Imagine you walk into a magic store with a budget of $60 million, what would you buy? If you're on the Orlando Magic, the answer might be "buy a basketball team all at once"! Yes, this summer, the NBA's bellwether has quietly shifted from the West Coast to the East, and the Magic are at the forefront of that wind, with a lot of cash in hand ready to make a big splash.
Remember the name – Thompson. He's not just a player, he's the kind of shooter who can change the style of the game. Although he is no longer the young warrior who leaps over the three-point line, he still has a sharp touch, averaging 17.9 points per game, shooting 38.7% from the field, and throwing 3.5 three-pointers per game. And on the Magic side, everyone's three-point shooting ability is really... Ahem, let's call it "to be improved".
This summer for the Magic team isn't just hot, it's hot! They didn't just take a fancy to Thompson, but also the famous George. If these two superstars can land in Orlando at the same time, it will be more than just a signing, it will be a power reshaping in the East!
Looking around, the traditional powerhouses of the Heat, Bucks and Philadelphia all unexpectedly went out of the first round collectively this year. On the contrary, the Pacers and Knicks, who were disliked in the past, have sprung up, especially the Knicks, who have become the dark horses of this playoffs, and their new star Brunson is averaging 35.5 points per game and scoring more than 40 points in four games, which is simply a fighter on the basketball court.
So, while the map of power in the East is being redrawn, the Magic clearly don't want to miss the party. Their strategy is simple: spend money. Yes, it's that straightforward and simple. In this uncertain market, sometimes the most straightforward approach is the most effective. Thompson and George, although they are not brand new models, are definitely time-tested and stable.
In the Magic's plan, $60 million in salary space isn't just for Thompson. In other words, they plan to sign not just one star player this summer, but a whole team! Such courage and ambition are enough to make the entire east tremble.
To be honest, this "change of weather" in the east is not just a change in the weather. This is a reshaping of the basketball landscape, a transfer of power, and a strategic shift. The Magic, on the other hand, undoubtedly hope to be the biggest winners of this change.
Of course, change always comes with goodbye. So, while we're excitedly anticipating the rise of the Magic, maybe we should say to Thompson of the Warriors, "Goodbye, Soup!" "After all, every new beginning is always accompanied by certain ends. And for the NBA East, this may be the beginning and the end.