Orlando Magic fans know that the upcoming season is going to present a big opportunity for Paolo Banchero. With this team uniquely positioned to jump into contention in the Eastern Conference, there's going to be a very good possibility Banchero vaults himself to the level of a superstar, and maybe even an All-NBA player.
Back on July 7, Orlando resigned Banchero to a five-year, $287 million supermax extension. That kind of massive deal makes it obvious that the franchise believes in his ceiling, and they certainly see it possible that he could cross certain thresholds like becoming an All-NBA player.
Magic fans know that this team is often under the radar compared to other squads in bigger markets around the NBA. It's fair to say that a lot of national media members that don't frequently watch Orlando play might be that much more likely to vote him to an All-NBA team due to what they perceive as a shock factor.
Of course, injuries played a big part in limiting what was otherwise a fantastic season for Paolo last year. After earning an All-Star nod in his second professional season, Banchero was likely on his way to that All-NBA bid in 2024-25. Should he remain healthy and get at least 70 or so games under his belt this coming season, it'll put him that much closer to reaching this goal.
A healthy season should put Banchero in All-NBA conversations
As the unquestioned leader of this team, Paolo knows what he is capable of. There's not a doubt in his mind that he can be the number one player on a contending team. It's simply going to be about improving on secondary statistics and other things that the voters take into account that puts him over the edge as a statistical favorite to enter the All-NBA discussion.
Banchero is already a pretty well-rounded player. Making marginal improvements in specific categories like rebounding, shooting efficiency, and overall consistency will simply help him to stand out that much more. And as we all know, team performance looms large as well.
Sure, teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks are strong competitors, and it's not like the Magic will have anything resembling a cakewalk to an Eastern Conference Finals appearance. But they're still well-positioned to take their internal improvement and offseason additions and turn it into a dominant regular season over the next six months.
If Banchero can stay healthy while continuing to perform at a high level, making his teammates better, and leading Orlando to a lot of wins, I think Magic fans could see number five have the best statistical season of his career in 2025-26.