[外絮] 魔術隊--交易市場與自由市場的關鍵?

https://pse.is/4p9wlq

作者: Jake Fischer

Entering a second straight NBA winter with more teams looking to upgrade
their rosters rather than selling off valuable veterans, no rival front
office may be monitoring the sputtering Chicago Bulls’ decision-making
closer than that of the Orlando Magic.

在進入第二個NBA球隊們尋求升級更勝於售出他們有價值老將的寒冬後，不會有球隊比魔術更加關注芝加哥公牛的決定。

It was this time two years ago league executives were circling Orlando as thetrade deadline approached, and the Magic delivered: dispensing Nikola
Vucevic, Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier across the postseason map.

兩年前的大限，聯盟管理層都圍繞著魔術隊，魔術的回應則是:分發Nikola Vucevic,
Aaron Gordon與Evan Fournier至季後賽地圖上的不同角落。

The ramifications of that Vucevic deal lie at the center of Chicago’s
current predicament. Forget the fact talent evaluators are consistently
pegging Wendell Carter Jr., the centerpiece of the Bulls’ package that
landed Vucevic, as a more impactful player at present than the veteran
center. The first of two picks Chicago sent to Orlando already netted dynamicwing creator Franz Wagner in the 2021 NBA draft. The second outgoing Bulls
pick to the Magic is this year’s top-five projected selection that’s
protected only Nos. 1-4 — which could bring Orlando a second premium lottery
selection in a highly anticipated draft class.

Vucevic交易案的分支就是目前芝加哥的困境。先不去管該交易案中的核心Wendell
Carter Jr.可能現在在比賽中就比該名老將更具有影響力的事實。這兩張首輪第一張已經在2021年選秀兌現成了高活動力側翼Franz Wagner。公牛的第二張選秀權只會在今年保護在前4順位--這很有可能帶給魔術在大年中有第二個高級的樂透選擇。

A six-game winning streak that ended Monday, Paolo Banchero’s stellar rookie
season, plus Orlando’s unique blend of size and young talent has onlookers
rather bullish about the near future of these Magic. They are not exactly
banging down the door of the play-in tournament, but Orlando, at 11-21, has
exhibited the positive step toward competitiveness that Magic staffers were
hoping to witness this season.

在這禮拜一結束六連勝之後，Paolo Banchero的明星菜鳥賽季與奧蘭多獨一無二的高大天賦們讓人們對他們的未來形勢看漲。他們可能還仍未能敲開附加賽的大門，不過11-21的奧蘭多正在對有競爭力的路上踩出正步，這也是魔術管理層想要看到的。

“They have two of the premier positions in the league — playmaking forwards
— on rookie-scale contracts, intriguing young talent around them on solid
contracts, no bad money moving forward, and some veterans who could get them
back even more draft capital should they choose to trade them,” one Eastern
Conference team strategist told Yahoo Sports.

"他們有兩個聯盟最搶手的位置球員--持球前鋒--還在新秀合約的控制之下，並搭配了不少年輕天賦在不錯的合約底下，身上沒有爛約且數名老將給予了他們更多資本讓他們選擇是否可以交易掉他們"一名東區球隊的策略分析員告訴Yahoo體育。

There are certainly pieces for Orlando to move ahead of this season’s
deadline, but the Magic won’t be gaining nearly the return they saw two
years before.

當然這裡有幾名奧蘭多可以在這一季大限以前交易掉的人，但魔術不可能得到他們兩年前獲得的豐厚回報。

Terrence Ross has long garnered interest from the Los Angeles Lakers, sourcessaid. New York was in pursuit of Ross in previous years, as well. Yet, while
Orlando has rebuffed offers below a first-round pick for the veteran swingmanin recent seasons, sources said, it’s difficult to foresee a playoff
contender sacrificing more than a single second-round selection for Ross’
services. The same goes for Gary Harris, although both wing players carry no
guaranteed salary beyond this 2022-23 campaign.

Terrence Ross一直以來都吸引到不少湖人的注意力。紐約也前幾年都在追求他。然而，當奧蘭多拒絕了那些不到一枚首輪換這名老將搖擺人的時候，很難想像一隻季後賽球隊犧牲超過一個二輪籤來換取Ross。同樣的情形也發生在Gary Harris身上，即使兩名側翼球員在2022-23球季後就會變成自由球員了。

R.J. Hampton is another strong Orlando trade candidate after the Magic didn’
t pick up his fourth-year option for next season. Hampton has changed
representation and searched for more playing time with Orlando’s G League
affiliate in Lakeland, Florida, but he is also unlikely to draw a significantyield.

RJ Hampton在他的第四年選項沒有被執行後是另一名魔術的交易候選人。Hampton撤換了經紀人並在奧蘭多G-League尋求更多上場時間，不過他應該不太可能得到巨量的注意力。

Former No. 6 overall pick Mo Bamba may be the Magic’s greatest trade chip.
Orlando pursued Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency, sources said, before the
center joined New York and the Magic then re-signed Bamba to a two-year,
$20.6 million deal. League executives expect Orlando to hold out for a
protected first-round selection or a late first-round pick to part with the
24-year-old rim presence. There are teams like the Lakers and Clippers, as
well as Toronto, Sacramento and Brooklyn, that front-office personnel expect
to sniff around the big-man market ahead of the Feb. 9 trade deadline and maybe willing to cough up a pair of second-round choices for Bamba. Chicago,
too, has been considering its post-Vucevic options as his contract comes to aclose at season’s end.

前第六順位Mo Bamba可能是魔術最大的交易籌碼。魔術曾經在自由市場追求過Isaiah
Hartenstren，在這名中鋒加入尼克之前魔術與Bamba達成2年2060萬的續約。聯盟管理層期望奧蘭多尋求一張受保護的首輪或一張後段首輪籤來送走這名24歲的籃下巨人。有許多隊如湖人、快艇、暴龍、國王與籃網可能會在2/9交易大限前長人市場中出手並可能殺價到兩隻二輪籤來換取Bamba。公牛也在尋求Vuc離開之後的選項並會考慮Bamba。

All this is to say whatever in-season tinkering comes from Orlando may be
more predicated on amplifying that bright horizon rival personnel believe is
coming.

這些只是季內奧蘭多可能會做的事情不過可能會有更光明的未來可能會來到。

If the Magic keep their entire roster for next season outside of Harris’
non-guaranteed 2023-24 salary, they’ll be playing with roughly $37 million
in cap space. And there are direct avenues for Orlando to clear upward of $60million this summer. Markelle Fultz is on the books for only $2 million
guaranteed next season. Bamba’s second year is completely non-guaranteed as
well. Bol Bol has a non-guaranteed salary for 2023-24. And that’s not to
mention Jonathan Isaac’s deal that can cost Orlando precisely nothing beyond
this season if the Magic choose to part ways with the injury-plagued
defensive stalwart.

如果魔術對什麼都不做並裁掉Harris的非保障合約的話，他們將會有3700萬的薪資空間。且他們可能清到上至6000萬。Fultz只保障200萬、Bamba的第二年選項完全無保障、Bol
Bol無保障、甚至Jonathan Isaac的合約因為傷病特例的緣故一毛都不用再付給這名傷病困擾的防守巨人。

If you’re sensing a theme, it’s quite apparent how significantly the Magic
value financial flexibility amid this rebuild. And you don’t just keep your
books clean for the sake of monetary tidiness in perpetuity. League figures
familiar with Orlando’s thinking maintain Magic ownership will be ready to
spend when the opportune time arrives to support Banchero and Wagner.

如果你有意識到這件事，魔術隊在財務上的彈性在重建之後是肉眼可見的。而且他們並不只是要讓帳本保持清潔。聯盟與魔術隊熟悉的內線認為魔術管理層會在有機會的時候撒幣來幫助Banchero與Wagner。

Will that come this summer? Or would the Magic pounce on an upcoming free
agent before the deadline to obtain that player’s Bird rights or simply
begin incorporating him into the flexible lineups at head coach Jamahl Mosley’s disposal?

這會是這個夏天嗎?還是魔術將會在之後的在球員變成FA前換來他們的鳥權亦或是留下總教練Jamahl Mosley覺得好用並有彈性的陣容？

“Everyone talks about playing positionless basketball,” one scout told
Yahoo Sports, “but they’re the only ones who have really said, ‘F*** it.’
”
"所有人都在談論要打無位置籃球"一名球探告訴Yahoo體育,"但他們是唯一一隊真的說
'F*** it'的球隊。"

With Orlando’s pair of supersized ball handlers, guard play isn’t
necessarily a dire need for the Magic. Plus, Fultz has shown continued
promise in 11 games this season, converting over 40% from distance while
sporting an increased comfort shooting off the dribble.

奧蘭多在有2名超大型的持球者後，後衛不再是魔術的必需品。再說，Fultz持續展現出他的能力--命中超過40%以上的外線且對於運球後投籃越來越舒適。

Still, the Magic’s backcourt is an obvious area for Orlando to look to
spend. Especially in advance of Cole Anthony’s rookie extension
conversations next summer, for which league personnel are preparing for a
sizable gap between Anthony’s wishes and his ultimate market value. Perhaps
we’ll gain a further glimpse of the Magic’s plans if they entertain moving
Anthony before the deadline.

依然，魔術後場還是一個魔術需要注意花費的部分。尤其是在Cole Anthony明年夏天的新秀延長合約談判開始之前，不少聯盟中的其他隊伍準備要對Anthony的期望薪資與他市場價值之間的差距中出手。如果魔術在大限前賣掉Anthony，或許我們會得到更多魔術計畫的蛛絲馬跡。

It is too early to pinpoint specific Orlando targets should the Magic grow
aggressive between now and the opening night of next season. But scan the
list of upcoming free agents and take your pick to who’d best slot alongside
the Magic’s core pieces.

現在或許對於指名魔術的目標還太早，不過在掃過之後自由球員的名單後你可能可以想到幾個能搭配魔術核心的球員。

Could you fault the Magic for throwing maximum money at, say, Khris
Middleton, who holds a player option for next season and whom Magic general
manager John Hammond landed for Milwaukee when he was piloting the Bucks?

你可以想像魔術丟出頂薪合約給像是，Khris Middleton，這名明年有球員選項的明星且魔術現任總管--John Hammond正是當年在公鹿把他交易過來的掌舵手。

Here’s to waiting and seeing if this current Orlando regime is willing to
take a big swing.

我們可以等待現在的奧蘭多魔術奮力大棒一揮的那一天。

懶人包:

1、魔術兩名搖擺人後衛要價不菲

2、Bamba可能還算搶手

3、魔術將會有巨大的薪資空間且距離他們起飛可能不遠了

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