This Ingram thing is growing on me...I immediately discarded it but...if you're going to have redundant players - how do you stop 3 guys, ranging from 6'8 to 6'10, who can all handle at a high level, score inside & out, and gather 5 assists each?
I've been saying all season that you can't just give it to Paolo (or Franz) and watch...he's extremely capable, but it's just not a sustainable offensive (lack of a) scheme...BUT, what if you had THREE of them and, as time went on, they developed great ball movement between them?
It would be a completely unprecedented offensive approach, coupled with ORL's elite team defense. Three of them would be nearly impossible to stop...exponentially more difficult than just Paolo & Franz...especially if Suggs & WCJ can keep hitting those open 3's. Completely unconventional -which is exciting!
ORL could simply absorb Ingram into cap space, but there will certainly be a cost to obtain him from NOLA, even if he's worn out his welcome there. You can assume that Paolo, Franz, and Suggs are not available...I have no doubt that Weltman would simply drop out of the Ingram sweepstakes if that were not the case.
How much value does NOLA place on the significant cap space ORL could provide?
Is it a given that Ingram deserves a max deal next year ($50m per)? I'd certainly want an extension agreed to.
Would NOLA accept a largely pick-heavy offer or are win-now players what they demand?
*maybe ORL sends picks to POR, who sends a vet or two to NOLA...Brogdon, even Ayton
?
I don't see how ORL could fill the hole at C if they sent WCJ to NOLA (who'd be great with Zion)...maybe if they sent more salaried players, ORL would maintain enough cap space to go chase Claxton or Hartenstein...but they'd be getting into DEEP financial water.
Might have to include Isaac, who NOLA fans will resist because of the injury history, but when he's on the court, there's NOBODY like him and he was solid all year, even in limited minutes. That might also be a non-starter for Coach Mosely whose defensive culture will define him as a coach (hopefully not his offense-so far
). Isaac's salary is expiring next summer and he's likely yet another Magic player expecting a raise - perhaps Weltman sells him off while he's ambulatory and before he's talking about an extension?
Not sure how much NOLA expects back and how much they want rid of him and who else would have the room or the trade return to satisfy NOLA...even if ORL just sent them 3 frps and a swap and took Ingram into cap space, NOLA would then be armed and ready to make the next deal with those picks and TE.
Also, is Ingram a D@#k? I really don't know what kind of guy he is.
What if we're ready to call Isaac a Center?
Then...
WCJ, Cole Anthony, Jett Howard (30m going out), ORL 25 frp, DEN 25 frp
for Ingram (36m coming in)
we'd still have significant cap space to fill in the roster:
Suggs, AB, FA-Kris Dunn?
Ingram, Kevon Harris, Terrence Shannon (drops to second round-trade up with future srps to grab him)
Franz, Houstan
Paolo, FA-Kyle Anderson?
Isaac, M. Wagner, Ware (#18)