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The Orlando Magic made the playoffs this season for the second straight year but lost in the first round again, this time to the defending champion Boston Celtics in five games.
The Magic lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the 2024 playoffs. That series went seven games.
To take the next step as a franchise, Orlando needs to improve offensively. The team was 28th in the NBA in points per game this season despite having talented forwards Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
Most believe the Magic need a new point guard to become more explosive on offense, and, according to NBA insiders Jake Fischer and Marc Stein, Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons "has been increasingly projected as an Orlando target."
"As a new offseason beckons, another Trail Blazer has been increasingly projected as an Orlando target: Lillard's former Blazers backcourt mate Anfernee Simons. The 25-year-old is an Orlando native who would certainly blend in nicely from a timeline perspective alongside Banchero (22) and Wagner (23)," Fischer and Stein wrote.
Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons drives past Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden© Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Simons appeared in 70 games for the Blazers this season. He averaged 19.3 points and 4.8 assists while shooting 42.6% from the field, 36.3% from 3 and 90.2% from the free-throw line.
The Blazers signed Simons to a four-year, $100 million contract in 2022. Simons will make $27.7 million next season in the final year of his contract.
Simons turns 26 in June. He has spent his entire career with the Blazers. The Florida native has career averages of 15.0 points and 3.3 assists.
It will be fascinating to see if the Magic try to trade for Simons this summer. Orlando was 27th in the NBA in offensive rating this season, so it's obvious the team needs more scorers.
Continue reading...
The Magic lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the 2024 playoffs. That series went seven games.
To take the next step as a franchise, Orlando needs to improve offensively. The team was 28th in the NBA in points per game this season despite having talented forwards Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
Most believe the Magic need a new point guard to become more explosive on offense, and, according to NBA insiders Jake Fischer and Marc Stein, Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons "has been increasingly projected as an Orlando target."
"As a new offseason beckons, another Trail Blazer has been increasingly projected as an Orlando target: Lillard's former Blazers backcourt mate Anfernee Simons. The 25-year-old is an Orlando native who would certainly blend in nicely from a timeline perspective alongside Banchero (22) and Wagner (23)," Fischer and Stein wrote.
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Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons drives past Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden© Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Simons appeared in 70 games for the Blazers this season. He averaged 19.3 points and 4.8 assists while shooting 42.6% from the field, 36.3% from 3 and 90.2% from the free-throw line.
The Blazers signed Simons to a four-year, $100 million contract in 2022. Simons will make $27.7 million next season in the final year of his contract.
Simons turns 26 in June. He has spent his entire career with the Blazers. The Florida native has career averages of 15.0 points and 3.3 assists.
It will be fascinating to see if the Magic try to trade for Simons this summer. Orlando was 27th in the NBA in offensive rating this season, so it's obvious the team needs more scorers.
Continue reading...
