It’s an early game today and Will was called away to real world responsibilities. As such, you’re stuck with me for today’s preview. It’s an earlier game against another bottom dweller. The Kings will be without De’Aaron Fox or Domantas Sabonis. This is exactly the type of basketball you want to waste a Saturday afternoon watching, right?
Let’s talk Kings basketball!
When: Saturday, March 26th, 4:00 PM PT
Where: Amway Center, Orlando, FL
TV: NBCSCA – Kyle Draper (play-by-play)
Radio: KHTK Sports 1140 AM
For Your Consideration
A Sadderday for Lotto Odds: It’s not often we get to say this, but this is a game the Kings could win. As bad as the Kings have been this season, and even without the Fox and the Ox, the Magic are worse. Franz Wagner has been a great rookie for them, and all of us Only Franz subscribers are going to enjoy watching him play and wondering what it might have been if he had slipped to Sacramento. Cole Anthony leads the team in scoring, Wendell Carter Jr has been secretly resurgent, and there’s plenty of reason for Magic fans to have optimism for the future, but the results have still been ugly this year. The Magic are currently tied for last place in the East, and are squarely focused on next season.
Prediction
Davion Mitchell continues to shine, Robin Lopez skips the game for another ride on Space Mountain, and the Kings further secure their 6th place standing in the lottery.
Kings: 109, Magic 98
This is another one of those “would you rather” posts, like I did with the Pacers. So, would you swap out the entire roster, coaching staff, management and owner with the Magic?
Roster: They Vlade’s wet dream of “super team, just young” Going into next year they really do have a lot of young and cheap pieces. Terrance Ross will be the grizzled veteran at 31 and on his last year under contract. After him the next oldest is Jonathan Isaac, at just 24. Isaac will also be the highest paid at just $17M per year. Their other young pieces are Anthony, Fultz, Bamba (RFA), Wagner, Carter Jr, Hampton, Okeke and Suggs. They could theoretically roll out a full rotation of guys under the age of 25.
Coaching: The Magic employ fist year head coach Jamahl Mosley. At just 45 he has spent years as an assistant around the league, most recently 7 under Rick Carlisle. By all definitions he’s young, deserving, experienced and probably a perfect type coach or team like the Magic
Management: John Hammond has completely rebuilt the Magic since taking over in 2017. He did a full rebuild last season and traded away key pieces like Aaron Gordon, Fournier, and Vucevic for a true rebuild. The Magic are poised to land a top 3 pick in this year’s draft. They also have the Bulls 2023 first round pick and the Nuggets 2025 first round pick. Hammond is an experienced GM and and also former executive of the year with the Bucks. He also drafted Giannis.
Ownership: Yikes! The Magic have been in the hands of the DeVos family since their founding. I’ll let you go down the rabbit hole of the
pyramid schemesAmway corporation, if that’s your sort of thing.So, would you swap everything, but location, with the Magic?
No, since the Kings have two players better than any current Magic player ! It’s a talent league and Fox and Ox are better building blocks . Draft could change things .
No, I generally prefer my sports teams not to involve fascists and mercenaries.
Geez, picky, picky, picky.
I’d rather be in Sac’s position long term if it didn’t include Vivek Ranadive. But I don’t necessariliy see a franchise guy on Orlando atm either.
Yes, and they’re gonna add another top 5 pick this year, most likely better position than the Kings pick
Due to the lottery, this is no guarantee. They could drop to 6th if they stay in the 2nd slot and don’t manage to land in the top 4 lottery.
The Magic’s a team we should beat
As they’ve chosen to tank, not compete.
They embraced their truth,
Emphasizing their youth—
Better off when their rebuild’s complete!
Interesting video breakdown of Tyrese’s game vs Sac. From Indy Cornrows.
This could end up being the greatest basketball game of all time. Each quarter ending with a half-court, buzzer-beating three, three players scoring more than 40, a player on each team recording a triple-double, mascots coming to blows, cheerleaders starting the world’s largest tickle fight.
Or not.
It happens, or it doesn’t happen.
50-50.
Miss this game at your peril.
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