Anthony Black Open to Early Extension; Diabate Eyes Growth; Wizards Ticket Sales Spike
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Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black, the No. 6 pick in the 2023 draft, becomes eligible for a rookie-scale extension this offseason as he heads into his fourth NBA campaign. Speaking with the Orlando Sentinel, the 22-year-old said he would “welcome” a new deal that would cement Orlando as his long-term home. The Magic already have sizable commitments to Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane and Jalen Suggs, which is expected to make negotiations deliberate.
Diabate Targets Offensive Expansion
Moussa Diabate posted career highs in points (7.9), rebounds (8.7), assists (1.9) and blocks (1.0) across 47 starts for the Charlotte Hornets in 2026-27. Entering the final season of his minimum-salary contract, the 24-year-old center told the Charlotte Observer he plans to sharpen his ball-handling and become a greater offensive threat to better help his teammates.
Trades Fuel Wizards Ticket Boom
After eight consecutive sub-.500 seasons and no more than 18 wins since 2022-23, the Washington Wizards are experiencing a surge in ticket demand. President of business operations Jim Van Stone informed The Athletic that full-season ticket revenue from new accounts jumped 190 percent year over year, crediting the uptick to trades for Trae Young and Anthony Davis and the franchise’s recent draft-lottery victory.
Source: Hoops Rumors
