3 Things that went right for the Orlando Magic in 2024, 3 things that went wrong
3 things that went right for the Orlando Magic in 2024
2. Paolo Banchero's All-Star Breakthrough
No doubt, the Orlando Magic's season and development were always going to turn on how much Paolo Banchero improved and how he closed in on becoming an All-Star.
That is how things go. Teams go as far as their stars will take them. And Banchero it seemed was someone who could take the team very far.
Banchero improved on all of his numbers from his historic rookie season, averaging 22.6 points per game, 6.9 rebounds per game and 5.4 assists per game. His shooting splits improved from 42.7/29.8/73.8 to 45.5/33.9/72.5. Banchero took some sizable leaps throughout the season.
He was even better during the Playoffs. Banchero averaged 27.0 points per game, 8.6 rebounds per game and 4.0 assists per game in the Playoffs, shooting 45.6 percent from the floor, 40.0 percent from three and 75.5 percent from the foul line.
A lot of that improvement started with his shooting. This was the area where people tried to poke holes in his surefire Rookie of the Year campaign.
He improved there, shooting 40.0 percent from mid-range according to tracking data from NBA.com, and improved to 64.2 percent in the restricted area on more than five attempts per game.
And to add to that point, only 41.7 percent of Banchero's shots were assisted. He had to create a lot and even essentially ran point guard for the team. Orlando's whole purpose this offseason should be figuring out ways to make Banchero's life easier.
If the Magic needed to see anything in the Playoffs, it was how Banchero would react to the pressure and defensive attention he would receive in the Playoffs. He still struggled with turnovers as any 21-year-old in their first Playoff series might, but Banchero proved he was a primetime player. He had three 30-point games and had 38 in Game 7.
Orlando exited the Playoffs knowing they have a true star in the making.
Everything for a team starts with its star. That is a truth throughout the league. And the Magic have their star.