him yeah and they’d run through a wall for each
Other it’s and it don’t matter who’s in the rotation it’s incredible to watch it’s incredible to watch abely so I’m I’m going to switch focus a little guys on to some big news that came out in Orlando earlier in the week I know we’ve talked a little bit
About it in our group chat and it certainly divided opinions on Twitter but the magic made the announcement earlier in the week that they were going to retire the first jersey number in Orlando Magic history and it’s the number 32 for Shaq and it’s divided opinion on Twitter it’s divided opinion
With prominent magic posters who I follower friends of mine Etc I’ve Got My Views I will give them but I’m going to open the floor up so oh you you go first F you go first I will I will retort politely so G I’m gonna start with you Paul oh God
Please go after what’s your views on uh on the big man getting his jersey retired what G well okay well first of all I gotta say it you know is a massive congratulations to Shaquille um you know it’s nice to see the magic actually acknowledge uh you know players and put
A jersey up in the rafters uh it’s something we’ve been asking for for a long time um myself I believe it’s the wrong number I believe 25 should be in the rafters first um for all that Nick Anderson stood for has done and continues to do for the Orlando Magic and the Orlando
Magic Community um you know I don’t want to take anything away from Shaquille because obviously he’s he’s a very deserved player um but for me he did put Alando on the map which is you know the one big thing he did but then he did bail um and a lot of Orlando
Magic fans um haven’t forgiven him but for for what had happened um now for me my my magic Journey started 97 98 and my first game was the game when Nick Anderson sent Shaquille packing in his Laker joury in his first return to the arena I think
The score was 9694 and then Nick did the old chicken dance uh hence he’s my favorite player so I’ve I didn’t you know follow the team when he was on the roster so um so maybe that’s why but obviously I I know Gary you you’ve followed the team longer than I had and
Shaquille was a big you know pull and big player that you know you liked um but for me I’m going to cough now excuse me um it’s it’s it’s the the stuff that’s happened after as well he puts us down in the media and it really GRS me when Dwight
Howard was on the team it was you know oh Orlando this Orlando that I’m the real Superman this that and the other um so I just got a little bit sick of it to be honest with you um um I was always a penny guy a Nick guy Dwight Howard and I
Know Dwight Howard and Penny both left in you know circumstances similar um so you know I’m going to be there on on the 14 14th of February um and and I’ll applaud and I’ll celebrate it um but 25 should be up in the rafters for me first but um yeah but anyway congratulations
To Shaquille you know and we hope he’s one of um you know many jerseys to uh go up in the rafters Paul how can you follow G there she’s made his kiss okay first of all I don’t get this retiring of jerseys at all I don’t get
It yeah the guy whoever whoever whoever it is whether it’s on whatever team whoever it is I don’t get it Um you’ve got all the the hall of fame um I prefer that idea to retire in jersey number I can’t help it um but that’s just me uh however if we are to do it I find it hard to see who is more important or impactful in terms of the Orlando Magic
History than Shaq um I wasn’t a fan of basketball in in his era I never saw him play um I’ve only ever seen highlights of his play but from my perspective of coming to basketball after started watching it in 2010 he was the player that had put Orlando on the map
Um from looking at things subsequently as you read things it appears to me that the magic did him dirty by lowballing him as as such I find it difficult to actually say that he was wrong to then go and seek being appreciated and getting paid elsewhere and if that’s in whether
Whether I like the Lakers or not if that’s in La where there’s all the attendant attention you can understand that um equally and I get exact what G’s saying about the he just I mean I’m aware of watching interviews now and still hearing him put the magic
Down but I’ve always got to temper that with the fact that if you are if you if you are at somewhere and you feel underappreciated and you feel that you have been agree grieved by that organization or by certain people in that organization you’re not necessarily
Going to have a lot of nice things to say about them and you tend to carry that Grudge um it’s an incredible play for for the magic he would is’s still a leader in as far as some of the stats go um if we to do it I can understand why
He is the first one but equally I can understand why there is some controversy about it but I think some of that controversy has been brought about originally by the magic the C from a perspective of not having been involved at the time there’s still a lot of play
A lot of magic fans absolutely love the guy and over to one who still does it’s it’s an interesting one for me because my view on the Jersey retirement ideally would be who brings a championship to Orlando yeah so you know I would like to see number 50 going up
There as the MVP of the finals or number five or something like that in the magic getting the first banner and one day bringing those back but it’s not to be and I know it’s going to divide opinion because I was in Orlando I arrived in
Orlando the day Shack left so I was there for a holiday arrived from Carolina drove down as a teenager walked into the hotel room put on ESPN as Shaq was it was being announced Shaq’s left Orlando and when you talk about magnitude of a player in a place
Everyone was talking about it you know there was I saw jerseys get getting burned I’ve seen the cutouts being destroyed I heard you know Bell hops reception staff talking about Shaq leaving I remember sitting I wasn’t allowed to drink in a hotel bar the um
The barman talking to me and my dad and he’s on about it and we don’t need Shaq we’ve got Penny Shaq was always and I was like I remember even saying then as a kid I was like you can’t replace 30 points per game those rebounds that presence in the paint the size
Everything that Shaq brings and I would not be an Orlando Magic fan if it wasn’t for Shaq because it was getting that Jersey instead of a Jordan one so I was thinking about it when it was announced and I’m like well okay see Orlando didn’t win the lottery that year and get
What was the LeBron James wanyama pick it was the it was the generational pick that came in we could be the Charlotte Hornets if we’d gone to we would have probably took Alonzo Morning we’d be you know we’re the Charlotte Hornets we haven’t got the same media attention you
Didn’t have the Beatles orando or magic coming into town then guys like him and Penny cleaning up Allstar vots Penny’s a great player but he got the media recognition there because the people were watching for Shaq he was a consensus number one generational pick he brought me into the
Magic and yeah it was awful when he left and I as a kid I hated the Lakers from that point on because I was kind of like they taking away that my favorite player but we played our part in that as an organization by not giving him what he wanted
At times he says stuff and I’m kind of like why have you said this Shaq but then as you said Paul I think people when there’s feelings involved have these things to say when there’s feelings involved and if we look at it maybe this is another way there’s
Another view of where the magic have reached out to Shaq and maybe he’s going to become an ambassador for the magic on a national level now maybe this is the bridge being mended maybe he’s going to be the guy on National TV who’s going to go have you seen what my boy Paulo
Banero is doing down in Orlando maybe that’s what comes out of this and if that comes out of it that’s a good thing you know Shaq is a national media voice we we hear it all the time people talking up the Celtics and the Lakers that might turn things Shaq could
Become that voice and when he got announced I felt he was really heartfelt what he said when he was talking he’s Mr divor when he was talking about the organization he’s voice wavered a little bit when he was I was like this means something to him we he not that good an
Actor yeah he’s not that good an actor at all we’ve all seen him in films we know he’s not that good an act steel steel didn’t have the blue chips that night but uh yeah it was a it’s an interesting one but I I
Think it blows my I said this to G and we said it in our group chat it it genuinely blows my mind when I hear like the and I get it nor Dwight Howard we could would be playing in another city I get it I totally get it but no Shar and
We could be the Charlotte Hornets and nobody cares and we could have gone anywhere and I it just blows my mind when I think about being here being a magic fan and seeing Dwight Howard and the Dwight Man how he forced his way out of Orlando GM
The team took himself out for What on paper was an awful package for the magic like came better in the end but it was awful set the team back probably a decade caused a a hang over of a year at least of bad feeling in the city where I
Was just get him off the team there’s that argument out there and I’m like well particularly T-Mac didn’t leave in the best circumstances either because you were talking there a top three player in the NBA top five player in the NBA and it was I will be traded to these
Teams like team I could have stayed and played alongside Dwight he could he just needed to give it one more year didn’t he so that could have been so diff different look yeah exactly I love T-Mac I really do I love Penny I like Dwight Howard a lot I’ve got fun memories or
All of that but when there’s that like all these guys here and then Shaq here I’m like doesn’t that up to me that just doesn’t add up for me at all I think the issue is the impact of Shaq the impact of Shaq leaving yeah
Well the fact they had the Lakers had a dynasty then didn’t they the fact you know Tac never won a championship Howard left the Lakers and you know that team was in disarray he bounced along he’s eventually got a championship going back there but he was never the player that
He was when Shaq left you know he was still that dominant you know diesel truck wasn’t he and he continued to be um so maybe that’s why we we sort of hold it a little bit more than what we did with with Dwight and um
Tac I I just genuinely think if we put the money down I think he would have stayed because we were next like we don’t we never knew that the injuries were going to come for Penny like they did but then I think it was Chris Pidge said ages ago would their injuries have
Happened for Penny without the Lord carrying that he had you know that that magic team was Unreal like that that was the got next team and when you look at it Shaq penny two of your top five players in the league anywhere Penny pre injury yeah Nick Anderson Dennis Scott
They their jobs are Dennis scoff when Shaq was there was a legit offensive weapon Horus Grant still had years within him he would go on to win with the Lakers so the starting five was set what what if what if the magic had kept cha and then Chuck D came in as
Coach the championship winning coach what what happens then I I just for me he deserves it if we’re going to retire a jersey you started with 32 and I love 25 and I would love it to be hung up there with it because he’s done Nick Anderson’s the best Ambassador and he SP
Sports team could ever have and he was Unreal on the court and I loved him when he was there but again I know who Nick Anderson and everybody are and the magic and all this cross a Shaq so yeah I I I know this is something I asked in the group but I’m
Gonna ask you again who outside of Shaq would get the magic National media attention by reti in the Jersey it didn’t way no it shaqs the most and then it probably be T Mar and Penny but then the problem is with p t Mar and Penny is they’re both number one
What you do there Jonathan Isaac also wears number one so would you let him wear that until he retires or I don’t know but obviously the magic have changed the criteria so I I think I read that being in the uh the Hall of Fame is one of the criterias now obviously
Shacks in there t-mac’s in there Penny’s nominated this season this year I believe so um you know we could get some some more um jersey retirements in the next couple of Seasons I see one going up I say number one going up and rightly
You know T again you come in you you go with your player that brought you in and if you came in as a magic fan for example with tmac what Memories you’ve got of him if you if your teenage days growing up in Orlando with D Howard and
That team of course back brought you in there you go you got Shaq I got Nick Mikey’s got tmac and Paul’s got EV for no Paulo mate we’re going with Paulo and FRS with I can ignore that develop I could ignore that that was the developmental period yeah for me that
Was the developmental period I’m this is the era the pre the prepubescent Paul in magic yeah right we’ll move we’ve gone through that end of the day congrats to sha going to divide opinion um the end of the day people’s got divide opinions because they’re passionate about the magic and that’s
Ultimately the main thing that we’ve all got an opinion on it I hope he doesn’t get booed I hope it’s universally applauded yeah yeah I know and you know and I’ll be there I’ll I’ll applaud I’ll I’ll cheer and I’m just happy to to be there you know in a
For the first one so that’d be amazing yeah it’s going to be it’s going to be cool to see regardless and enjoy it so we go from Sha to our mailbag and it’s it’s around trades guys just as a heads up um our first question came from Liam
And he’s highlighted the OG trade we’ll call it the OG RG uh quickly trade um kicking off trade season Liam wants to know um which players should the magic be going for and which players would you be comfortable giving up here so uh Paul what would your thoughts be
Which players do you think the magic should be going for and who would you be comfortable in giving up I guess ultimately we’ve got to be saying that you’re looking at somebody who it’s the point guard role or somebody who can spread the floor um
It’s hard to see where in this squad you sorry on in this starting five that you can Implement somebody who can have more impact than we have at the moment except sorry g at the point guard role jayen I think Jaylen is stating his claim for the shooting
Guard role I don’t think at this point in time he’s a player that you can say anything other than he deserves to be in the starting unit and his defend his Elite he’s shooting as you’ve already said Gary is improving he is rapidly becoming um not going to say Untouchable
But he’s one that you don’t want to see moving on from the squad in my opinion um I pal and Fran are completely Untouchable completely Untouchable um at the center finding a big man that uh shoots from distances isn’t the easiest so um we’ve got three guys there at the moment
Who all have different attributes all have different abilities but all come out and compete we’re seeing Wendell um starting to get Fitness when he was coming from the bench much preferred seeing coming from the bench to get his uh match Fitness up rather than in the starting five so for
Me it’s in the point guard position uh um we need somebody who I I’d be happy to see somebody who can handle the ball take some of the scoring uh and particularly fire from the three that’d be excellent to see that interest that’ be my it’s interesting what it’s interesting what
You just said there Paul because like jumping in here but um Barry sent a message Barry KH sent a message was saying about how aggressively we go for a shooter but his second question was a a one linking to what you’ve just said um and it’s a close one for G here so
I’ll add this little caveat in for him but how long when you’re thinking about the need for shooting perhaps what youve just brought up or how long does fults have with the magic when you’re taking this into account um G what’s your thoughts as the president of the fols
Fandom like how worried are you right now we all love Marquel we will say that you know what I’m not actually that worried at the moment because what we’ve had uh in the last you know month and a half is Anthony black and Anthony’s come in rookie done absolutely brilliantly
You know he calling cards on defense as we saw against you know um Jaylen Brunson Etc um he’s hit his you know three-point opportunities but he’s not the playmaker that Mark alz is you know you get Marquel on that floor um the tempo changes um you know the offense
Totally changes okay you probably lose a little bit of shooting especially spot up shooting um but I think you need to get him back on the floor now you know this January is going to be key for Marquel get him in um get him running with you know Paulo and France again um
But but it does ask you know you you all make good points um does it need to be you know a traditional point guard do we just need a shooter and you know talking about that trade that went down with Toronto acquired Emanuel quickley Emanuel quickley was a player I really
Liked a lot of UPS side can shoot the ball um obviously the Knicks didn’t want to pay him so um you know off off they shipped him to Toronto for oan and noi um which I think was quite a fair trade um just you know going back to what
Liam’s question was um Nicks got better and the the Raptors you know got got two good players a Canadian player and and quickly um so I’m not that concerned just yet you know Marquel can um do what he can do we know what he can do he
Impacts winning he pushes the ball he’s active on defense um and to sound like a broken rord because I talk about this all the time don’t know but um just let him play Ju Just you’ll be all right you’ll be all right um and then obviously situational then um I think I
Messaged you boys uh in in the week when um I think Anthony black got the hook in one of the games in the second half he didn’t really feature and either we started Gary Harris or we chucked in Caleb Houston um I think it might be the
Phoenix game Caleb came in and knocked two threes and it’s because he just sat in the in the corner waiting for the ball and you know he’s got a fast release and and he can hit that jump shot um and at the time black wasn’t really giving us anything other than you
Know just dribble handoffs and a bit of Defense so having Caleb in the corner and letting France and Paulo run the offense was fine so I don’t know if you actually need the tradition or point guard you might just need shooting I’m not saying we need traditional point
Guard mate by the way when I was saying the point guard position but that’s the obvious position because you I Pao acts in very much as you LeBron does a lot handles the ball an awful lot he is the instigator of a lot of plays um particularly whilst marquel’s
Been out so I get entirely your point yeah entirely your point and then go on sorry no go on carry on mate um and then you mention the trades another name I thought I saw on X or Twitter earlier was wend Del Carter possibly being talked about uh about potentially being
Moved now we know he’s got a he’s on a great contract but in FIS goab baz’s come in and he’s done absolutely everything um you know to earn and try and keep that Jersey obviously Wendell’s great talent um it would be interesting to know what what was out there for him
Um you know you take the you take the call uh and you make a judgment call on it on it on it there because we’ve seen how well Goa can play and and mo vagen again last night as I mentioned at the top of the show you know def defending
You know the MVP nio yic um okay yic got his but barer kept his hands you know clean he didn’t get into foul trouble and he did what he was supposed to do so um interesting times um I wouldn’t deal too much to be honest with you i’ it’d
Be Fringe players you know you know throwing out names there like okk maybe um and you’d be looking at somebody like tyus Jones or Corey kiss but you know low low um you know I wouldn’t sort of break the bank just to go after you know Zach LaVine or anybody like
That I’m I’m personally like listening I think every point to be made great and my my view on it really is is that I’m not desperate to make a trade I agree I think the player you mentioned I think the player who’s the players who would
Be most likely if we were going to ship somebody out the rotation I think Wendell’s someone who might be calls there for I’m not saying get rid of Wendell by the way because I think he’s still in with the way injuries have hit him this year he’s probably still
Somewhere at the end of preseason in his development and fitness but I think Wendell I still think Gary Harris could go I think that’s there um players like Tuma put themselves in the window a little bit to a team cuz you know when chuma really got himself fit and we blew
It all up he did look like he was going to be a real good rotation piece and I still think that’s there for him so I think maybe but I think the two players who orando might get calls about a Wendell and Gary Harris for different reasons um I think Cory kiser’s an
Interesting one it’s a player who I think fits quite well with the magic but I think if Washington are going a rebuild don’t know why they would be desperate to trade kisper because he’s still young himself but I think he could do a role for us off the off the bench
Particularly when we’re not seeing jet Howard at all right now I think hisper add something to us there if Gary Harris was to go I’d be interested and it’s it’s not me saying that I want this to happen so I’m just going to say that but
I would be really interested I could see Golden State picking the phone up to Orlando and I I think Wendell and Gary Harris fit there if they’re trying to stay relevant Wendell’s somebody who can fit into that starting lineup quite well he can play the four the five he’s a big
Body he’s intelligent player he can do a bit of everything and get them a double double and he’s at that age where he’s you know he would still fit and but he’s got time left in him Gary Harris can hit the three and play defense Off the Bench
Or in the starting lineup and he fits in with again somebody who would play Golden St ball and it’s just I’ve seen them decline so much and Paul G you’ve both mentioned it the night and I’ve wondered what would happen if they picked the phone up and threw something like Chris
Paul as a veteran because we don’t know how bad this Marquel injury is I’m worried that it’s his shoulder if I’m being brutally honest that’s my worry but if Chris Paul was brought in as like a you look after Anthony black his hand though hasn’t he yeah but
You look after Anthony black like another veteran voice I’m not saying I want Chris Paul but just crossed my mind but if that gave us the keys to the magic getting kaminga and Moody because I don’t think they fit there I don’t you get both depends how desperate how desperate
Are they how desperate are they because there’s there’s cracks appearing at Golden State and I’m not saying we would but right now they need people who can start and I just think they might try and give it one last swing of the bat because right now it looks like they’re
Going to struggle to get in they’re going to be around 9 10 11 12 because Grizzlies are starting to put it together with mirand back so it’s interesting that’s a team that’s I thought they might pick the phone up to Orlando in a desperate we need to stay
Relevant and keep Stephan clear happy just a little bit longer yeah not saying I would do it but I just want it’s something it’s it’s a little bit different I thought throw it out there as an outside one so we’ve got um sorry Paul Gary I’m
Going to ask you um it’s been muted a couple of times we’ve seen various things and there was a really badly written piece on the internet for Cade what would your thoughts be on Kade Cunningham mate I’d love Kade Cunningham I would Abs if we could put it this way if the Orlando
Could have a team that would have Paulo France Jaylen and kayin in and kid sorry there J jayen and kid there together on the starting lineup that’s it that’s dangerous because I think even if it me given getting rid of Cole I think I think marel will be at the door first you
Know I agree I think you’re right you’re right yeah 100% I think with you look at the the thing that we talk about when we talk about who’s likely to go out of the door what’s likely to go out the door more are the draft picks yeah yeah and
The and the question has to be asked how many more young players do we need are we getting to that point where we don’t need some of those draft picks and what we need to do is utilize them for other Talent if if Detroit trades kid Cunningham they should this should close the
Franchise they should actually close they won’t but the the team I’ll give you a dangerous thought here when that article came out what I thought what if Josh giddy was to be part of a package with all those draft picks that put Cade alongside sh Jaylen Williams chat hren in
OKC because you could basically just you could write the rest you could write write the Western Conference off for the next five years SG a is looking immense yeah what a season that boy is putting together got to applaud him Absol fingerprints all over that team I know everybody else is doing well
In that but without him they are they’re nowhere near that position that they are in this in the in the Western Conference they don’t have that record without SGA orc why not now yeah why not now because the are very very good and you know there’s there’s no reason why not the
Lakers are done I think worriers are done Phoenix are on the way you know are they are they up are they down can they beat off injuries it’s taken its tall you’re looking at it then and you’re like right well okay can Minnesota or Denver as the defending Champions they
The two teams in their way and it’s not I don’t think it’s a huge gap that was another one you said to me the other day guy wasn’t it you’d be looking at Phoenix as well about de Booker I’d love Devon Booker he’s he’s third option Deon Booker could you imagine that yeah
Pretty good wouldn’t it I find it incredible they’re only eighth in the west incredible yeah Minnesota are a surprise this season so far without a doubt fair play we’ll see them next week yep fair play to Rudy go cred played him that’s what I’m wanting that’s what
I want for your birthday Rudy go no a win no I’m not bothered but I I remember being asked some time ago Mike I think Mikey and I were having a discussion as to if you could get a center in who would you go who would you
Be who would your choice be and I think at that point gabar was my choice because he is that pure defensive Center um I think Mikey was on the he have gone bam okay interesting but he he and cat have seemed to have worked it out this season
I think that was something uh when we did the preview of the Season looking at each of the teams said that that had to be their priority getting them to being able to play together seems worked it out obviously taken a big well yeah absolutely would gz still be your um
Center if you could have one in I think for a team with a defensive minded coach that like we have um who wants to see Second Chance points it’s hard to find one that’s uh kind of more suited to the role than him Walker Kesler I think the guy’s a cracking
Player cracking player there’s some great options out oh God yeah there’s some great options out there who would be who would be yours G they’ had say any Center for G Paul yeah you you take MB don’t you s you go for yeah yeah Joe
LM beat get him in there with Paulo and France and right I think that’s the East sewn up for the next five years but um yeah but that’s just as good a player as he is I just don’t like him being given our age given our
Age I would love to see what a front Court would look like of Paulo France and Shang great he’s a good player he is a really good play he’s got I liked him in the draft you did you did so I would I wouldn’t mind seeing that oh the Jer but there you
Go so upcoming games um we’ve got the Atlanta Hawks and we’ve got the Minnesota Timberwolves so Paul you’re going to be the birthday boys so I’m want to start with you what’s your predictions um I actually think we can get to this week I do think on home court we can get
To I know that Minnesota are doing really really well I understand that I can see that we are um having issues around injury hopefully we perhaps see one or two come back sooner rather than later um I could see us uh taking Atlanta we owe them one for the for that game in
Mexico um should have been a home a homecourt victory I don’t see why we can’t win that one and I can just see as actually upsetting uh Minnesota regardless of us having only gone one and three on this West Coast trip I think there’s so many positives that the team will
Take and Confidence from all four games that they can compete with anybody and I think that they’ve got a chance of uh showing a bit of spirit and I’ve got to go I’ve got to go for a win on Me birthday for God’s sake I’m not going to I’m not going to
Predict that the magic are going to spoil me birthday Paul I’m look I’m really looking forward to a birth deer slice that’s what I’m looking forward to I some balloons or something behind just to spice it up for the oh yeah yeah we need the concern is all of the injuries
And we’ve we’ve heard people say you know you come back from a West Coast trip four games the first game always hard to get you know your legs going and JT said this you know as an ex player the first game was always a little bit
Flat that Atlanta game is the one we need to win um just because hey we owe them as Paul said and they’re in the Eastern Conference so you know just hands them inever Al um I’m gonna go one on one and say we’ll beat the Hawks um
But obviously a lot rests on who we’ve be who we’ve got available um I think Minnesota probably got a bit too much for us I’d love us to go two and 0 um but if it’s one and one it’s not the end of the world and we’re still in that you
Know four to eight pack in the East but we we got to start picking up wins because you know it’s getting very competitive now Indiana have won a lot Miami are winning um and you you don’t want to fall you know into the seven eight slot basically so um just keep
Keep there through January how about you g given how our injuries are and when we really release an update and it’s like oh they’re doing well and then we don’t see them for three months um I’m going to be the cautious what I think we might go on
Two let’s hope you’re wrong I hope I’m wrong but it I’m just the injuries FR Vagner not knowing when certain players who we thought we might see quickly and then they haven’t reemerged that quick um the minutes in the legs off a West Conference roads it just worries me I
Think I could say the Hawks game maybe being a a huge ask and then Minnesota coming in being how they are it worries me I hope I’m wrong but I’m going to say all in two and we’ll have three different predictions combinations there you know if you ask me any week
Other than my birthday week it would have been a different prediction this one he we didn’t mention I got it right last time when we said about the three in one week is I don’t recall that dein Kennedy episode I don’t recall that mate no I don’t recall you saying
That P G powered by cough syrup and he’s still getting hit I know I’m trying not to laugh right I think that’s going to about do it for this week’s episodes but as always thank you for listening if you like the episode please subscribe please give us a thumbs up if you’re watching
On YouTube it helps us massively do leave your comments do leave your questions we do try to respond um if you’re listening to this obviously leave us a nice review share it with other magic fans help us grow you can like us on Facebook follow on
Instagram Tik Tok X _ let’s talk magic so for a coughing G and a birthday boy soon to be Paul and for myself let’s go magic and let’s win at least one game next week
The Orlando Magic continue to battle injury and illness but have shown this week that they can still overcome adversity. Gary, Paul and Geraint discuss the huge comeback win on the road against the Denver Nuggets, Paolo Banchero’s first career triple double and the Magic breaking the franchise record for 3-pointers made in a game.
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