But a couple of weeks later, on SEN Tassie, coach Scott Roth explained that while there was a mutual interest for an extension, there also had to be some \u201cgive and take\u2019 in negotiations.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
This is because the 2024 Olympian has only played 97 times in the past five seasons, which represents 56 per cent of all Tasmania’s games.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith Mags, there has to be some give and take contractually with what the liability is for both parties,\u201d Roth said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll have those conversations with Mags [over the next few weeks] to see if there\u2019s a happy medium, due to his injury history.\u201d<\/p>\n
Intrigued by both Roth\u2019s comments and that situation between Magnay and the club, NBL commentator Pete Hooley weighed in during the latest episode of The Marketplace, presented by Paywise.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’ve said all year that he [Magnay] is going to be one of the highly sought-after free agents, despite his availability in games over the past few years,\u201d Hooley said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs Roth said, when it comes to that negotiation, there has to be some give and take on that because you’ve got to prepare for him not being on the floor.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can all attest to when Will Magnay is healthy and on the floor, he is one of, if not the best two-way big in the league.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis rim protection [is elite], and we’ve started to see a bit more of his offensive game this year, which I really liked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’d love to see that, and I feel like he loves Tasmania. Tasmania loves him, but the best ability when it comes down to it is availability.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
While 1990 NBL MVP Derek Rucker appreciates the injury sentiment, he also backed the big man to \u2018get his money\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’m asking for the same contract if I’m Magnay, I’m not coming down off of my number,\u201d Rucker said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a number that will exist in the market, and if you don’t meet it, then that will precipitate me looking elsewhere and getting my value.\u201d<\/p>\n
ESPN\u2019s Olgun Uluc echoed that thought, calling Magnay one of the \u2018top five impact players in the league\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you’re Will Magnay, who’s 27, his goal will be to maximise the remainder of his career financially,\u201d Uluc said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the Tasmania JackJumpers are not going to do that, then it would not be unreasonable for him to go and assess his other options, because there might be another team in the NBL who says, \u2018we\u2019ll pay you what you’re worth, and we’ll ignore the durability issues that you’ve experienced in the past\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201c[I know] there’ll be teams around the league that will be prepared to pay almost double the amount that the JackJumpers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another key piece for the JackJumpers has been guard Sean Macdonald, who missed the entire NBL26 campaign due to a knee injury.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter Magnay, he [Macdonald] is priority number two in my opinion,\u201d Rucker said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s got good size, shoots the ball well and has no apparent weakness in his game.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you have that local point guard [like Macdonald], and you bookend it with a local big, alongside a third piece like Josh Bannan, you’re right there. You’re a top-four team.\u201d<\/p>\n