Magic Starting 5: Blazers Trade Damian Lillard to Orlando?

The Magic Insider lists five of the biggest NBA storylines in addition to relevant Orlando Magic news and analysis.

Jeremy Brener | May 26, 2023

Magic Starting 5: Blazers Trade Damian Lillard to Orlando? /

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Orlando Magic

"Lillard's bonkers shot-making immediately vaults Orlando into a different stratosphere," Bleacher Report writes. "And if he's available, the Magic have the assets to get him. Whether they'll part with them is a different story."

2. PAOLO'S MOTIVATION

“I think this is the most motivated I’ve been heading into a summer,” Banchero said to SLAM Magazine. “And I think a lot of guys on the team would say the same. I think we all kind of have that same mentality where next year is the year where we kind of put ourselves in that conversation of being one of the better teams in the East, and then in the League.”

3. PAOLO LOOKS BACK ON DEBUT

"Banchero, the recent cover athlete of SLAM Magazine, spoke on that game - becoming the first rookie to post 25 points, five rebounds and five assists in his NBA debut since LeBron James in 2003."

4. KYRIE TO LAKERS?

"If true championship contention is the goal for James, though, playing alongside both Doncic and Irving with the Mavs should rank higher on his priority list than what has recently been making its rounds on the rumor mill."

5. DRAFT COUNTDOWN

The Orlando Magic is 27 days away from the 2023 NBA Draft, where the team will welcome the newest members of the franchise.

Coverage begins on June 22 at 8 p.m. EST on ESPN.

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Published May 26, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.