Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner's All-Star chances tied to Orlando Magic's results
Paolo Banchero's path to perennial All-Star
To be sure, Paolo Banchero is already well on his way to this perennial All-Star status.
He has put up historic numbers for a second-year player and has stat lines that compare and rank with all-time great players. Not to mention players who could count at least a decade's worth of All-Star appearances.
Barring a surprise down season or the Magic slipping down the standings, Banchero should be in San Francisco for All-Star Weekend in February. Banchero is really fighting to be on the All-NBA team this year. He has bigger goals than just an All-Star appearance, now that he has done that.
He should not even need to make the kinds of improvements his critics are calling for too. Another season averaging 23-7-5 will put him in All-Star consideration, although that is not likely to lead him to climb the rankings in NBA perception.
Banchero improving his efficiency and leading the Magic to the top of the Eastern Conference will assure him a spot on the All-Star team.
But Banchero is trying to crack the group of players who get recognition as a starter in the league or the tier of players for whom an All-Star berth is a guarantee and not dependent on any injury status or having a standout season.
Orlando being a top team in the Eastern Conference should check off that mark. The coaches vote on the reserves and typically defer to who is leading in the standings when they file their votes.
Banchero improving his efficiency and playing well in marquee games—four of the Magic's five national TV games take place before the coach's vote at the end of January and three take place before the end of December—will go a long way to raising his notoriety.
All-Star voting can indeed be a battle of perception. And Banchero still has to make up some time to get into the voters' consciousness. He is not a household name yet even though he is getting there.
Breaking into the starting group will be especially tough. There are a lot of quality players in the Eastern Conference.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, and Joel Embiid likely fill the starting frontcourt spots for a while. Embiid's health might be the only thing that keeps him from starting. Even then, he is likely to get the fans' vote to start in the All-Star Game.
That leaves Banchero fighting for a reserve spot until he becomes a true household name and likely even the leader of a title contender.
If we can assume Damian Lillard and Tyrese Haliburton (or potentially Jalen Brunson) take the starting guard spots, then you have to figure out where Paolo Banchero fits among the likely players heading to All-Star Weekend coming off the bench.
Banchero is knocking on the door of perennial status. But the recent moves in the Eastern Conference means he still has to prove himself to get a spot on the roster.
Tyrese Maxey or Donovan Mitchell will take the other guard spot off the bench and one of the wildcard spots. They are perennial All-Stars.
Paul George and Karl-Anthony Towns represent newcomers to the conference who could push their way into the fray. George has made the Western Conference All-Star team in nine of the last 12 years and Towns has made the All-Star team in four of the last years. Towns being in New York now and on a contending team probably increases his odds (as it would Mikal Bridges depending on player stats).
And Jaylen Brown should get a second nod from the Boston Celtics as the likely top team in the Eastern Conference.
If Banchero is not already someone you can pencil in as an All-Star that is 11 of the 12 spots on the team already booked.
Nobody should assume Banchero is an All-Star in October. He has not established himself as such. And the Magic have a lot to prove just as Banchero has a lot to prove to establish their place permanently in the top of the Eastern Conference.