Southeast Division Preview: Magic, Hornets, and Wizards

know what they're doing. Even guys that were rumored to be traded, like Cole Anthony just sign a three year, thirty nine million dollar extension in the draft. They went out and go, I don't know, two more guards just for safe measure. Anthony Black, he's not really in the rotation. Jet Howard not really in the rotation. We're just gonna let him sit there and marinate like good chicken. You go with markl Foltz and Gary Harris and Jalen Suggs and Caleb Houston and Kevon Harris and trevl and Queen.

You get the picture, folks. A lot of guards, a lot of guards. But I think that kind of diminishes how good this roster can be. Powlo ban Caro will come off with the Rookie of the Year season that he had and he's gonna even be better. I think he could legitimately, once he finds his stride, he could average twenty five points a season a game. Franz Wagner, I think he could be most improved player this year.

He was incredible in World Cup play, leading Germany to a gold medal, but also they were undefeated, and I like markl Foltz. I like Cole Anthony to lead this group of guards, which means I think the Magic are probably gonna have a very very deep team, twelve work team guys. In a game, they should be fresher than a lot of teams. What is their upside, that's the question. I think this is a playing team. I think this is a team that could legitimately win the division. This

is a sneaky playoff team. The Magic in March from March on were five hundred, so I think that's what they're gonna be going forward. I really do. The nice part though, of the magic is I think they have a lot of pieces that they can make some moves if they wanted to. At the deadline. They have enough assets. You could probably package Anthony Black. There's a lot of teams that would like a six to seven guard. You have draft capital, you have young players. You can get

probably anything you want. You can probably get Pascal Saukham if you want it. You got a starting five of Wendell Carter, Franz Wagner, marcl Foltz, Paolo and Jalen Suggs with Cole Anthony first man off the bench. What you need, or what they need, is veteran leadership. Of course, that's why Malcolm. I think Malcolm Brognen really makes a lot of sense for them. Do a deal with Portland Orlando. Do a deal. We could use some wings. You guys

got a lot get us win. Now. They also have Jonathan Isaac there, who's supposed to be good when he's healthy. You need somebody, probably with veteran mentorship, who can slow these guards down. Do they need another guard? Probably not. They could actually use a guy like Jeremy Grant. Do a deal with Portland Orlando do a deal with Portland. I like these Magic I think they have a very bright future. I think they win forty to forty four games. It's time to chop it up with the Charlotte Hornets.

Oh gross, just a team that has a lot of issues culturally with that roster. You've had some turnover, You've had a lack of turnover with players you probably should have turned over, Key Losses, Kelly oubre Kai Jones, Thee Mahollick, Dennis Smith Junior, Key additions Brendan Miller in the draft, Nick Smith Junior who I like in the draft. Miles Bridges signs his contract officially announced. That's the one where you wonder, why is this man still on the roster?

LaMelo Ball agrees to a multi year extension. Frank Neilikina signed an extension. PJ. Washington agreed to an extension. I don't really know what to make of this team. Sometimes things that they do in this franchise in general just leave me speechless. Why why you ask just why? Why? Why let me count the ways?

sold his majority share at the franchise. The team has a chance to draft a once in a generation player, which is Scoot Henderson, and yet you pass on him for Brandon Miller, who by the way, also has his own off the court issues. Has struggled that summer league. Isn't some guy that you think can immediately respond as a franchise altering player. He just gets named I think a couple of weeks ago, maybe even less in a wrongful death suit. Kaya Jones' former first round draft pick

ig lived himself out of the league. Half of Twitter joked that this team was going to sign Kevin Porter Junior. That's how bad things are in Charlotte is that people think you're gonna make the disastrously wrong move when given the chance. What do you have left. You got LaMelo five years, two to sixty million dollar extension. I think he's worth it. You've got a great point guard surrounded by a c of toxic mididity. Yeah, toxic mididity. I said it. A bunch of mid guys who are toxic.

Miles Bridges. I like PJ. Washington. He's just been at the wrong place in the wrong time. I think he was the last major free agent to sign and he found almost no interest anywhere else for the price, which I think is weird because he's a good piece. I like him. A lot three for forty eight is very good deal. I like Mark Williams. He's a nice little piece. He had him last year, sophomore season. He's already snatched blocking people. Gordon Hayward. Is he going to be healthy?

Terry Rozier, does he even want to be there? You lost Kelly Ubre, which I mean, I don't think that was such a huge loss. Dennis Smith Junior. No one knows who can reliably hit a three pointer on this team. Besides, I don't know Terry Rozier. This is just not a good roster, folks. This has got flashes of excitement, but not a team that you want to watch on a night to night basis. They'll sneak up though some games when you're not watching right. They'll beat a team that

you have no idea how they beat. They'll beat the box on a Wednesday. That's what they'll do. But short of a rebuild, I can't see how this team gets better anytime soon. We end our preview with the Washington Wizards, who I think are my pick for the worst team in the NBA. I watched them last night, the whole game played the Indiana Pacers. The Indiana Pacers blew them

out by like over twenty. Key editions Jordan Pool in the trade, Tias Jones, who I love, Balao Kulibali who they got in the draft, and Landry Shamat who's in street clothes in game one. So that tells you everything you need to know. Key subtractions Bradley Beal, Poor Zingis, and Monty Morris. The Wizards are gonna be bad, folks.

It's gonna be I don't know even what the plan is because you've got guys like Pool and Tias Jones who are grown, who are in the middle of them of their career, and that's not changing right, This is the team you want to be rebuilding around. You blew up the bridge, you get rid of Porzingis and beale your two max players for a boatload of picks and some interesting players. So that's not bad. This team, though, is gonna lose. They're the East Coast in terms of

the equivalent amount of games lost. I don't think a team is gonna be as bad as them, except for maybe the Portland Trailblazers. A lot of games losing. You add Jordan Pool, which means you're gonna be chucking a lot. Jordan Poole went zero for six from three last night. My man Kyle Kusman put up twenty five, but he was chucking. We already saw that. Denny Abdya is pissed off at how little these guys want to pass him the ball, just casually launching thirty footer after thirty footer

four seconds into the shot clock. That, of course, is the Jordan Poole experience, so get used to that. What is left on this roster. They got Patrick Baldwin Junior from the Warriors, A nice little piece. I like Danilo Gallinari. DANIELO Gallinari, if you're better he's gonna be putting up ten fifteen points a game. I think he's gonna be looking to get moved at the deadline. I think Landry Sham is terrible. Tias Jones is a good piece. He is. I like COO's Coos, I just don't know the team.

I like ballall Coolibali a lot, but he's a brand new baby. He's a rookie. Over the next three years, Washington has four first and five seconds. They can gain even more draft capital by moving guys like Jones, Gallinari, Daniel Gafford, deln Wright. Maybe they're good in twenty thirty. Until then, enjoy Jordan Poole chucking eighteen shots a game.