Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero thinks his team can compete with other Eastern Conference contenders this coming 2024-25 season, stressing that the Magic has the chance to come out of the East and play for a championship.
Coming off his first All-Star year, the incoming third-year star out of Duke made a number of bold statements during his appearance on ESPN’s First Take with Stephen A. Smith and Chris Russo on August 16.
Banchero seems unfazed with how other contenders in the East significantly improved their roster over the summer, saying the Magic is “ready to make some noise” this season.
Paolo Banchero graces the cover of SLAM Kicks 27, showcasing the Air Jordan 39. (????/SLAM Magazine) #Magic
The cover story: https://t.co/DND38HkuTy pic.twitter.com/CkZakF7LO6
— Mason Williams (@mvsonwilliams) August 16, 2024
“We feel like we’re right there,” Banchero said in the interview. “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 seeds at the end of the season. We were right there last year.”
Despite seeing the Celtics retaining the core of their championship-winning roster and teams like the Sixers, Bucks, and Knicks making upgrades, Banchero firmly believes the Magic is a top-3, top-4 team in the East.
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.”
Magic Banking on Internal Development
Although the Magic were unable to land a max player in free-agency, they still made key acquisition by signing two-way player Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to shore up their 3-point shooting and wing defense.
The Magic have also locked up blooming forward Franz Wagner to a five-year, $224 million deal and retained the service of defensive big man Jonathan Isaac on a team-friendly five-year, $84 million deal.
Orlando’s front-office has high hopes these transactions this offseason will pay off in the coming years as they strive to become a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference.
The Magic, led by Wagner and Banchero, nabbed the No.5 seed in the East in the 2024 playoffs and pushed the Cleveland Cavaliers to the limit in their seven-game playoff series.
Banchero, who averaged 22.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists, is expected to improve his stats across the board in his third year with the Magic.
The same is expected from Wagner, who averaged 19.7 points and 5.3 rebounds during the 2023-24 regular season. He also guided Germany to a fourth-place finish in the men’s 5×5 basketball competition at the 2024 Paris Games, averaging a team-high 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists in six games.
