<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-mike-miller-says-paolo-banchero-at-the-tip-of-iceberg');   ga('set', 'title', 'Mike Miller says Magic star Paolo Banchero is only at the ‘tip of the iceberg’');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Paolo-Banchero-5-drives-to-the-basket-against-Washington-Wizards-forward-Kyshawn-George-18.jpg"><figcaption>© Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Mike Miller says Magic star Paolo Banchero is only at the ‘tip of the iceberg’</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-13T08:52:14-07:00">September 13th, 8:52am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-13T08:52:14-07:00">September 13th, 8:52am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-orlando-ready-next-playoff-step-after-offseason-moves">Orlando Magic prepare for the upcoming 2025-26 NBA season</a>, two-time NBA champion and player agent Mike Miller believes star forward Paolo Banchero has only begun to tap into his potential.</p><p>In the first episode of The 5tandard, Miller described Banchero as being at the “<a href="https://youtu.be/yAQAJ1WmDys?si=TjBXVlIPxatUTlVr" rel="noopener">tip of the iceberg</a>” as he enters his fourth NBA season.</p><p>“Tip of the iceberg,” Miller said when asked how talented Banchero is. “Paolo’s biggest thing was just, ‘How can I be the best basketball player?’ Like he just cared about basketball. That’s rare.”</p><p>Miller continued by emphasizing Banchero’s passion and commitment to improving his game.</p><p>“He’s just beginning to understand how freaking good he is. The one thing I’ll say about him and why I’ll bet on him all day long is cause he absolutely loves it and dives into it,” Miller said. “I think he’s this new era. He’s 6’10”-6’11”, 270, moves like a guard, plays like a guard. I think he has a chance to be one of the best. I would bet everything that he’s going to be one of those dudes that we talk about for the longest time.”</p><h2><b>Paolo Banchero leads Magic’s resurgence with eyes on next step</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Paolo-Banchero-and-Jayson-Tatum.jpg"><figcaption>Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Since being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Banchero has quickly become the face of the franchise. He won Rookie of the Year in 2023 and earned his first All-Star selection the following season. His emergence has helped guide Orlando to consecutive postseason appearances, marking the franchise’s most consistent stretch of success in over a decade.</p><p>During the 2023-24 campaign, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-orlando-makes-expensive-promise-in-order-to-win-nba-championship">Banchero helped lead the Magic to a 47-35 record</a>, the team’s best since the Dwight Howard era in 2010-11. Despite being limited to just 46 games last season, he averaged 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game, while shooting 45.2% from the field and 32% from beyond the arc. He has already established himself as one of the league’s premier young forwards.</p><p>The Magic continued to build around their 22-year-old cornerstone this summer. In June, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-draymond-green-reaction-to-desmond-bane-trade">team acquired guard Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies in a blockbuster trade</a> and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/orlando-magic-2025-nba-free-agency-grades-for-every-signing">added veteran guard Tyus Jones</a> to solidify the backcourt. With those moves, Orlando positioned itself as a rising contender in the Eastern Conference.</p><p>Banchero now enters his fourth year with heightened expectations and the endorsement of a trusted mentor in Miller, who has closely observed his development. Miller’s remarks highlight the belief that Banchero is not just a centerpiece for Orlando, but potentially one of the defining players of his generation.</p><p>Orlando will open its season on Wednesday, Oct. 22, at the KIA Center against the Miami Heat.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Mike Miller says Magic star Paolo Banchero is only at the ‘tip of the iceberg’

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/ncaa-basketball/duke-basketball-news-cooper-flagg-paolo-banchero-scrimmaging-blue-devils-excite-fans');   ga('set', 'title', 'Cooper Flagg, Paolo Banchero scrimmaging with Duke basketball will excite fans');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Flagg-shoots.jpg"><figcaption>Bob Donnan-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Cooper Flagg, Paolo Banchero scrimmaging with Duke basketball will excite fans</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-09T10:53:48-07:00">September 9th, 10:53am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-09T10:53:48-07:00">September 9th, 10:53am</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University alum from Atlanta who graduated with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NCAA Basketball</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/ncaa-basketball/duke-basketball-news-blue-devils-make-2025-26-announcement">Duke basketball program is currently</a> preparing for the upcoming 2025 college basketball season, which is slated to begin in around two months. Duke is entering a bit of a transitional year after several key players, including multiple first round picks, departed for the NBA Draft this past offseason.</p><p>One of those first round picks<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/dallas-mavericks/mavericks-cooper-flagg-generational-talent"> was Cooper Flagg</a>, who was drafted number one overall by the Dallas Mavericks this summer.</p><p>Recently, Flagg and fellow former Duke player and number one overall draft pick Paolo Banchero, now a star with the Orlando Magic, were spotted at the Blue Devils practice<a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1965466688171933826" rel="noopener"> scrimmaging with some</a> of the current members of the team.</p><p>(Via @DukeTWTClips on X, formerly Twitter).</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Cooper Flagg and Paolo Banchero scrimmaging with the current Duke roster with Jayson Tatum watching 👀🙌 </p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/DukeTWTClips?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DukeTWTClips</a>)<a href="https://t.co/PvipypttNP">pic.twitter.com/PvipypttNP</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1965466688171933826?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Also in attendance was Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum, who was watching from the sidelines as he recovers from the torn ACL injury he suffered during last year’s NBA playoffs vs the New York Knicks.</p><p>Overall, playing against elite NBA competition is sure to help the current members of the Duke basketball team as they prepare to embark on another season.</p><p>Duke fans are getting restless for a national championship as they once again came up short in the 2024-25 season, this time falling in the Final Four against the Houston Cougars.</p><p>Duke was actually leading that game for the majority of the way but completely fell apart down the stretch, which, combined with some hot shooting from Houston, ultimately lost them the game.</p><p>Flagg had a chance to hit an iconic shot late in the game that would have given the Blue Devils the lead, but unfortunately for Duke fans, he ended up missing it and taking his talents to the NBA not long after.</p><p>In any case, Duke basketball is slated to kick off its 2025 campaign against the Texas Longhorns on November 4 in what should be a fun matchup.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Cooper Flagg, Paolo Banchero scrimmaging with Duke basketball will excite fans

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-orlando-ready-next-playoff-step-after-offseason-moves');   ga('set', 'title', 'Paolo Banchero, Magic ready for next playoff step after key offseason moves');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Paolo-Banchero-Orlando-ready-for-next-playoff-step-after-key-offseason-moves1.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>Paolo Banchero, Magic ready for next playoff step after key offseason moves</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-04T12:57:40-07:00">September 4th, 12:57pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-04T12:57:40-07:00">September 4th, 12:57pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Mini-Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-franz-wagner-ready-to-make-their-mark-per-assistant-coach">Orlando Magic enter the 2025-26 NBA season with heightened expectations</a> following an offseason that brought in much-needed reinforcements. After <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-espn-predicts-orlando-to-land-this-seed-wide-open-east">back-to-back first-round playoff exits</a>, the franchise believes it has taken the steps necessary to advance deeper into the postseason, with star forward Paolo Banchero voicing his confidence in the team’s direction.</p><p>Banchero, the 2022 No. 1 overall pick, recently appeared on The Brotherhood Podcast with Cam Boozer and <a href="https://youtu.be/uN-ou0w_dG0?si=ohht_GZIT1xH8Zt3" rel="noopener">highlighted the additions</a> of Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones as pivotal moves for a roster looking to mature into an Eastern Conference contender.</p><p>“Really excited about the pickups. Obviously, Desmond Bane: hell of a player. And then, Tyus: me always admiring his game. I remember him being in Memphis and him being like the best second unit player in the whole league at one point. And so, really excited to have him: a veteran presence and just a true point guard. We’ve been in the playoffs the last two years — two First Round exits — and so I feel like we needed some more experience, some more guys that been deeper in the playoffs and know what it takes to get there,” Banchero said.</p><h2><b>Desmond Bane’s shooting, Tyus Jones’ playmaking target Magic’s playoff shortcomings</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Desmond-Bane-and-Tyus-Jones.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-draymond-green-reaction-to-desmond-bane-trade">acquisition of Bane came in a Father’s Day blockbuster trade with the Memphis Grizzlies</a>, which sent Cole Anthony, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, four first-round picks, and a pick swap to Memphis. Bane averaged 19.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 48.4% from the field and 39.2% from three across 69 games in his fifth season with Memphis. Over his career, he has connected on 41% of his attempts from beyond the arc, providing the perimeter scoring and floor spacing that Orlando had long been missing.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/orlando-magic-2025-nba-free-agency-grades-for-every-signing">Jones, meanwhile, joined the Magic in free agency</a> after averaging 10.2 points, 5.3 assists, and 2.4 rebounds while shooting 44.8% from the field and 41.4% from three in 81 games with the Phoenix Suns last season, his 10th in the NBA. Known for his efficiency and low turnover rate, he is expected to provide stability, depth, and guidance alongside Jalen Suggs, who earned All-Defensive honors in 2023-24 before being limited to 35 games last season with a knee injury.</p><p>Banchero emphasized how the Magic’s recent playoff shortcomings have fueled the team’s determination to progress.</p><p>“And so bringing those two in, it’s going to help us a lot: us being a younger team, needing that experience. I’m really excited, bro. I think it’s like you gotta go through stages in the league, you gotta lose a certain amount before you can win. And so I feel like losing first two years in the First Round, it just makes you hungrier for what’s next. I think it’s going to be a big year four,” he said.</p><h2><b>Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner set to lead dynamic duo’s pivotal season</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Paolo-Banchero-5-reacts-with-forward-Franz-Wagner-22-after-making-a-shot.jpg"><figcaption>© Rob Gray-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Banchero enters his fourth season following a year in which he averaged 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists despite missing time with a torn oblique. Running alongside him, Franz Wagner delivered a career-best 24.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists before suffering the same injury. Both are expected to return fully healthy, giving Orlando one of the league’s most dynamic young duos.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/orlando-magic-2025-26-season-predictions-after-schedule-release">Magic will open the 2025-26 season on Wednesday, October 22</a>, when they host the Miami Heat at the KIA Center. With Banchero, Wagner, and a retooled supporting cast, Orlando is positioned not only to return to the postseason but to contend for its first playoff series victory in over a decade.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Paolo Banchero, Magic ready for next playoff step after key offseason moves

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-franz-wagner-ready-to-make-their-mark-per-assistant-coach');   ga('set', 'title', 'Magic stars Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner ‘ready to make their mark,’ per assistant coach');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Magic-stars-Paolo-Banchero-Franz-Wagner-%E2%80%98ready-to-make-their-mark-per-assistant-coach.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>Magic stars Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner ‘ready to make their mark,’ per assistant coach</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-02T14:15:50-07:00">September 2nd, 2:15pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-02T14:15:50-07:00">September 2nd, 2:15pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Mini-Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>With the 2025-26 NBA season just 50 days away, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-espn-predicts-orlando-to-land-this-seed-wide-open-east">Orlando Magic are preparing to build on their growing momentum</a> in the Eastern Conference. Assistant coach <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/beloved-mavericks-assistant-to-join-magic-coaching-staff">God Shammgod, who joined the team earlier this summer</a>, believes the franchise’s young core, led by star forwards Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, is prepared to take another significant step.</p><p>In an interview with NBC’s Kurt Helin promoting his new book Word of God, Shammgod <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/nba/news/orlandos-god-shammgod-says-banchero-wagner-magic-ready-to-make-their-mark" rel="noopener">expressed confidence</a> in the Magic’s rising stars.</p><p>“Paolo and Franz and them, they’re coming into their own right now,” Shammgod said. “They’re at the right age where they still young, but they, they young enough to dare. Dare to be great. And I, I believe like Paolo and Franz is going to be great, but Desmond Bane, Jalen Suggs, Anthony Black, we got Tyus Jones. Now we got, we got so many great players.</p><h2><b>God Shammgod says Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner are ready to lead Magic’s rise</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Franz-Wagner-Paolo-Banchero.jpg"><figcaption>Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>“And they all right. And I feel like right now they all are ready to make their mark. So I’m just happy and honored to be a part of it.”</p><p>Banchero and Wagner headline one of the most promising young rosters in the league. Banchero, entering his fourth NBA season, averaged 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists last year despite missing significant time with a torn oblique. Wagner, who signed a five-year extension in 2024, delivered a career-high 24.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game before suffering the same injury.</p><p>In international play, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/eurobasket-news-goga-bitadze-sparks-georgia-with-eurobasket-win-over-cyprus">Wagner is currently leading Germany to a perfect 4-0 start at FIBA EuroBasket 2025</a>, with the team recently becoming the first to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/eurobasket-news-franz-wagner-germany-past-lithuania-clinch-round-of-16-eurobasket">clinch a spot in the Round of 16</a>. Both forwards are expected to return fully healthy this season, giving the Magic the star power needed to compete with the East’s elite.</p><p>Shammgod’s arrival in Orlando marked a reunion with head coach Jamahl Mosley. The two previously coached together with the Dallas Mavericks, and their relationship dates back to their teenage years. Shammgod praised Mosley’s relentless approach and commitment to player development.</p><h2><b>Shammgod praises Jamahl Mosley’s work ethic as Magic bolster roster for 2025-26</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Jamahl-Mosley-speaks-to-forward-Paolo-Banchero-5-in-the-first-half-against-the-Toronto-Raptors.jpg"><figcaption>© Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>“I knew him when we both was teenagers, because when I was a freshman at Providence, he visited Providence. So that’s full circle,” Shammgod said of Mosley. “Like for me and him coaching at Dallas together, he just got such a great passion and such.</p><p>“He’s so about the work. You know what I’m saying? There’s not too many people I could say, that’s all about the work. Like, forget all the accolades, forget all that stuff. Like, he’s all about the work and all about winning and all about pouring into the kids. And I think that’s what me and him share in common the most.”</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/orlando-magic-2025-nba-free-agency-grades-for-every-signing">Magic’s offseason moves have only added to the optimism</a>. The franchise acquired sharpshooter <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-desmond-bane-return-game-vs-grizzlies-announced">Desmond Bane in a blockbuster trade with Memphis</a>, signed veteran guard Tyus Jones, drafted Jase Richardson, and re-signed big man Moritz Wagner. Jalen Suggs, who was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2023-24, is also expected to return after being limited to 35 games last season due to a knee injury. With Anthony Black continuing his development, Orlando has blended youthful talent with experienced depth.</p><p>Orlando will open the 2025-26 season at the KIA Center on October 22, hosting the Miami Heat. Entering with higher expectations than at any point in the last decade, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/orlando-magic-2025-26-season-predictions-after-schedule-release">Magic are widely projected to surpass 50 wins and contend in the East</a>. For Shammgod, the combination of Banchero, Wagner, and an emerging supporting cast signals a team poised to leave its mark on the league.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Magic stars Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner ‘ready to make their mark,’ per assistant coach

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/orlando-magic/grading-paolo-bancheros-239-million-magic-contract-extension');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grading Paolo Banchero’s $239 million Magic contract extension');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Paolo-Banchero-Magic.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Grading Paolo Banchero’s $239 million Magic contract extension</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-08T13:55:48-07:00">July 8th, 1:55pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-08T13:55:48-07:00">July 8th, 1:55pm</time><address><a>Rohan Brahmbhatt</a>Rohan Brahmbhatt is an adventure-driven sports writer, passionate footballer, mountaineer, and photojournalist. Rohan blends firsthand experience with storytelling—capturing the intensity of sport and the thrill of exploration. Whether on the field, a mountain trail, or behind the lens, he brings authentic, high-energy narratives that connect readers to the heart of the action.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Orlando Magic selected Paolo Banchero with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft and have <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/magic-news-paolo-banchero-agrees-five-year-max-contract-unique-option">now given him a </a><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/magic-news-paolo-banchero-agrees-five-year-max-contract-unique-option">$239 million rookie max extension</a>, potentially rising to $287 million with supermax incentives. It is a franchise-defining move that showcases trust in the team’s philosophy and core values. </p><p>The Magic roster battled through adversity throughout the 2024-25 season, finishing seventh in the Eastern Conference despite significant injuries to key players Banchero and Franz Wagner. The short but telling message confirmed what many in the league suspected: <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-extension-instagram-reaction">Banchero is the face of the franchise moving forward</a>. </p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">locked in 🤝</p><p>yeahhhhh P5 <a href="https://t.co/KwgdYOuInJ">pic.twitter.com/KwgdYOuInJ</a></p><p>— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) <a href="https://twitter.com/OrlandoMagic/status/1942375489747787928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The former Duke standout and Rookie of the Year missed 34 games with a torn oblique but returned late in the year to help power Orlando’s playoff push. </p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-agrees-five-year-max-contract-unique-option">deal also has a player option for Banchero</a> in 2030-31 — the first time a rookie max extension has had a player option since 2021, when Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks) and Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks) completed their rookie max contracts. Either way, the Magic have made one thing clear: Banchero is the centerpiece of their future, and they’re locked in for the long haul.</p><h2><b>Grading Paolo Banchero’s max extension with the Magic</b></h2><p>Paolo Banchero’s NBA journey has been a blend of rapid ascension, adversity, and evolution. From winning Rookie of the Year to becoming a playoff-tested leader and now the recipient of one of the richest rookie extensions in NBA history, his path reflects a rare trajectory.</p><p>Banchero is no longer just the promising No. 1 pick; he’s the face of a franchise and a cornerstone for a team aiming to rise in the Eastern Conference hierarchy. If health stays on his side, the league could very well be watching the early chapters of an MVP-caliber career unfold in Orlando.</p><p>With a five-year, $239 million extension signed in July 2025 – potentially reaching $287 million if he earns All-NBA honors, like All-NBA team, or earns MVP or Defensive Player of the Year – Banchero is officially the face of the Orlando Magic for the long haul.</p><p>Entering his fourth season in 2025–26, he will be surrounded by a revamped, talented roster featuring Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, and newly acquired sharpshooter Desmond Bane. The Magic are banking on Banchero not just to be great, but to lead them deep into the playoffs and beyond.</p><p><b>Grade A</b></p><h2><b>From 1st pick to the Max: the evolution of Paolo Banchero </b></h2><p>When the Magic selected Banchero with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, there was immediate buzz surrounding the 6-foot-10 forward out of Duke. Banchero entered the league with the body of an NBA veteran, the vision of a point forward, and the swagger of a future All-Star. Over three seasons, he not only met expectations but also redefined them, transforming from a talented rookie into a franchise centerpiece worthy of a $239 million rookie max extension in 2025.</p><p>The 2024–25 campaign <a href="https://www.espn.in/nba/story/_/id/45690598/paolo-banchero-magic-agree-five-year-rookie-max-extension" rel="noopener">marked Banchero’s true breakout into NBA superstardom.</a> Despite an oblique injury that sidelined him for over 34 games, his production when healthy was elite. He was setting high averages of 25.9 points and 7.5 rebounds to go with 4.8 assists. He returned in February post-injury and immediately boosted Orlando’s offense. The Magic finished 41–41, good for the 7th seed, and faced the Celtics in the first round. While Orlando lost the series 1–4, Banchero was spectacular, averaging 29.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists, and routinely breaking down one of the league’s best defenses.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Paolo is celebrating his new max contract extension by… hitting the gym. 🪄 <a href="https://t.co/ePqJdyvSfa">pic.twitter.com/ePqJdyvSfa</a></p><p>— Orlando Magic HQ (@OMagicHQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/OMagicHQ/status/1942443228931695101?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Beyond the stats, Paolo emerged as a vocal leader and community figure. He embraced Orlando, became a mentor to younger players, and handled pressure with a calm, mature demeanor. Whether facing elite defenders or late-game decisions, he played with high IQ and unshakeable confidence.</p><p>Coaches lauded his work ethic, film study, and self-criticism. Teammates pointed to him as the team’s emotional and strategic anchor. The season solidified his status: not just a star, but the face of the franchise. His extension followed soon after.</p><h2>Magic’s 2025 offseason moves: trade, free agency &amp; draft</h2><p>Banchero began drawing double- and triple-teams consistently, forcing Orlando to rethink its spacing. That led directly to the team trading for Bane in the 2025 offseason. The Magic acquired the sharpshooter from Memphis, offering up KCP, Cole Anthony, and four future first-round picks – including multiple unprotected selections.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Free agent forward/center Moe Wagner has agreed to a one-year, $5 million deal to return to the Orlando Magic, sources tell ESPN. Wagner's agent, Jason Glushon, reached the new contract with Magic executives on Friday. <a href="https://t.co/YInqnHBFef">pic.twitter.com/YInqnHBFef</a></p><p>— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1941127369869361536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Meanwhile, they also <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-orlando-bringing-back-moe-wagner-1-year-deal">re-signed forward/center Moe Wagner</a> on a one-year, $5 million deal. The move, made by the Magic during free agency, keeps one of the team’s most productive and energetic reserves as they continue building toward playoff contention. Free agent guard Tyus Jones agreed to a one-year, $7 million deal.</p><p>Even after making the blockbuster trade for Bane, they <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-orlando-pick-former-player-son-nba-draft">drafted Jase Richardson at No. 25 from Michigan State</a>, their only first-round pick. The pick is significant not only because of his talent, but because his father, Jason, played for the Magic during his NBA career.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jase Richardson &amp; Noah Penda 🪄</p><p>What magic will they bring to Orlando? <a href="https://t.co/HJVmZ15FSH">pic.twitter.com/HJVmZ15FSH</a></p><p>— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1940555143273239024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>They also added Noah Penda from a trade with the Celtics on draft day. At 6-foot-8, Penda has the size and length to play either forward spot. He is comfortable posting up and either creating his shot or creating open looks for teammates who are either cutting or spotting up from 3. Defensively, Penda can recover quickly and block shots at the rim as a quality help defender.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grading Paolo Banchero’s $239 million Magic contract extension

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-jeff-teague-paolo-banchero-victor-wembanyama-take');   ga('set', 'title', 'Jeff Teague’s Paolo Banchero-Victor Wembanyama take will fire up Magic fans');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Banchero-and-Wembanyama.jpg"><figcaption>Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Jeff Teague’s Paolo Banchero-Victor Wembanyama take will fire up Magic fans</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-08T10:21:50-07:00">July 8th, 10:21am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-08T10:21:50-07:00">July 8th, 10:21am</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University senior from Atlanta on track to graduate with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>On Monday, Orlando Magic star <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-extension-instagram-reaction">Paolo Banchero signed</a> a max rookie extension with the franchise that will keep with the franchise long term, as reported by Shams Charania of ESPN. While this sort of move has appeared inevitable for quite some time now, it was still a testament to just how quickly Banchero has climbed the NBA ranks during his time <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-agrees-five-year-max-contract-unique-option">with the Magic.</a></p><p>Recently, former NBA All-Star point guard Jeff Teague took to his own Club 520 podcast with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=111&amp;v=6HomFjgwrQs&amp;feature=youtu.be" rel="noopener">a hot take</a> about Banchero as it relates to his young star counterpart, San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama.</p><p>“The reason I say (Banchero’s) better than Wemby is because Wemby ain’t really done nothing. We just like Wemby because he’s like a freak,” said Teague.</p><p>Teague also mentioned that “(Wembanyama is) a phenomenal player but I’m going to go with what I see.”</p><p>In the quote, Teague was referencing Wembanyama’s injury history, which outside of last year’s blood clot which sidelined him in February, hasn’t really been much of a concern.</p><p>Meanwhile, Banchero hasn’t necessarily been a picture of health thus far during his time with the league. In fact, last year, the Magic were arguably hit harder by the injury bug than any other team in the league, with Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs all missing significant time, among others.</p><h2><b>A big season for the Magic</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Paolo-Banchero.jpg"><figcaption>Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images.</figcaption></figure><p>The Magic enter the 2025-26 season with the highest expectations they’ve had since the days that Dwight Howard wore the blue and white in the late 2000s.</p><p>The Eastern Conference landscape would appear to be wide open at the current juncture with several players, including Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum, out likely for all of next season due to injury.</p><p>The Magic pushed all of their chips to the center of the table by going out and acquiring Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane earlier this summer, which should help alleviate the team’s one glaring weakness: their perimeter shooting, which was worst in the league in 2024-25.</p><p>It remains to be seen if Bane alone can remedy this issue, but if he does, watch out for the Magic.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Jeff Teague’s Paolo Banchero-Victor Wembanyama take will fire up Magic fans

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-extension-instagram-reaction');   ga('set', 'title', 'Magic drop 2-word message after massive Paolo Banchero extension');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Paolo-Banchero.jpg"><figcaption>Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images.</figcaption></figure><h1>Magic drop 2-word message after massive Paolo Banchero extension</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-07T20:17:06-07:00">July 7th, 8:17pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-07T20:17:06-07:00">July 7th, 8:17pm</time><address><a>Josh Davis</a>Josh Davis is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints with a focus on MLB. As the founder and creator of OutOfSightSports, Josh spearheads the development and expansion of an engaging social media platform, with a core focus on Twitter/X. A passionate sports writer, Josh is dedicated to delivering compelling content that connects fans and fuels vibrant sports conversations. His vision is to craft stories so vivid that fans feel like they’re standing at the plate or on the field.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Orlando Magic made a franchise-defining move Monday, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-agrees-five-year-max-contract-unique-option">locking in rising star Paolo Banchero</a> with a five-year, $239 million maximum rookie contract extension — a deal that could escalate to $287 million with incentives. The team didn’t just make headlines with the deal — they added flair with a viral post. The Magic Instagram post announcing the news featured a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DL04SEGtAUh/?hl=en" rel="noopener">simple</a>, bold caption.</p><p>“locked in 🤝”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="instagram-media"><div style="padding: 16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DL04SEGtAUh/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> <div style="display: flex;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div><div style="display: flex;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div><div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"><div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div><div style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 14px;"><div><div></div><div></div><div></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div><div></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"><div></div><div></div><div></div></div></div><div style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 24px;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div><p></p></a><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DL04SEGtAUh/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Orlando Magic (@orlandomagic)</a></p></div></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><p>The short but telling message confirmed what many in the league suspected — Banchero is the face of the franchise moving forward. After a turbulent but promising 2024-25 campaign, the timing of the extension sends a strong signal about Orlando’s long-term vision.</p><p>The Magic roster battled through adversity throughout the 2024-25 season, finishing seventh in the Eastern Conference despite significant injuries to key players Banchero and Franz Wagner. The former Duke standout and Rookie of the Year missed 34 games with a torn oblique but returned late in the year to help power Orlando’s playoff push. Banchero averaged 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists during the regular season, reinforcing his status as the franchise’s foundational piece.</p><p>In the playoffs, Banchero led the team in scoring multiple times during their five-game series against the defending champion Boston Celtics. Though they were eliminated in the first round, Orlando’s core proved it can certainly compete. The NBA offseason contract news around their rising star is only the beginning of what could be an active summer for the Magic.</p><p>The 2-word Instagram message captured fan attention and lit up comment sections with excitement. It’s a modern example of how teams blend official announcements with viral social engagement. The Magic’s digital team understands the value of branding, and this post was both a celebration and a statement.</p><p>Banchero, the former No. 1 overall pick, has now played three seasons with the Magic, appearing in 198 games with averages of 22.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 4.6 assists. He was an All-Star in 2025 and is widely viewed as one of the top young forwards in the NBA.</p><p>With the extension now official, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-orlando-contract-decisions-moe-wagner-caleb-houstan">all eyes turn to Orlando’s next moves</a>. Will they add a veteran scorer? Address their three-point shooting struggles? Or simply continue building around their homegrown core?</p><p>Either way, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-why-orlando-paolo-banchero-primed-for-growth-after-injury-plagued-season">Magic have made one thing clear</a> — Banchero is the centerpiece of their future, and they’re locked in for the long haul.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Magic drop 2-word message after massive Paolo Banchero extension

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-agrees-five-year-max-contract-unique-option');   ga('set', 'title', 'Paolo Banchero agrees to five-year max contract with unique option');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Paolo-Banchero-5-reacts-with-forward-Franz-Wagner-22-after-making-a-shot.jpg"><figcaption>© Rob Gray-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Paolo Banchero agrees to five-year max contract with unique option</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-07T15:34:22-07:00">July 7th, 3:34pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-07T16:14:29-07:00">July 7th, 4:14pm</time><address><a>Scotty White</a>Scotty White is a graduate of the University of Michigan and has been in the sports journalism industry since 2020. He has covered athletics at the University of Michigan and is now serving as an Associate Editor, Chicago Bulls beat writer, and Michigan football reporter at ClutchPoints.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero was a first overall NBA Draft pick, and he has panned out so far. The Magic have a budding superstar, and they are <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1942348406506115347" rel="noopener">locking him in</a> for the forseeable future. Banchero and Orlando agreed to terms on a five-year rookie max contract extension on Monday, and the deal is worth $287 million. The contract also includes a player option, which is rare for a rookie max.</p><p>“Breaking: Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero has agreed to a five-year maximum rookie contract extension that could reach $287 million, Mike Miller of LIFT Sports Management tells ESPN,” Shams Charania said in a post. “Deal includes a player option; the first for a rookie max since 2021 (Luka Doncic, Trae Young).”</p><p>Paolo Banchero will have a chance to increase his base salary based on how he performs. If he brings home certain accolades next season, he will <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45690598/paolo-banchero-magic-agree-five-year-rookie-max-extension" rel="noopener">see an increase</a>.</p><p>“Miller said Banchero’s new deal includes triggers to elevate the base salary to the supermax should the Magic franchise cornerstone make either an All-NBA team or earn MVP or Defensive Player of the Year honors next season,” a report from ESPN states.</p><p>So far, selecting Banchero has worked out for the Magic. After being one of the best players in college basketball with Duke, Banchero was selected with the first overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. He has now been in the league for three seasons, and there are few players that have a brighter future. Banchero is 22, and he has put up some ridiculously impressive numbers.</p><p>“He’s only the eighth player in NBA history to average at least 25, 7 and 4 at age 22 or younger,” the report added. “And he joined Tracy McGrady and Shaquille O’Neal as the only Magic players to average more than 25 points in a season.”</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-knicks-example-next-step-contend">The rebuild seems to be complete for the Magic</a>. They were one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference last season, and now that Paolo Banchero is locked in, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-jalen-suggs-breaks-down-how-desmond-bane-raises-orlandos-title-chances">Orlando has its core all in place</a>. Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs and Banchero are all going to be around for a long time, and this team is only going to get better.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Paolo Banchero agrees to five-year max contract with unique option

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/orlando-magic/magic-rumors-orlando-wants-to-make-25-million-trade-to-help-paolo-banchero');   ga('set', 'title', 'Magic rumors: Orlando wants to make $25 million trade to help Paolo Banchero');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Paolo-Banchero-celebrate.jpg"><figcaption>Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Magic rumors: Orlando wants to make $25 million trade to help Paolo Banchero</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-03T09:02:00-07:00">June 3rd, 9:02am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-03T09:02:00-07:00">June 3rd, 9:02am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Fresh off unveiling a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-orlando-launch-new-era-with-throwback-style-jerseys-for-2025-26-season">franchise rebrand ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season</a>, the Orlando Magic are reportedly exploring trade options to upgrade their offense and support rising stars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.</p><p>According to a report from Hardwood Paroxysm, the Magic are shifting into a more aggressive roster-building phase following their first-round playoff exit. The team is said to be targeting multiple offensive-minded players, using up to <a href="https://hardwoodparoxysm.substack.com/p/free-agency-and-draft-rumors-panic" rel="noopener">$25 million in combined salary</a> to facilitate potential trades.</p><p>“Orlando is indeed shifting its approach, as it sounded like in their postseason pressers, towards making major upgrades,” the report stated. “Sources believe they are looking to package around $25 million in salary for various players to give the offense the jump it needs. That sounds right because with Franz and Paolo, any addition making above that likely will demand the ball too much.”</p><p>Orlando finished the 2024-25 season with a 41-41 record, battling through a series of injuries to key players. Banchero and Wagner both missed extended time with torn obliques, while Jalen Suggs and Moritz Wagner suffered season-ending injuries earlier in the year. Despite the setbacks, the Magic secured a playoff berth, eventually <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-orlando-gm-refutes-reports-of-zero-trade-deadline-calls">falling to the Boston Celtics in a competitive five-game series</a>.</p><h2><b>Magic linked to multiple guards amid push to boost offense</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Garland-Passes-Cavs-Magic.jpg"><figcaption>Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>While Orlando once again fielded a top-tier defense, their offensive struggles proved costly. During the regular season, the Magic ranked 27th in scoring at just 105.4 points per game. They also finished last in three-point shooting, averaging 11.2 made threes per game on just 31.8% shooting from beyond the arc.</p><p>The offensive issues became even more pronounced in the postseason. Orlando <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/traditional?SeasonType=Playoffs&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=PTS" rel="noopener">ranked last</a> among all 16 playoff teams in points per game at 93.6 and three-point shooting, making only 8.2 threes per game at 26.3% from deep.</p><p>In response to these shortcomings, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-orlando-favored-for-potential-darius-garland-trade">Magic have been linked in multiple reports to guards such as Darius Garland</a>, Trae Young, and Anfernee Simons — all of whom could fill Orlando’s glaring need at point guard. However, a more financially feasible option could be Chicago Bulls guard Coby White.</p><p>White, 25, is coming off a career-best season. In 74 games, he averaged 20.4 points, 4.5 assists, and 3.7 rebounds while shooting 45.3% from the field and 37% from three. He is entering the final year of his three-year contract and is set to earn $12.8 million next season, potentially making him a logical candidate to fit within Orlando’s reported $25 million trade package range.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/ranking-best-kon-knueppel-destinations-in-2025-nba-draft">Magic currently hold the No. 16 and No. 25 picks in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft</a>, set for June 25–26 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. With a young core led by Banchero and Wagner, and a clear focus on offensive improvement, Orlando’s offseason could prove pivotal in shaping its competitive trajectory moving forward.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Magic rumors: Orlando wants to make $25 million trade to help Paolo Banchero

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-gets-nsfw-endorsement-kentavious-caldwell-pope');   ga('set', 'title', 'Magic’s Paolo Banchero gets NSFW endorsement from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Paolo-Banchero-5-dunks-the-ball-as-Washington-Wizards-forward-Justin-Champagnie-9-defends.jpg"><figcaption>© Geoff Burke-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Magic’s Paolo Banchero gets NSFW endorsement from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-23T12:40:31-07:00">May 23rd, 12:40pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-23T12:40:31-07:00">May 23rd, 12:40pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero has received high praise from many across the NBA, but veteran teammate Kentavious Caldwell-Pope offered one of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNd2TjFhfwA" rel="noopener">most emphatic endorsements</a> yet — with an NSFW twist.</p><p>During a recent appearance on Above The Rim with DH12, the podcast hosted by newly inducted Hall of Famer Dwight Howard, Caldwell-Pope opened up about his first season in Orlando and praised Banchero’s maturity, basketball IQ, and skill level.</p><p>“He’s a smart young kid,” Caldwell-Pope said. “I was surprised like how he think the game, how it slows down for him… Me coming over there and being a vet for him, I just talked more about what do you see. And he was able to break that down — it was easy for me to help him out.”</p><p>The two-time NBA champion continued with detailed insight into his on-court conversations with the 22-year-old forward, explaining how Banchero’s court vision and offensive versatility make him a unique talent to play alongside.</p><p>“I always tell him, you see a pass, make a pass, because they [are] going to double you every time,” Caldwell-Pope said. “What you’re going to be great at is screening, rolling, getting in that pocket — his mid-range is f**king killer — or when you’re in the post, face up, see what they give you. And him being mentally strong like that, his game just took off.”</p><h2><b>Paolo Banchero’s postseason leap and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s leadership fuel Magic’s rising expectations</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Paolo-Banchero-5-congratulates-guard-Kentavious-Caldwell-Pope-3-after-a-play.jpg"><figcaption>© Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-trolls-espn-over-old-ranking">Banchero delivered a strong third season for Orlando</a> despite being limited to 46 games due to a torn oblique in the first half of the year. He averaged 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 45.2 percent from the field and 32 percent from three.</p><p>The former No. 1 overall pick elevated his game even further in the postseason. During Orlando’s five-game series against the Boston Celtics, Banchero averaged 29.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 43.5 percent from the field and an impressive 44.4 percent from beyond the arc.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-kentavious-caldwell-pope-leaving-nuggets-for-orlando">Caldwell-Pope, who signed with the Magic last offseason</a> on a three-year, $66 million deal, was brought in to add veteran leadership and championship experience to a young roster led by Banchero and Franz Wagner. While his individual production dipped in 2024–25, Caldwell-Pope remained a respected voice in the locker room and offered a steady defensive presence throughout the year.</p><p>The Magic concluded the regular season with a 41–41 record, capturing their second consecutive Southeast Division title and playoff appearance before <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-backs-orlando-win-now-focus-and-embraces-rising-pressure-after-playoff-exit">falling to the Celtics in the first round</a>. With the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-orlando-president-drops-win-now-truth-bomb-future">front office signaling a “win-now” approach this offseason</a>, Banchero’s continued development — especially under the guidance of veterans like Caldwell-Pope — remains central to Orlando’s trajectory.</p><p>As the franchise looks to take the next step, Banchero’s blend of size, skill, and poise at such a young age has made him the unquestioned cornerstone of the Magic’s future. And with Caldwell-Pope giving him high marks — mid-range and all — the expectations heading into Year 4 are only growing louder.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Magic’s Paolo Banchero gets NSFW endorsement from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-shouts-out-2-special-teammates-who-helped-nba-transition');   ga('set', 'title', 'Paolo Banchero shouts out 2 special teammates who helped NBA transition');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Magic-1.jpg"><figcaption>Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Paolo Banchero shouts out 2 special teammates who helped NBA transition</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-21T13:24:42-07:00">May 21st, 1:24pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-21T13:24:42-07:00">May 21st, 1:24pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero recently <a href="https://x.com/HunchoHoops/status/1925245714130440468" rel="noopener">credited</a> two former teammates for helping him navigate the early challenges of his NBA career.</p><p>Speaking on The Pivot Podcast, Banchero reflected on his rookie season after being selected No. 1 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft. The 22-year-old forward said the welcoming environment in Orlando played a major role in his development.</p><p>“They welcomed me with open arms from the second I got there,” Banchero said. “The team was great, I remember first meeting the team at Summer League that year and us doing a dinner… and them being the coolest group of dudes that I’ve ever really been around.”</p><p>Among those who stood out was Markelle Fultz, a fellow former No. 1 overall pick. Fultz spent five seasons with the Magic and played alongside Banchero during his first two years in the league.</p><p>“One is Markelle Fultz, he’s a former No. 1 pick so he understood the shoes that I was in and so he was with me my first two years there. He helped me a ton, man,” Banchero said. “I looked up to Markelle, like watching him – I was in eighth grade when he was at the Dub and so I was at that stage where I was realizing my NBA dreams and to see a dude come to UW and go No. 1 was amazing to me.”</p><h2><b>Paolo Banchero praises Markelle Fultz, Terrence Ross for guiding him through NBA transition</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Paolo-Banchero-5-celebrates-with-point-guard-Markelle-Fultz-20-after-defeating-the-Golden-State-Warriors.jpg"><figcaption>© Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Fultz provided a steady voice during the ups and downs of Banchero’s early career.</p><p>“When I didn’t play well or when I had a rough night or whatever, I would take it super hard,” Banchero said. “He would always be the guy to pull me to the side and just be like, ‘relax bro, it’s 82 games. You ain’t about to have a great game every night.’ He was just like that calming presence… he understood more than anybody just how all this can affect you.”</p><p>Fultz, 26, was not re-signed by Orlando following the 2023–24 season. He later <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-markelle-fultz-agrees-sacramento-contract">joined the Sacramento Kings late in the 2024–25 regular season</a>. In 21 games with the Kings, he averaged 2.9 points, 1.3 assists, and one rebound in 8.8 minutes per contest.</p><p>Banchero also praised Terrence Ross for his mentorship during his rookie year. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-news-terrence-ross-retirement-13-seasons">Ross, who spent seven seasons with the Magic, retired after the 2022–23 campaign</a>.</p><p>“Another guy was Terrence Ross… another UW guy actually, who I watched growing up a lot,” Banchero said. “He helped me a lot too because he had been there for eight years in Orlando. I looked up to him too… and he would just keep it straightforward.”</p><p>Ross offered honest, constructive feedback Banchero trusted.</p><p>“I would go to him and ask him what he thought about how I was playing, what I could do better,” Banchero said. “T-Ross is one of the chillest dudes ever and so I knew it was coming from the right place.”</p><p>Ross, 34, played 63 games between the Magic and Phoenix Suns in his final season. He averaged 12.7 points, three rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game across 349 appearances with Orlando, shooting 41.4% from the field and 35.1% from three-point range.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Paolo Banchero shouts out 2 special teammates who helped NBA transition

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-knicks-example-next-step-contend');   ga('set', 'title', 'Paolo Banchero drops Knicks example for Magic to take next step to contend');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Paolo-Banchero-says-Magic-need-to-follow-the-Knicks-model.jpg"><figcaption>© Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Paolo Banchero drops Knicks example for Magic to take next step to contend</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-20T12:19:47-07:00">May 20th, 12:19pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-20T12:19:47-07:00">May 20th, 12:19pm</time><address><a href="https://haydencilley.wixsite.com/hayden-cilley-s-port">Hayden Cilley</a>Hayden Cilley joined ClutchPoints in August 2024 as a Phoenix Suns and Mercury reporter, as well as an Associate Editor. Hayden graduated from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University. He recently covered the Phoenix Mercury for The Next Hoops and PHNX Sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Despite the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/magic-news-paolo-banchero-fires-back-at-any-silver-linings-to-playoff-experience">Orlando Magic being eliminated from the NBA playoffs</a>, Paolo Banchero is the promising piece, alongside Franz Wagner and others on the roster.</p><p>However, the former No. 1 overall pick thinks that Orlando can reach another level. On The Pivot Podcast, the Magic star forward <a href="https://youtu.be/wf6Y-DxO5fU?t=1602" rel="noopener">gave his organization a blueprint</a> for who they should follow.</p><p>“I see some of these teams like the (New York) Knicks or the (Cleveland) Cavaliers,” Banchero said. “The Knicks, they’ve been in the playoffs the last couple of years, but they went and got some guys, and I think their mind is, they’re trying to win for the playoffs.</p><p>“And Boston, they’re trying to win for the playoffs. You can just feel that when you play against some of those teams. So I think that’s our next step.”</p><p>Three of those teams acquired superstar talent, but made the roster extremely deep. The Knicks, Celtics, and Cavaliers were the respective Top 3 seeds in the Eastern Conference.</p><p>For the Magic, they were the seventh after dealing with injuries. Still, they managed to win one game against Boston with the young core. Still, Banchero thinks there is more work to do.</p><h2><b>Paolo Banchero sees the Magic following the Knicks’ model</b></h2><p>New York was <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/knicks-2023-24-season-recap-065300839.html" rel="noopener">in a similar position</a> in 2024. After they lost Jalen Brunson to a hand injury in the semifinals, they fell to the Indiana Pacers in seven games.</p><p>As a result, they went out and reloaded in a major way. For instance, the Knicks traded for both Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns.</p><p>Although they lost key pieces like Isaiah Hartenstein, they managed to reload.</p><p>For the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-backs-orlando-win-now-focus-and-embraces-rising-pressure-after-playoff-exit">Magic, they might need to do some of that</a>. Considering how close Orlando was to being a Top 4 seed before the injuries, securing another star next to Banchero and Wagner would do the trick.</p><p>Regardless of that, Banchero still reflected and was honest about what the team should work on.</p><p>“I think health, but also just learning from these last two years,” Banchero said. “We’ve been out of the first round these first two years in the playoffs. Why is that?</p><p>“What do we need to work on, what are some of our deficiencies, what are some of our strengths? And how does that translate into winning in the playoffs? I think that’s the biggest thing, not only focusing on the regular season success, but how can we be successful in the playoffs.”</p><p>No matter what, the Magic are in a prime position to take that next step. Using New York as a blueprint could be a major blessing for Orlando.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Paolo Banchero drops Knicks example for Magic to take next step to contend

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-trolls-espn-over-old-ranking');   ga('set', 'title', 'Magic’s Paolo Banchero trolls ESPN over old ranking');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Paolo-Banchero-5-reacts-after-a-play-against-the-Atlanta-Hawks.jpg"><figcaption>© Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Magic’s Paolo Banchero trolls ESPN over old ranking</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-17T15:28:04-07:00">May 17th, 3:28pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-17T15:28:37-07:00">May 17th, 3:28pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-backs-orlando-win-now-focus-and-embraces-rising-pressure-after-playoff-exit">Orlando Magic shift into a pivotal offseason with a “win-now” mentality</a>, star forward Paolo Banchero took a moment to revisit his past. In a post shared this week on X, formerly known as Twitter, Banchero <a href="https://x.com/Pp_doesit/status/1923853502184353923" rel="noopener">responded</a> to resurfaced high school highlights with a pointed jab at ESPN’s 2021 player rankings.</p><p>“and espn had me ranked 4th in my class,” Banchero wrote in the caption, referencing the now-viral footage, followed by laughing emojis.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">and espn had me ranked 4th in my class🤣🤣🤣 <a href="https://t.co/tAb8ONRTa2">https://t.co/tAb8ONRTa2</a></p><p>— Paolo Banchero (@Pp_doesit) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pp_doesit/status/1923853502184353923?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><p>In ESPN’s final rankings for the 2021 recruiting class, Banchero was <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-sports/basketball/recruiting/playerrankings/_/class/2021/order/true" rel="noopener">listed</a> fourth behind Chet Holmgren, Jaden Hardy, and Emoni Bates. Despite the lower placement at the time, Banchero was selected No. 1 overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2022 NBA Draft.</p><p>Since then, he has quickly emerged as one of the league’s most promising young players. Banchero won the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award in 2023 and earned his first All-Star selection in 2024. He followed up with a strong 2024-25 campaign, averaging 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game on 45.2 percent shooting from the field and 32 percent from three-point range. His season was <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-why-orlando-paolo-banchero-primed-for-growth-after-injury-plagued-season">limited to 46 games due to a torn oblique</a>, but his production remained elite when on the court.</p><h2><b>Paolo Banchero’s rise contrasts former top-ranked peers as Magic shift focus to title contention</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Paolo-Banchero-celebrate.jpg"><figcaption>Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Now three seasons into his career, Banchero has helped guide Orlando to back-to-back playoff appearances, including a 47-win campaign in 2023-24 — the franchise’s highest win total since the 2010-11 season.</p><p>In contrast, the players who ranked ahead of him in that 2021 ESPN list have experienced varied trajectories.</p><p>Holmgren, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder, has become a key contributor for a rising Thunder team currently in the second round of the NBA Playoffs. He will play in a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/oklahoma-city-thunder/thunder-news-oklahoma-city-receives-pressure-warning-for-game-7">decisive Game 7 against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday</a>.</p><p>Hardy, drafted 37th overall in the second round by the Sacramento Kings and later acquired by the Dallas Mavericks, has yet to carve out a consistent role. He averaged 8.7 points in 15.9 minutes per game during the regular season and has seen limited usage in the postseason.</p><p>Bates, once hailed as a generational prospect, fell to the 49th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft and has struggled to find playing time with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He appeared in just 10 games during the 2024-25 season, averaging 7.5 minutes per contest.</p><p>Banchero’s subtle dig comes as the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-what-franz-wagner-is-focused-on-amid-orlando-win-now-approach">Magic prepare for an offseason where expectations are rising</a>. Both President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-orlando-gm-refutes-reports-of-zero-trade-deadline-calls">General Manager Anthony Parker have emphasized that Orlando is ready to pivot</a> from development to contention. With Banchero at the center of that movement, his track record continues to validate the Magic’s decision to draft him first overall — regardless of where he once stood in ESPN’s rankings.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Magic’s Paolo Banchero trolls ESPN over old ranking

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-backs-orlando-win-now-focus-and-embraces-rising-pressure-after-playoff-exit');   ga('set', 'title', 'Paolo Banchero backs Magic’s ‘win-now’ focus and embraces rising pressure after playoff exit');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Paolo-Banchero-5-reacts-after-basket-against-the-Atlanta-Hawks.jpg"><figcaption>© Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Paolo Banchero backs Magic’s ‘win-now’ focus and embraces rising pressure after playoff exit</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-01T10:33:09-07:00">May 1st, 10:33am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-01T10:33:09-07:00">May 1st, 10:33am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Mini-Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero expressed full support for the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-gm-makes-aggressive-offseason-promise-after-quiet-trade-deadline-backfires">franchise’s shift toward a “win-now” mentality</a>, following comments made earlier Thursday by team president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman. Speaking during his exit interview, Banchero reflected on the team’s first-round playoff exit to the defending champion Boston Celtics and addressed the growing expectations surrounding both his own development and the team’s future.</p><p>“Yeah, it definitely excites me to hear that, you know, we are trying to win now,” Banchero <a href="https://www.nba.com/magic/video" rel="noopener">said</a>. “I think that’s always been the goal, but to hear him say it I think is good, and I’m looking forward to whatever happens. At the end of the day, we all want to win, so whatever is being done to contribute to winning more games and winning in the postseason, I’m all for it.”</p><h2><b>Paolo Banchero reflects on injury-riddled season and late surge as Magic persevere through adversity</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Paolo-Banchero-5-dribbles-the-ball-against-Boston-Celtics-guard-Jaylen-Brown-7.jpg"><figcaption>© Eric Canha-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-fires-back-at-any-silver-linings-to-playoff-experience">Magic’s 2024-25 season concluded with a 120-89 loss to Boston in Game 5</a> of their first-round series. Despite the early exit, the team battled through a challenging year marked by injuries to key players. Banchero and Franz Wagner each sustained torn oblique injuries that limited them to 46 and 60 games, respectively. Jalen Suggs (35 games) and Moritz Wagner (30 games) both suffered season-ending injuries earlier in the year. Even with those setbacks, Orlando finished with a 41-41 record, won the Southeast Division for the second straight season, and clinched a playoff berth through the NBA Play-In Tournament.</p><p>“I would just say how tough of a year it was, how many ups and downs there were, but also how we responded,” Banchero said. “The stuff that we went through and just how we were able to still make the best of it. I think the guys in the locker room, we really stuck together through some tough times and got us to where we ended up.”</p><p>Banchero averaged 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 45.2 percent from the field and 32 percent from three across 46 appearances. After missing two months with the oblique injury, the 22-year-old found his rhythm late in the year. Following the All-Star break, he posted 29.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game on 47.3 percent shooting — <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-why-orlando-paolo-banchero-primed-for-growth-after-injury-plagued-season">second only to MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander</a> in scoring over that span.</p><p>“I think it was a little disappointing for me just going down with the injury and then coming back and having to work my way into shape,” Banchero said. “But I think I was happy with how I was able to respond and finish strong.”</p><h2><b>Banchero embraces rising pressure and reaffirms commitment to Orlando ahead of pivotal offseason</b></h2><p>With back-to-back first-round exits now in the rearview, Banchero acknowledged that expectations for the 2025-26 season will rise.</p><p>“Yeah, I think every year builds more pressure,” he said. “There’s definitely more pressure after this year because, like you say, you go out two years in the first round. Next year, you don’t want to go out in the first round. I think that would be looked at as not a success. So now, the mindset is, how can we do everything it takes to make sure that’s not the case?”</p><p>Looking ahead, Banchero is also eligible for a five-year, $246 million rookie max extension this offseason, a figure that could increase to $296 million if he earns an All-NBA selection next year. Despite the rising stakes, the 2022 No. 1 overall pick made it clear he feels at home in Orlando.</p><p>“I mean, I love it here, man,” Banchero said. “It’s a place that I love spending time. My family loves spending time here. I couldn’t be more happy to be a part of the Orlando Magic. So, I look forward to spending a lot more years here.”</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Paolo Banchero backs Magic’s ‘win-now’ focus and embraces rising pressure after playoff exit

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-why-orlando-paolo-banchero-primed-for-growth-after-injury-plagued-season');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Magic, Paolo Banchero are primed for immediate growth after injury-plagued season');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Franz-Wagner-Paolo-Banchero.jpg"><figcaption>Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Why Magic, Paolo Banchero are primed for immediate growth after injury-plagued season</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-30T13:57:48-07:00">April 30th, 1:57pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-30T13:57:48-07:00">April 30th, 1:57pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-jamahl-mosley-slam-officiating-after-season-ending-loss">Orlando Magic’s 2024-25 season came to an end Tuesday night with a 120-89 loss</a> to the defending champion Boston Celtics in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series. Despite the early exit, there is substantial optimism surrounding the franchise’s trajectory, led by Paolo Banchero and a young core poised for immediate growth.</p><p>Banchero, in his third NBA season, delivered a standout campaign despite being limited to just 46 games due to a torn oblique earlier in the year. The 22-year-old averaged 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 45.2 percent from the field and 32 percent from three-point range. Following the All-Star break, Banchero elevated his production to 29.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game on 47.3 percent shooting — second only to MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in post-break scoring.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-fires-back-at-any-silver-linings-to-playoff-experience">Banchero’s impact extended into the postseason</a>. In the five-game series against Boston, he averaged 29.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, shooting 43.5 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from three. It marked his second consecutive playoff series with rising production under postseason pressure.</p><h2><b>Franz Wagner steps up alongside Paolo Banchero as Magic’s defense holds vs. Celtics despite key injuries</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Franz-Wagner-shoots-against-Boston-Celtics-center-Kristaps-Porzingis.jpg"><figcaption>© Mike Watters-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Alongside Banchero, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-franz-wagner-makes-guarantee-after-hard-fought-playoff-loss-to-celtics">Franz Wagner also emerged as a critical piece</a>. Wagner, 23, missed a portion of the season with a torn oblique but still posted career-high averages of 24.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game across 60 appearances. In the playoffs, Wagner delivered 25.8 points, 5.6 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 44.3 percent overall — redeeming himself after a difficult 2024 postseason.</p><p>Defensively, Orlando maintained its identity. The Magic held the Celtics, who averaged 116.3 points and 17.8 threes per game on 36.8 percent shooting during the regular season, to just 106.4 points per game in the series and 11.8 threes per game — though Boston’s efficiency remained slightly higher at 37.8 percent.</p><p>Injuries to key contributors further highlight Orlando’s resilience. Jalen Suggs, who averaged a career-high 16.2 points, four rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.5 steals per game, was limited to just 35 games after suffering a season-ending injury earlier in the season. Moritz Wagner, who averaged a career-high 12.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game while shooting 56.2% from the field and 36% from three, was limited to 30 games after sustaining a torn ACL early in the year. Despite missing two of their top four scorers, the Magic remained competitive all year long.</p><h2><b>Banchero, Wagner stress higher expectations as Jamahl Mosley urges reflection after playoff exit</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Paolo-Banchero-5-drives-the-ball-to-the-basket-against-the-Boston-Celtics.jpg"><figcaption>© David Butler II-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Following the loss, Paolo Banchero was blunt in his assessment of the season’s conclusion.</p><p>“We wanted to go to the second round. I don’t think anyone is necessarily happy that we didn’t get blown out in four games. That wasn’t the goal,” he said. “The goal was to win and go to the second round. I’m not taking any moral victories from this series.”</p><p>Wagner echoed the sentiment, pointing to Orlando’s defensive effort and the thin margin separating the two teams.</p><p>“We saw how effective our defense is against one of the best teams in the league,” he said. “A bunch of close games… one or two possessions sometimes can make a big difference.”</p><p>Head coach Jamahl Mosley emphasized the importance of reflection heading into the offseason.</p><p>“You have to reflect on it as you go forward this summer and not look at an excuse, but how do you improve on what you need to do for the next season,” Mosley said.</p><h2><b>Offensive struggles doom Magic despite quality looks as young core positions team for next step</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Kentavious-Caldwell-Pope-3-shoots-a-three-point-basket-during-the-second-half-against-the-Atlanta-Hawks.jpg"><figcaption>© Mike Watters-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>While defense carried Orlando, offensive limitations were evident. The Magic finished the regular season ranked 27th in scoring (105.4 points per game) and dead last in three-point shooting percentage (31.8) and makes (11.2 per game). In the playoffs, those struggles deepened—Orlando averaged just 93.6 points per game, hit a league-low 26.3 percent from beyond the arc, and made only 8.2 threes per game — the only team in the playoffs to <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/traditional?SeasonType=Playoffs&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=FG3M" rel="noopener">average fewer than 10 made threes</a> per contest.</p><p>The shooting woes were <a href="https://x.com/OMagicDaily/status/1917606493840421285" rel="noopener">particularly stark</a> in Game 5. According to Orlando Magic Daily, the team went 8-for-38 from three, including 19 consecutive misses spanning the second and third quarters. They shot just 5-for-25 on “wide-open” threes and 3-for-13 on “open” looks. All 38 of their attempts were classified as either open or wide-open, underscoring the disconnect between shot quality and shot-making.</p><p>Still, with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner both under 24 and performing at a high level, the foundation remains strong. Orlando will enter the offseason with a healthy cap situation, multiple first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft, and the assets to upgrade its roster. After battling the reigning champions and showing growth despite injuries, the Magic appear well-positioned to take the next step.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
25.9	7.5	4.8	0.6	0.8

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
25.9	7.5	4.8	0.6	0.8

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