NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Orlando Magic and Paul George could be a perfect match. Hell, George should only have the Magic on his radar at this point in his career. Here is the reason why.
If he stays with the Los Angeles Clippers, there is a good chance he’ll never reach the mountaintop with his current crop of teammates. Kawhi Leonard’s knees are a major concern and the status and play of James Harden continues to be a mystery. The Philadelphia 76ers are a team that many figured would be a good match for George and now the New York Knicks have emerged as another destination.
However, the Orlando Magic may be the best chance for him to get what has eluded him throughout his career. George wants a ring and despite their young core, PG could be the missing piece to their championship puzzle.
Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are growing into their roles as team leaders and Jalen Suggs is finding his footing. However, what has ailed the Magic so far has been their play on the offensive end and having no real closer when games are tight. Paul will fix those issues quickly.
The Magic are in need of a veteran presence. They need a player who can play both ends of the court at a high level and show the younger players how winning is done and the dedication it takes.
The Eastern Conference is wide open. Yes, the Boston Celtics are still the team where the measuring stick ends. The New York Knicks will be healthy, the 76ers still have Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey but with the East, it’s always been anyone’s Conference.
This past season, the Magic were right on the brink of a major breakthrough. They lost their first-round matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers but they put up a great fight in 7 games. Imagine if they had they had a player of George’s caliber to go bucket for bucket with Donovan Mitchell.
The Orlando Magic will be armed with enough space under the cap to sign George right out or there could be a sign-n-trade between the two teams. What’s staggering regarding their roster is that they have players who can play multiple positions. While grabbing Paul George will deplete funds, they can create space by declining the Club Option on Joe Ingles ($11M) and making a trade to send out either Wendell Carter Jr ($11.9M) or Jonathan Isaac ($17.4). And we can’t forget Cole Anthony and his ($12.9M). There are ways to get this done.
They will need to add more pieces of course but snagging George will turn a few heads in free agency. Players who want to win will always think about playing for less. This is what has kept some of the top teams at the top. It’s time for the Orlando Magic to make their move to the top of the Eastern Conference and that starts this summer by doing whatever they have to do to get Paul George down in Orlando.
