Jalen Suggs breaks down how Desmond Bane raises Magic's title chances
Coming off the heels of the shocking deal that had the Orlando Magic trade for Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies, the team now heads into the summer with a bunch of momentum. With some calling Bane's fit with the Magic perfect, he joins a core that includes Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs, as the latter spoke highly of the new addition.
Advertisement
Suggs made an appearance on 'SportsCenter' on ESPN to speak about the news of Bane coming to Orlando and expressed the elite traits he's bringing to the team.
'Bringing another dog onto our roster man,' Suggs said. 'You know everything from what I've seen, playing against him, and hearing from people who have been around him. His mentality is elite, and not only that, I mean you can see his shooting ability, he's been top in the league the past couple years. His ability to play off the catch.'
'Another versatile ball handler that gives us down the line, you know we can play one through four, even five,' Suggs said. 'You know, everybody kind of with the ball in their hands making plays and uh being active and aggressive off closeouts. I think bringing him in not only with his physical attributes but his mindset will be a huge boost for all of us.'
Jalen Suggs on when he heard about the Magic trade for Desmond Bane
Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
With Bane ready to get to work with the Magic, there's no doubt that the team will have high expectations going into the upcoming season in the fall of 2025. Still, the goal now will be building the chemistry along names mentioned before, like Banchero, Wagner, Suggs, and more.
Advertisement
Suggs would reveal how he found out about the news, which included getting a notification on his phone and then receiving a call from team president Jeff Weltman.
'I had the ESPN fantasy notification pop up on my phone, and then a couple minutes later, I got a call from Jeff [Weltman]. So that's how I took in the news, and a good start to my day. I was very excited. You know, having a player of his caliber come in,' Suggs said. 'Excited to get around him and spend some time with him. And I texted him, you know, yesterday morning and said, 'I'm excited to start this championship journey with you.''
At any rate, Orlando looks to improve after finishing with a 41-41 record, which put them seventh in the Eastern Conference as they were eliminated by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
Advertisement
Related: Chris Broussard makes contender claim after Magic's Desmond Bane trade
Related: Magic front office 'didn't expect' Desmond Bane to be available
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Browns QB Shedeur Sanders causes AFC North exec to look inward
Following his impressive preseason debut, Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders is already turning heads among NFL executives. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, an anonymous executive from an AFC North team was taken aback by Sanders' performance. The executive's text message to Schultz simply read, "It's early, but wow. Actually shocked at how good he looks." This feedback is particularly noteworthy given the pre-draft narrative surrounding Sanders. The former Colorado standout faced criticism for what some viewed as arrogance and entitlement, leading to his surprising fall to the fifth round of the draft. However, Sanders's poise and execution in his first professional action have begun to rewrite that narrative. He finished the game with 147 total yards, a QB rating of 106.8, and two touchdowns. Between those stats and the "eye test," the football world saw the young man demonstrating the accuracy that stood out on his tape at Colorado. While it is only the preseason, the comments from a divisional opponent suggest that Sanders' performance was more than just an ordinary rookie outing. His ability to impress those who have spent countless hours scouting him and his peers is a significant step in his young career and further fuels the burgeoning quarterback competition in Cleveland. This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns QB Shedeur Sanders causes AFC North exec to look inward
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Browns HC Kevin Stefanski gives assessment of Shedeur Sanders' debut
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski offered a measured yet positive assessment of rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders' performance in his preseason debut against the Carolina Panthers. When asked by ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi about the rookie's outing, Stefanski praised Sanders' command of the offense and the team's execution. He continued, emphasizing the room for growth: "I'm pleased with Shedeur, pleased with the offense... Again, not perfect, plenty that we can work on. But I thought the guys did a really nice job. Shedeur and operating. The guys' making plays, so again, a ton to teach on." Sanders, who finished the game with a stat line of 14-of-23 for 138 yards and two touchdowns, with 19 rushing yards, had given himself a self-critical "C+" grade immediately after the game. Stefanski's comments echo the rookie's own sentiment of not being perfect but also highlight a solid foundation to build upon. The coach went on to say, "He'll get a ton of reps next week as well," as sourced by Camryn Justice of News 5 Cleveland. Despite Sanders' impressive debut, this is just the beginning of his development in Cleveland, and with the team traveling to play the reigning Super Bowl champions next Saturday, his hardest trials are surely ahead. This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns HC Kevin Stefanski gives assessment of Shedeur Sanders' debut
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Browns QB Shedeur Sanders his own harshest critic after debut vs. Panthers
Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders made a notable debut in the team's first preseason game, but his post-game comments were perhaps even more revealing. "I can only control what I can control." In a sideline interview with NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe, the young signal-caller offered a refreshingly honest and humble self-critique. This was a stark contrast to the pre-draft narrative that often painted him as, among other things, brash and arrogant. Sanders' final stat line was solid, completing 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 19 rushing yards on four carries before being retired in the third quarter for backup Snoop Huntley. Despite the positive numbers and a team victory, Sanders gave himself a "C+" grade for his performance. When asked to elaborate, he explained, "That's passing because we got the win," but quickly added that he felt he didn't "take Pops' (Deion Sanders) advice" when it came to fully capitalizing on the opportunity. "On the team's behalf, I think I ran the offense pretty well," Sanders continued. "I feel like I got to my decisions and there's some things I could've done better, and different processes where I could speed my feet up. You know, I'm grateful for the opportunity and thankful that we won, but there's still time to go to work." This introspective analysis is a significant departure from the perception many had of Sanders during the draft process, where he was often labeled as entitled and full of himself. Instead, the Browns and their fans are seeing an outgoing, yet grounded, young man who is eager to improve. His performance, coupled with this attitude, could put him in the conversation for the starting job sooner than many anticipated. When asked about what his performance should mean for his reps in practice, potentially with the first-team offense, Sanders remained focused on what he could control. "I'm not really concerned with that at all, you know, I can only control what I can control," he said. He also spoke about the outpouring of support he received online from his father, LeBron James, and others. Sanders says he channels that external motivation into a larger purpose, stating, "I'm playing for those who don't have a voice. I'm playing for people locked up; they send me messages saying, 'Bro, we're rooting for you.' The external motivation I have is crazy, and I channel that. Regardless of how I'm feeling, regardless of how I feel, I know there's a lot of people counting on me to succeed." This display of humility and maturity, combined with his on-field success, is a powerful statement from the rookie. It seems the Browns may have found not just a talented quarterback, but a leader who is ready to put in the work and prove his critics wrong. This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns QB Shedeur Sanders own harshest critic after debut vs. Panthers
