Is this Orlando’s Magic moment?
Orlando has given star power forward Paolo Banchero a max extension that could exceed $287m over five years. Now, it’s time to compete in the East.
The Orlando Magic have done what they had to do. That doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed to work out - but it’s the move you make when you believe you’ve got a franchise cornerstone. And with Paolo Banchero, the conversation often gets muddled. There’s a tendency to overanalyze, to nitpick, to hold him to standards that don’t always apply - at least not yet. In today’s NBA, it sometimes feels easier to hype elite role players than to fairly assess the few who have true franchise-player ceilings. And those players are rare.
That’s why with Banchero, the discourse often centers on efficiency, on plus-minus, on advanced metrics that can obscure the bigger picture. But here’s the reality: he’s 22 years old, already a No. 1 overall pick, Rookie of the Year, All-Star, and a Team USA player with a solid showing at the 2023 FIBA World Cup (individually, if not collectively).
And then there are the numbers: through three seasons, he’s averaged 22.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 4.6 assists. Last season, he posted 25.9 points, 7.5 boards, and 4.8 assists in 46 games - despite missing 34 due to a rare oblique injury. That injury struck during his fifth game of the season in Chicago, where he had already tallied 31 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. The game before that? A monster 50-point, 13-rebound, 9-assist performance against the Pacers.
And then there’s the postseason. In two first-round exits, Banchero has clearly elevated his game - both in terms of production and competitive presence. In 2024, he averaged 27 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists while shooting 40% from three in a seven-game battle with the Cavaliers. In 2025, against the Celtics, he upped that to 29.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and a scorching 44.4% from deep in a competitive five-game series.
Banchero tied down to new Magic deal
So yes, the Magic did what they had to do: they locked in Banchero with a full rookie max extension - five years, over $239 million. Including the final year of his current deal, that secures him in Orlando through the 2030-31 season for a total of $254.5 million. It’s a superstar-level commitment, and notably, it’s the first rookie max extension to include a player option in the final year since Luka Doncic and Trae Young signed theirs in 2021.
The new deal kicks in for the 2026-27 season, starting at 25% of the projected salary cap - $41.2 million - and ending with a player option worth $54.4 million.
There’s another scenario in play: if Banchero earns MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, or - most likely - an All-NBA selection next season, his rookie max extension will escalate to a supermax under the Derrick Rose Rule. That would bump his salary from 25% to 30% of the cap, pushing the total value of the deal past $287 million. Based on current projections, it would start at $49.5 million and peak at $65.3 million in the final year, which includes a player option.
Those numbers would push Orlando into the dreaded second apron of the salary cap. But the franchise has been preparing for that possibility, structuring smaller contracts with team options and flexible guarantees to maintain some breathing room.
Still, this salary escalation mechanism deserves scrutiny. It creates a perverse incentive for teams to quietly hope their own stars don’t receive certain accolades - like All-NBA honors - because of the financial strain it can cause. It’s a toxic side effect of tying cap percentages to awards. A potential fix? Let the player earn the 30% salary, but only count 25% against the team’s cap. That’s a separate debate, but one worth having.
For now, what matters is this: the Magic are all-in on Banchero becoming one of the NBA’s elite. Their competitive window is officially open, and there are no more excuses. Franz Wagner signed a five-year, $224 million max extension in 2024. Jalen Suggs got five years and just over $150 million. And Desmond Bane, acquired in a blockbuster move, is on a four-year, $163 million deal.
Bane’s arrival cost Orlando dearly: four first-round picks (one already conveyed this year, one from Phoenix, and two of their own), a swap of another first, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (last year’s bet that didn’t pan out), and Cole Anthony. But the Magic believe Bane is the missing piece - his value goes beyond individual stats.
Can Magic take their chance in the East?
Together, Banchero, Wagner, Suggs and Bane form the new core of a Magic team poised to capitalize on a shifting Eastern Conference landscape. With injuries and roster changes affecting contenders like the Celtics, Pacers and Bucks, Orlando has a real shot to break into the top four and make a deep playoff run - just as Indiana did this spring.
Last season, the Magic finished 41-41 and reached the playoffs via the play-in. But that record was more a reflection of injuries than talent. Banchero missed time with injury, Wagner suffered a similar setback, Suggs was sidelined, and even Mo Wagner dealt with issues.
Now, with a healthy roster and a clear vision, Orlando is betting big - and smart - on its future.
The Magic finished last season with the second-best defensive rating in the NBA. It was their second straight year in the top five - a clear reflection of the identity head coach Jamahl Mosley has instilled over his four-year tenure. He’s a coach whose results and impact have outpaced his reputation. Simply put: he’s good at what he does.
But the problem is on the other end of the floor. Last season, the Magic ranked 27th out of 30 in offensive rating and dead last in three-point shooting percentage. In the playoffs, that weakness became fatal. Against the Celtics, they shot a brutal 26.3% from beyond the arc - tying the worst mark in NBA history for a team with at least 150 attempts in a single postseason.
Enter Bane. While not a traditional point guard (Orlando addressed that by signing Tyus Jones to come off the bench), Bane is a capable secondary playmaker and, more importantly, an elite shooter who competes hard on defense despite his size. Over the past three seasons with Memphis, he’s averaged 21.1 points per game while shooting 39.4% from three. Last season, he hit 42.3% of his catch-and-shoot threes - a key stat for a team desperate for spacing. Jones, for his part, quietly shot 43% on catch-and-shoot threes last season, though it was largely lost in the chaos of Phoenix’s underwhelming campaign.
Orlando also took another swing at shooting in the draft, selecting Jase Richardson, who hit 41.2% from deep in his lone season at Michigan State. The goal is clear: with more shooting and improved perimeter creation, the Magic hope not just to boost their offensive output, but to unlock a new dimension of their offense - one that creates space and flow for their true playmakers: Banchero (often operating from the post or elbow) and Franz Wagner, who thrives with the ball in his hands. Between Banchero’s injury and Wagner’s own similar setback, the German forward averaged an impressive 27.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists during that stretch.
President Jeff Weltman had been criticized for standing pat at recent trade deadlines - especially last winter. That’s no longer the case. The Magic have identified their needs, defined their roles and spent accordingly. They’re chasing their first top-15 offensive finish since Dwight Howard left town. And they’ve handed the keys to Banchero as their franchise player.
They’ve done what they needed to do in the front office. Now comes the hard part: making it work on the court.
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