Penny & Pops Podcast - Magicbasketballonline.com

The Magic appear to have gotten through all the COVID-19 positive tests picked up by the roster and coaching staff, it doesn’t look like there will be any further hardship exemption signings. Still no sign of Isaac or Fultz returning, and the Magic’s accumulation of injuries isn’t subsiding. The Magic had won 4 out of 6 games recently (our best stretch of this season by far), before being bludgeoned at home this past weekend by Memphis and Boston. Orlando is 12-43, still the worst record in the league but we have the same amount of wins as Detroit. Houston, OKC, and now Indy and likely also Portland are on the tanking path. WeltHamm may make some deals with the trade deadline a few days away. Quite a few decisions to be made on who stays and who goes. We’re playing with the trade machine. #LetsGoMagic Warning: Adult Language

We’re 2 months into this NBA campaign. Due to COVID-19 positive tests with the team and across the league, the Magic’s December 20th game in Toronto has been postponed. The first Magic game impacted this season. I’d say likely not the last the way the omicron variant is spreading like wildfire around the world. Now’s a good a time as any for a progress report pod. The Magic are 6-25 with the second-worst record in the league. Detroit is only slightly worse on percentage points at 5-24. This is the longest in franchise history it’s taken the Magic to get to 6 wins in a season. Three of the Magic’s 6 wins have come in New York City. You can imagine just from that how garbage we’ve been at Amway Center, 2-10 at home. So WeltHamm’s tanking plans are holding up. For the second straight season we lead the league in games missed due to injury as there’s still no timetable for when we’ll see Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac on the parquet floor. For every bright spot like Cole Anthony or Franz Wagner, there’s a lot

The games start counting now. The Magic finished 1-3 in their preseason campaign thanks to a Jeff Dowtin Jr. winner in the final exhibition game. Wendell Carter Jr. got a 4-year $50 million contract extension, which seems like solid value. With Chuma Okeke, Markelle Fultz, and Jonathan Isaac not on the court yet, is the tanking plan already in play? Could this 2021-2022 Orlando team finish with its worst record in franchise history? ‘Juice it or Lose it’ is back with predictions. #LetsGoMagic #MagicTogether Warning: Adult Language Songs: Win – Jay Rock

A new Magic campaign is upon us. 2021-2022. There’s excitement in the air, but also apparent red flags that hint at rough times ahead. And it’s not just COVID-19 related. The Magic legitimately need these 4 upcoming preseason games just to give the fans an idea of what the new offense and defense might look like when the games count, let alone evaluating this young roster. Also, a Ben Simmons trade scenario. #LetsGoMagic #MagicTogether Warning: Adult Language Songs: Win – Jay Rock

Discussing the NBA Draft party at Amway Center. The fan reaction may have been louder for when Scottie Barnes was selected 4th by the Toronto Raptors than when the Magic picked Jalen Suggs 5th. Hot Take: Pops is not happy that the team drafted Jalen Suggs over Jonathan Kuminga and Franz Wagner over Moses Moody. At least most Magic fans seem thrilled with how the draft night played out. Why Jeff Weltman selecting Jason Preston at pick 33 and shipping him off to the L.A. Clippers for cash and a 2026 second was cruel. Either way, no one will truly know for 2-3 years which picks were right and which were wrong. As expected, free agency has been quiet. It’s basically been signing Robin Lopez, and re-signing Moe Wagner so far. Vegas Summer league starts this week. Jamahl Mosley is really pushing his ‘Pace, Space, Pass’ motto. Magic men like Cole Anthony, RJ Hampton, the new rookies, and Janis Timma(?) are participating. #LetsGoMagic #MagicTogether Warning: Adult Language Songs: Feels Like Summer – Childish Gamb

If you don’t know already, Jamahl Mosley is the latest Orlando Magic Head Coach. More importantly, the NBA Draft is less than a week away and free agency is right around the corner. The Magic can take positive news from the Milwaukee Bucks being crowned champions. Looking at the Magic’s depth chart and getting an idea of how lackluster 2021 free agency likely will be. It’s still very possible the Magic can trade up to 2nd or 3rd in the draft. #LetsGoMagic #MagicTogether Warning: Adult Language Songs: Feels Like Summer – Childish Gambino

Orlando: The NBA’s Worst Small Market Franchise? - Episode 57 - June 25, 2021 by Penny & Pops Podcast

We’ve been gone a while. Almost 3 months. In that time, WeltHamm blew it all up at the trade deadline. We traded away our 2-time All-Star who didn’t want to leave Orlando. Cole Anthony had a solid rookie campaign and I’m very glad we have R.J. Hampton. We finished the injury-plagued 72-game season 21-51. But now Steve Clifford is gone, in a mutual parting where Clifford likely wisely chose to walk away, and there’s a lot of hope riding on this June 22nd lottery where we have a 14% chance at getting the #1 pick. We talk coaching candidates, reflect on the 3 Magic trade deals at the deadline, and what pick(s) we believe the Magic will have after the lottery. Let’s go! #LetsGoMagic #MagicTogether Warning: Adult Language Songs: Feels Like Summer – Childish Gambino

With the help of a 9-game losing streak along the way, the Magic enter this trade deadline week with the 4th-worst record in the NBA. Operation 3-month tank is going as planned so far. Many teams around the league want their hands on certain Magic players, most of the rumored deals sound like B.S. but it sounds like Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier are out the door. WeltHamm should be making moves by Thursday afternoon, there’s no denying that, so we’re going to share what the Magic should do, rumors, and who ought to be shipped out of town. Hey, at least Vucevic is a 2-time All-Star. #LetsGoMagic #MagicTogether Warning: Adult Language Songs: WIN – Jay Rock

Sometimes the basketball gods force your hand. That’s what’s happening this 2021-2022 season. The Magic took advantage of their weak schedule to begin the campaign. Best record in the NBA. Then Fultz goes down for the season, combined with other starters like Fournier and Aaron Gordon missing many games, combined with more injuries to other rotation players, and we’ve plummeted down the standings fast. We’re 9-16 as of this recording. This is not a playoff team because we lead the NBA in games lost due to injury. The Magic may have been handed a 3-month golden tanking opportunity. #LetsGoMagic #MagicTogether Warning: Adult Language Songs: WIN – Jay Rock

How does having the best record in the NBA sound, Magic fans? For the first time in franchise history, your Orlando Magic man are 4-0. Why is this happening? We’ll talk players, appealing numbers, what’s not sustainable, and compare the Magic with our East competition. It’s not crazy to be optimistic and have hopes of a potential sixth seed or better. The increase in injuries and the threat of COVID-19 contribute to those factors. #LetsGoMagic #MagicTogether Warning: Adult Language Songs: WIN – Jay Rock

The Magic concluded the preseason 2-2 and their 32nd regular season starts two days before Christmas. Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac signed extensions, indicating that WeltHamm have given up on Orlando being a free agency destination for at least the next few years. Fans are back at Amway Center. And we begin this 72-game campaign with the cloud of COVID-19 over everything as well as a season opener against our rivals down south. #LetsGoMagic #MagicTogether Warning: Adult Language Songs: WIN – Jay Rock

The draft and free agency have happened. Not a lot of action from a Magic perspective, so there are thoughts to be shared as this is year 4 of WeltHamm in charge. Magic founder Jimmy Hewitt passed away, COVID-19 is still a problem as NBA players and staffers are testing positive in training camps, preseason is ongoing, and the 2020-2021 NBA season is tipping off just before Christmas. #LetsGoMagic #MagicTogether Warning: Adult Language Songs: WIN – Jay Rock

This is our Orlando Magic pre-draft, pre-free agency episode, but it’s also going to be a review of the Jeff Weltman and John Hammond front office regime. WeltHamm have sort of reached that fork in the road where they have to be decisive on a path moving forward. They were hired in May 2017, so they’ve had 3 full seasons of being in charge. Going into their 4th campaign now, we’re at the point where they have to show more progress than this Magic team just barely being a playoff team in the East. Who should stay? Who should go? Trade ideas, draft pick preferences, and more! #LetsGoMagic #MagicAboveAll Warning: Adult Language Songs: WIN – Jay Rock

It only makes sense that the return of ‘Magical Movies’ would involve the only other Bucks-Magic playoff series between the two franchises. We’re going back to 2001. Game 3, Magic trying to avoid a beat-of-5 series sweep. We played the first 2 games in Milwaukee fairly close. This Game 3 at home is owned by a 21-year-old Tracy McGrady who racks up a 42-point near triple-double performance in the Magic overtime win. T-MAC accepts his Most Improved Player award before tip-off. This is a very physical game. There’s even a scuffle in front of the Magic bench. Darrell Armstrong, Pat Garrity, and Dee Brown bring the support in this 121-116 OT thriller. Full Game (TNT Broadcast; audio and video is not as crisp): https://youtu.be/wAWa8Y_vjkQ Slightly Chopped Down Game (Sunshine Network Magic Broadcast; great audio and video): https://youtu.be/nuxnWhM79kU (Please, NBA, don’t take these down. We don’t own them, let your fans watch some great basketball) The box score: https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxs

They did it again! Orlando upset Toronto last year in Game 1 as the 7th seed. It was an even bigger mountain to climb on neutral soil as the 8th seed Orlando Magic claimed victory over the #1 seed Milwaukee Bucks 122-110 on Tuesday afternoon. 16-of-41 3-point shooting proved to be the difference. Nikola Vucevic exorcised some Marc Gasol demons to post 35 points, 14 rebounds, and 4 assists on 15-of-24 shooting against a very frustrated Brook Lopez. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 31 points, 17 rebounds, and 7 assists didn’t prove enough for a favorite that was out-worked, out-hustled, and out-played for one game. Markelle Fultz was wonderful in his first playoff start (15 points, 6 assists). Steve Clifford’s support players (James Ennis, Gary Clark, Wes Iwundu, Khem Birch) truly picked up the slack for some of their colleagues. The basketball world has been shocked as it’s Orlando up 1-0. Now what? #LetsGoMagic #MagicAboveAll Warning: Adult Language Songs: WIN – Jay Rock

The Orlando Magic concluded their 2019-2020 regular season with a 33-40 record including going 3-5 in their NBA Bubble ‘seeding’ games at Disney World. As the 8th seed in the East, the Magic have the tall task of taking on the #1 seed Milwaukee Bucks who finished with the best record in the league at 56-17. Orlando lost all 4 regular season matchups, though various circumstances have rendered those meetings as not very informative going into this playoff series. Can the Magic find a way to prove all of the doubters wrong and make any type of impact in this series? #LetsGoMagic #MagicAboveAll Warning: Adult Language Songs: Daylight - Randy Edelman Roundball Rock - John Tesh WIN – Jay Rock

The Orlando Magic have lost 4 in a row since their 2-0 bubble start. Jonathan Isaac had his knee surgery. Aaron Gordon, Michael Carter-Williams, and Evan Fournier have missed time from the floor. Mo Bamba revealed he had COVID-19 and has not seen any court time the past two contests. Now Terrence Ross has left the bubble. When it rains, it pours. Brooklyn, led by former Magic coach and player Jacques Vaughn, locked up the 7th seed. That means Orlando will be the 8th seed this 2020 postseason. We’re playing Milwaukee. The events of the past week are discussed as this Magic team appears deflated. #LetsGoMagic #MagicAboveAll Warning: Adult Language Song: WIN – Jay Rock

The elation Magic fans had seeing the return of Jonathan Isaac to the court a week ago has now been replaced with horror. J.I. tore his ACL in the second ‘seeding’ game Sunday evening v. the Kings. This is going to change the team’s long-term plans as JI’s track record of ankle and knee issues have to be factored into that outlook. The Magic are 2-0 though in the Disney World village, scoring at a blistering pace so far in the seeding games, and holding a slight lead over Brooklyn for the 7th seed. This week will be a huge test and will probably determine how much of a threat (or non-threat) Orlando will be in the playoffs. Get well soon, J.I. #LetsGoMagic #MagicAboveAll Warning: Adult Language Song: WIN – Jay Rock

The games start counting now. Scrimmages are over. The great news for the Orlando Magic is they have the services of Jonathan Isaac again as the team will hope their roster continuity assists them in the Disney World bubble. What’s the Magic’s best 5-man lineup? We discuss the village setup and give our record predictions for the Magic’s eight seeding games in two weeks as the quest for the East’s 7th seed begins. #LetsGoMagic #MagicAboveAll Warning: Adult Language Song: WIN – Jay Rock