Magic

Paolo Banchero Says The Magic Are An Elite Team

Published

11 months ago

August 17, 2024

Joshua

Paolo Banchero Says The Magic Are An Elite Team

According to the former first-overall pick, Paolo Banchero believes the Orlando Magic are “right there” with the “elite teams” of the Eastern Conference.

During a recent appearance on ESPN’s First Take show, Banchero said the Magic keeps getting better even after everyone thought it was a fluke during their early-on success.

“We feel like we’re right there,” he said. “We’re right there with all those (elite teams in the East). I remember last year, we started the year off as a top-two, top-three seed and everybody thought it was a fluke. Everybody thought we were going to be a play-in team and drop out the top of the East. We finished strong and got the fifth seed and had a chance to really grab the two seed at the end of the season.”

He continued by stating that Orlando has a chance to be the top team in the East.

“We were right there last year. We got better this year. I got better; all of us got better. We got some new pieces that are going to help a lot. We’re trying to make some noise. We should easily be a top-four, top-three team, and have a chance to win the East.”

With him saying all of this, the 21-year-old says that since the Magic took a chance on him, he feels a responsibility to take them to the highest levels. The highest levels most likely mean the NBA Finals.

“Orlando took a chance on me when they drafted me, and I am forever grateful for that,” said Banchero while appearing on ESPN’s First Take. “I give them my love and respect for that because nobody knew that I was going to go number one. I didn’t know I was going to go number one. So, they put the trust in me to take that chance and take me number one. After that, I felt like it was my job to help them reach heights that haven’t been reached in a long time … We’re trying to take (a huge) jump next year and keep taking it one level at a time. But we don’t want to stop any time soon. We want to keep going and eventually win a championship.”

Orlando finished 47-35 last season, landing fifth in the East. Don’t forget that this team went to round one of the postseason against the Cleveland Cavaliers. They lost in seven.

Magic

Moe Wagner Signs One-Year Extension With Magic

Published

7 days ago

July 4, 2025

Joshua

Moe Wagner Signs One-Year Extension With Magic

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Orlando Magic are signing Moe Wagner to a one-year contract to keep him through next season.

Despite declining his team option, Orlando always had intentions of bringing him back to the team. The official details of the contract is a year worth $5 million.

The 28-year-old averaged 12.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game last season, the best season of his career, before tearing his ACL right before Christmas.

He’ll be entering his sixth season with the Magic.

Desmond Bane

Desmond Bane To The Magic: ‘It’s Time To Win’

Published

3 weeks ago

June 18, 2025

Joshua

Desmond Bane To The Magic: 'It's Time To Win'

On Tuesday, Desmond Bane made his first media appearance as a member of the Orlando Magic. Overall, he was over the moon about being traded to the Magic and finally being able to be on a team that can compete.

While speaking to the media, Bane did admit he was nervous about where he was being traded to, until he heard it was Orlando.

“Before he told me where I was going, my heart sank, just because there’s 29 other teams outside of the Grizzlies that I could have ended up on,” Bane said. “Once he said Orlando, I was smiling through the phone. I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful like I was moving on from Memphis that fast, but I was genuinely excited about the new opportunity.”

Now that he’s apart of a building, success-driven organization, the 26-year-old is ready to win big.

“It’s time to win,” Bane said. “It’s pretty much as simple as that. If we do what we’re supposed to do … Not to say those picks weren’t valuable, but they would have fallen in place that, we’ve got a lot of young talent here already in the building, and we have a lot of talent at the top of the roster, so I think it’s a perfect for the organization to do what they did.”

The Magic now have a new “Big 3” of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Bane. Plus, Bane fills their concern of not having a shooter.

Desmond Bane

Magic Trade Four First-Round Picks For Desmond Bane

Published

4 weeks ago

June 15, 2025

Joshua

Magic Trade Four First-Round Picks For Desmond Bane

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Orlando Magic have traded Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four first-round picks and a first-round pick swap to the Memphis Grizzlies for Desmond Bane.

The picks are the 16th overall pick, a 2026 first-round pick (Phoenix Suns), and Orlando’s 2028 and 2030 first-round pick. The pick swap is lightly protected, as it’s in 2029.

This trade is not expected to be completed until July 1st due to tax apron complications for the Magic.

One of the biggest needs for the Magic young core was a solid shooter who can open the floor for players like Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Last offseason, they targeted Klay Thompson for these exact same reasons.

Memphis getting rid of Bane allows for them to become more flexible financially to be able to pay Santi Aldama and Jaren Jackson Jr.; two players they badly want to keep. Beyond their cap space concerns, this trade will give them nice backcourt depth for Ja Morant.