Paolo Banchero is raising the stakes for the Orlando Magic. The 22-year-old forward believes the franchise has reached the point where postseason success should be the standard.
After Orlando dealt a massive package to acquire guard Desmond Bane this offseason, Banchero said the roster is built to push deep into the playoffs.
“I think we should be a deep playoff team,” Banchero told The Athletic. “Hopefully, that means Finals. But if it’s anything shorter than that, then Eastern Conference finals. I want to play deep into the playoffs. I think that we have a deep roster.”
He added that talk means little without results. Banchero noted that the excitement around Orlando’s roster will not matter unless the group delivers when the season begins.
“It’s easy to sit here and tell you this right now, but we’ve got to go out there and play the season and win those games when those games come,” Banchero said. “That’s what I’m excited for. But honestly speaking—seeing our team, seeing the guys so far—it’s early, but I think we have the type of team that can make a run to the Finals.”
The Magic’s climb back into contention began in 2021 when they traded Nikola Vučević, Aaron Gordon, and Evan Fournier, signaling the start of a rebuild. That summer brought Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner in the draft, followed by Banchero going first overall in 2022.
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Together, that trio has returned Orlando to the postseason in back-to-back years, though both appearances ended in the first round. The franchise has not advanced beyond that stage since reaching the 2010 Eastern Conference finals with Dwight Howard.
Offense has been the most glaring obstacle. The Magic ranked 27th in offensive rating during the regular season last year and ranked last in both 3-pointers made (11.2 per game) and 3-point shooting percentage (31.8).
The front office aimed to fix that by trading for Bane, a career 41.0% shooter from beyond the arc who has averaged 21.1 points per game across his last three seasons with Memphis. The deal cost four first-round picks and a swap, underscoring Orlando’s urgency to contend.
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The move also comes with financial weight. Starting in 2026-27, four Magic players will earn at least $32.4 million annually.
Banchero is expected to be the centerpiece of that investment. Despite being limited to 46 games last season because of an oblique injury, he posted career highs with 25.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Now entering his fourth season, he said the team is ready to challenge the East’s elite.
“We have the type of team that can make a run to the Finals,” Banchero said.
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