Why They Do This

Orlando

• They're teetering on the edge of becoming a play-in team even with Franz Wagner having a career season and Paolo's hot start to the season. The Magic's offense has been a net-negative for 5 seasons and now is the time to address it with some long term pieces.

• Cam Johnson and C. Sexton both provide instant scoring and high-efficiency from 3, both things Orlando is currently lacking.

• Claxton provides an instant upgrade over injury prone WCJ, while also allowing WCJ to slide to the 4 off the bench allowing him to be the stretch big he's advertised as.

New York

• Cut Salary & Stock pile picks. To me the formula for them is that simple. I think they're stuck with B. Simmons, so moving off of they're other large contracts for low risk contracts (G. Harris team option this coming summer, C. Anthony team option '26 summer).

• Not sure they can get much more than 2 unprotected 1sts for these guys given they're contracts, but I could see Orlando throwing in another protected 1st if needed.

Utah

• They're bad, and their hopes of not getting worse are dwindling. J. Isaac provides them some much needed long term stability on a friendly contract (starting next season he'll be paid $15m, $14.5m, $14.5m, $15m over the following 4 seasons with the last two seasons being non-guaranteed).

• Getting a long term, affordable vet and a couple of seconds (which we all know are oddly valued right now) is a decent haul for an up-&-down guard.