The Orlando Magic followed an under-.500 month of February with another very disappointing home loss to begin the month of March against the Toronto Raptors. Maybe it was due to too much wine and cheese. Orlando is continuing a downward spiral that sees them 29-33, and struggling just to maintain play-in positioning. Jeff Weltman failed and continues to fail to make moves to help this team out. There has been no offensive assistant replacement for Nate Tibbetts. There has not been veteran, 3-point shooting, point guard replacements made for Joe Ingles and Markelle Fultz. Jamahl Mosley needs to get more aggressive with this starting lineup and rotations to compensate. Will he do that?

Worse yet, Jalen Suggs is having left knee surgery that is removing cartilage from his knee. That is of great concern in the short term and the long term of Jalen’s NBA career. The Magic have been bad without Suggs on the court, and they’ll have to figure out how to win games without Suggs for the rest of the regular season. And the Magic just gave him a 5-year $150 million extension that begins next season. 

It’s not a lost season yet, but it will be if the Magic don’t make the playoffs. 

All of that and more!

#LetsGoMagic 

Warning: Adult Language


153. Suggs’ Significant Surgery; Refresh the Rotations; Magic 29-33

Magic lose in TD Garden, 120-89. Series over. Adam Silver called Tony Brothers at halftime of this Game 5 with the Magic up 2 in Boston. Brothers tags 3 questionable fouls on Paolo Banchero, gets him out with 5 fouls, and the Celtics avalanche was on from there. Orlando loses this series 4-1. We go another year without a series win and no road playoff game victory. Similar offensive story, not a lot of help for Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.

All of that and more!

#LetsGoMagic 

Warning: Adult Language


166. Silver Made the Call; Magic Lose Series 4-1

We’re in offseason mode. Exit interviews happened and guys are resting or already in workout mode. I’m glad Jeff Weltman said we’re in ‘win now’ mode, that we’re going to be aggressive this offseason to improve the roster around Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, but he should’ve had stones thrown at him had he not. I want to look at how this Orlando Magic roster performed against Boston. Watching these second round series, we are a great offseason from being a Finals team. Don’t let anyone talk you out of that vision. But that means trusting a front office that has not earned that trust.

All of that and more!

#LetsGoMagic 

Warning: Adult Language


167. Magic Playoff Postmortem

This is the first of what should be several episodes where I focus on one or a few players from each team as guys who the Magic are, could, and/or should be targeting to acquire this offseason. Let’s make our way to Portland. Anfernee Simons. He has to be the #1 most discussed Magic rumored target at the moment. Hometown Orlando guy. He’s named after my favorite basketball player of all time (Anfernee Hardaway). He was at the Celtics series at Kia Center. Simons would certainly help resolve our offensive problems. 

All of that and more!

#LetsGoMagic 

Warning: Adult Language


168. Anfernee Simons

In an offseason where the Magic don’t have the ability to pay much for free agents, we have to trade our way to improvement. I can’t think of a bigger potentially available target than Giannis Antetokounmpo. NBA champion, multi-time MVP, he’s won Defensive Player of the Year. He’s been the face of the NBA for the past few years, whether American media recognizes that or not. He’s again an MVP finalist this season. He’ll be 31 years old in December. Still his prime. I want Gianni to be a one NBA team player. Gianni wants to stay a Buck. But he also wants to win more NBA championships. Milwaukee can’t offer that now. There’s no Jrue Holiday deal to be made. They’re capped out and out of assets to trade. They have no picks to send out. So if Gianni wants another NBA title in the next few years, he’s going to have to orchestrate a trade somewhere. And I don’t know of a better destination for him than Orlando. 

All of that and more!

#LetsGoMagic 

Warning: Adult Language


169. Giannis Antetokounmpo

We got a look at how our future stacks up against the present in the playoffs. Paolo and Franz versus Tatum and Brown. Our stars overall outplayed their champion stars. The difference was the supporting casts. Now we’re getting a good look at what happens when your title winning team has to be torn down because of Collective Bargaining Agreement restrictions. Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, and Kristaps Porzingis all can be had in trades because the Celtics need to get below the second apron. Tatum is only 27 years old and tore his damn Achilles. That used to be something that only happened in your mid-30s and later in life. Now it’s happening to MVP-level guys in their prime. Which for our front office should be heeded as a warning to not wait when you have two stars ready for much more. Should we go after a Celtic?

All of that and more!

#LetsGoMagic 

Warning: Adult Language


170. White, Jrue, Porzingis

It’s going to be an OKC Thunder-Indiana Pacers duel for the championship. Which means welcome to the Rob Hennigan NBA Finals. Unfortunately, courtesy of the June 23, 2016 Victor Oladipo-Ersan Ilyasova-Domantas Sabonis for Serge Ibaka Thunder trade that got both the Thunder and Pacers here to this stage. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams (the good one), and Tyrese Haliburton do not end up on their franchises without Hennigan.

All of that and more!

#LetsGoMagic 

Warning: Adult Language


171. The Rob Hennigan NBA Finals

They spent 4 years creating it, but for the first time since 2010 the Orlando Magic have rebranded themselves. Ushering in the new Paolo-Franz era with a look that the team believes will mesh the past with the future. There’s a new blue color, new logos, new fonts, and new jerseys. There’s genuinely some good, some meh, and some bad eliminates to this rebrand.

All of that and more!

#LetsGoMagic 

Warning: Adult Language


172. New Orlando Magic Rebrand Revealed

It seems like Cleveland media is trying to get Darius Garland dealt away for Jalen Suggs. The Magic need point guard help, but would this make sense? Are there any other Cavaliers player targets? Plus, a bit more Orlando Magic rebrand merchandise talk and a dislike of cursive. 

All of that and more!

#LetsGoMagic 

Warning: Adult Language


173. Garland, Jerome, Jarrett Allen

Jeff Weltman said he’d be aggressive this offseason, and he has not wasted time pulling off this big time Father’s Day deal with the Memphis Grizzlies to acquire Desmond Bane in the middle of the NBA Finals. The Orlando Magic had to give out Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, the 16th pick of the 2025 Draft, their 2026 pick that is tied to a Wizards-Suns pick swap, an unprotected 2028 first, a top-2 protected 2029 pick swap, and a 2030 unprotected first round selection. It seems like a massive amount for a player who has not been named an All-Star, but Bane fits this roster on and off the floor and fills many needs. He’s in his prime and under contract through the 2029 season. 

There’s addition by subtraction occurring in that trade price tag. But the Magic are on paper better with Bane, and they didn’t have to give up Jalen Suggs, Anthony Black, or Tristan Da Silva. Bane is theoretically now the Magic’s starting ‘point guard’ with his diverse skill set. This a message to the rest of the Eastern Conference that the Magic believe they can be a title contending team now. Bane will wear the #3 pinstriped jersey. This shouldn’t be the only notable roster change for this offseason. 

Also, Franz Wagner commits to playing for the German national team at EuroBasket 2025. 

All of that and more!

#LetsGoMagic 

Warning: Adult Language


174. Here Comes the Bane

A very important week is here for the Magic. A two-night Draft where Orlando currently holds the 25th, 46th, and 57th picks. Will they use all three? Do we see trades and/or cash considerations make an appearance? Decisions still need to be made on the team options for Moritz Wagner and Caleb Houstan. And then free agency begins the night of June 30th before a Paolo Banchero contract extension announcement occurs.

Orlando has some roster gaps to fill after the Desmond Bane trade. There’s still a need for a sixth man scorer, point guard bench help, and a look at the center position. So of the draft, trade, and free agency options available, which routes get taken? 

All of that and more!

#LetsGoMagic 

Warning: Adult Language



175. Filling in Gaps; Draft Time

The Penny & Pops Podcast is hosted by Adam Papageorgiou (Pops) and Spenser Strode (Penny). All matters Orlando Magic basketball are discussed. The opinions expressed are local and strong. This is the longest running podcast (since 2009) dedicated to talking Orlando Magic basketball.

We are the two most knowledgeable people when it comes to Orlando Magic history that you can listen to. We aim to present unique viewpoints that you won't find in traditional media outlets. We want to bring a passionate piece of Orlando to your listening devices. 

*Warning* Episodes may and probably do contain profanity.

RIP to MagicBasketballOnline.com

Please rate and review us. We do this for fun and for your entertainment. For feedback or questions you may want answered on the podcast, tweet at us @SpenserStrode or find us on Bluesky @adampapageorgiou.bsky.social

153. Suggs’ Significant Surgery; Refresh the Rotations; Magic 29-33

Penny & Pops Podcast - Orlando Magic Basketball

Related tracks