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ORLANDO — The Orlando Magic's options to improve their backcourt in free agency just got thinner.
Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk reportedly plans to sign a four-year, $78-million deal to stay with the franchise that has rejuvenated his career. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski first reported the news on Thursday.
Monk, 26, was connected to the Magic given their need for outside scoring. Orlando could have offered more money to Monk, runner-up for Sixth Man of the Year, and potentially an opportunity to start.
Monk averaged a career-high 15.4 points and 5.1 assists off the bench for Sacramento last season. The 6-foot-3 guard suffered a sprained MCL, which forced him to miss the end of the season. Sacramento then was beaten by the New Orleans Pelicans in the play-in tournament for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference Playoffs.
With Monk staying in Sacramento, Orlando's free-agent options at guard include:
- Washington Wizards point guard Tyus Jones, 28, who is also coming off a career season after averaging 12 points and 7.3 assists while making 41.4 percent of his 3s; and
- Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson, though Orlando reportedly would offer no more than a two-year contract and Thompson reportedly wants three years.
Free agency begins on June 30.
More must-reads:
- NBA names Kyle Filipowski Summer League MVP, announces All-SL teams
- Veteran guard reportedly 'a name to monitor' for Lakers
- The 'NBA all-time 50-point game leaders' quiz
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Rich Paul Admits Toronto Raptors Gave Brandon Ingram a Deal He Wouldn’t Get Elsewhere
NBA agent Rich Paul doesn’t think Brandon Ingram would have landed a $120 million contract in free agency. That is what the super-agent said last week on Sirius XM Radio while discussing Ingram’s new deal with the Toronto Raptors, a three-year extension worth $120 million that includes a player option in the final season. The Raptors moved quickly to finalize the deal after acquiring Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans at the trade deadline. “I felt like had he got to the open market there was not much opportunity there,” Paul said. “So he’s making $40 million per year over the next three years. That probably wouldn’t have been there for him had we got to quote-unquote free agency.” It is a rare public admission from an agent that a client may have been overpaid. The Raptors did not face immediate pressure to sign Ingram. Letting him play out the final year of his deal could have saved them money, particularly in a summer where they are flirting with the luxury tax. But it also would have meant taking on risk. As Toronto learned with Fred VanVleet, free agency is unpredictable and sometimes painful. The price to acquire Ingram was not especially high, reflecting his status as a talented but injury-prone player on an expiring contract. Toronto traded Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, and a first-round pick to New Orleans. The idea was to buy low on a former All-Star with scoring upside, then try to make the fit work next to Scottie Barnes. The Raptors chose not to wait to extend Ingram. The 27-year-old got his deal, even with limited leverage. The biggest contract handed out this summer to a player switching teams was Myles Turner’s four-year, $108.9 million agreement with Milwaukee. The market was tight, with the league’s new collective bargaining agreement putting pressure on front offices to avoid long-term or expensive commitments for mid-tier stars. Toronto is betting on Ingram’s upside, health, and fit in a retooled offense. The short term of the deal provides some flexibility, and the player option allows Ingram to opt out if his value improves. Still, Paul’s comments suggest the Raptors paid a price the market likely would not have matched.
Could this young forward answer multiple questions for the Rangers?
Through much of his time with the New York Rangers, Mika Zibanejad has been too good to be a second-line center, yet not quite a top liner for a contender. Now aging out of his prime, his play has dropped off the past two seasons, only rebounding when moved to the wing next to midseason acquisition J.T. Miller. That presents a problem for New York. The Rangers are not deep down the middle. Moving Zibanejad back to center provides that depth, putting Vincent Trochek back in his appropriate 3C role. But does Zibanejad again suffer without Miller? It also leaves the Blueshirts thin on the right side. Zibanejad can’t play two positions at once and the Rangers cannot rob Peter to pay Paul. There is a solution, however: Anaheim Ducks forward Mason McTavish. Anaheim and New York already have strong front office ties, with a pair of trades in the past eight months. The cross-continental line should be open. McTavish is precisely the player archetype that Rangers general manager Chris Drury has sought in this past year. The 22-year-old possesses good size (6-foot-1, 219 pounds) and plays with a grit that Drury adores. An old-fashioned power forward in the making, McTavish hunts bodies, making life miserable for defenders on the forecheck and finds pockets of space when off the puck, where he unloads a cannon of a shot. An all-situations player, McTavish digs in the corners and is developing nicely as an offensive driver. McTavish is a hard worker who shows leadership traits. New Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan loves to play with speed and relentless pressure, a mantra that suits McTavish down to the ground. For a second-line center, McTavish’s numbers don’t exactly pop off the page, but 52 points (22 goals) in 76 games for a bad Ducks team is nothing to sneeze at. In New York, he would also presumably get to play with Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere. Given the playmaking ability of those wingers and McTavish’s heavy shot, 30-plus goals could be on the cards. Bleacher Report has stated that the Ducks are unlikely to extend McTavish an offer sheet, instead willing to match whatever offer comes his way. Does that mean he is on the trade block? At the very least it means that Anaheim will likely be willing to listen to offers. That said, it would take an almighty package to pry the former No. 3 pick out of Orange County. The Ducks would rightly command a first-round pick — if not two — and a highly-rated prospect. New York has its own first-rounders in store, as well as a, likely, late first-rounder next year, with second-round picks each year except 2027. Would New York part with a first, a second and a pair of its top prospects? The Rangers are loaded with left wing prospects. Whilst Gabe Perrault is likely off the table, Brennan Othmann, Adam Sykora and Brett Berard should be discussed, as should defenseman E.J. Emery. Would picks and a pair of prospects be enough for Anaheim, though? Here’s a thought experiment: a deal centered around Will Cuylle. As mentioned, the Rangers have a raft of left wingers coming through and Lafreniere is also a natural left winger. Would trading Cuylle for McTavish solve the Rangers' issues at the pivot, allowing Zibanejad to help fix the right-hand side and give the team room to develop more youngsters on the left? Could this solve three issues in one swoop? It would be a, potentially, seismic move, but it might just make sense for both teams, especially if the Ducks are not looking to keep McTavish around long-term. It would complete a remarkable offseason for Drury.
Kelsey Plum takes shot at Caitlin Clark after WNBA All-Star Game
On Saturday night, Kelsey Plum was part of Team Collier's 151-131 win over Team Clark in the WNBA All-Star Game, scoring 16 points, grabbing five rebounds and dishing out three assists. Following the game, the Los Angeles Sparks star was asked about WNBA All-Stars wearing shirts before the game that read, "Pay Us What You Owe Us." Specifically, Plum was asked about how that idea came together. "The T-shirt — just a united front," she said. "That was determined this morning, that we had a meeting for. Not to tattletale, but zero members of Team Clark were very present for that." Plum said it with a chuckle. However, she was sitting next to New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu, who rolled her eyes and said, "Didn't really need to be mentioned" before laughing. It was awkward, especially because Caitlin Clark, as well as all of the members of Team Clark, wore the shirts. If Clark didn't wear the shirt, you could understand some backlash. But she did. It should also be noted that Team Collier featured the president of the WNBA Players Association, Nneka Ogwumike, as well as the first vice president, Plum, and two vice presidents, Napheesa Collier and Brenna Stewart. It makes sense if they took on greater leadership roles in a statement like this against the league. Whether Plum likes it or not, the reason the WNBA has any sort of leverage heading into these negotiations with the league is Clark. She would do well to remember that the next time she wants to take an unnecessary shot at Clark, who is responsible for the greatest surge in fan attention the WNBA has ever seen.
Phillies’ 1.83 ERA starter drawing trade interest ahead of deadline
The Philadelphia Phillies have one of the best starting rotations in baseball. Not only do they have a great front five, but there goes, potentially, eight pitchers deep with MLB talent. Unsurprisingly, with such a surplus of talent, the Phillies are drawing trade interest in their starters. Ranger Suarez, whose contract expires at the end of the year, would be a typical trade deadline candidate. But he's going nowhere. Instead, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, the Phillies are drawing trade interest in Phillies right-handed prospect Mick Abel. The 23-year-old starter could be a trade chip if the Phillies find a suitable trade target. "... Same goes for Mick Abel," Gelb writes, "who is drawing trade interest." The Phillies right-hander has impressed in his brief Major League stint, even if he now sits at a 5.04 ERA in six starts. His ceiling, which he displayed in his MLB debut, is enough to captivate teams around baseball. In the minors, Abel has been dominant this season. He has a 1.83 ERA in 12 starts in Triple-A, a significant improvement over his 6.46 ERA in 2024. Abel's progress this season has been incredible, and has teams interested in trading for him. If the Phillies find a trade partner for an outfielder or a dominant reliever, Abel could be a centerpiece of a deal to land such a player at the deadline. With the crowded rotation, Abel might not have a starting role on the roster for the rest of the season. He could go to the bullpen for the postseason run or be dealt to land a high-profile reliever or outfielder. But, regardless of what the Phillies do with Abel, this report from Gelb is a good sign. If teams around baseball are interested in Abel, then his progress isn't just a facade; it's something teams are willing to buy in on.
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