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Early odds for the Orlando Magic to win each 2025 NBA award

With the bulk of the offseason completed and the contours of the 2025 season coming into clear view, the early favorites for each of the NBA's awards are coming out. Where do the Magic stand in the early awards races?

ByPhilip Rossman-Reich|
Paolo Banchero was one of the standout players for the Orlando Magic in 2024. For the Magic to make a leap again, they need Banchero to make another leap.
Paolo Banchero was one of the standout players for the Orlando Magic in 2024. For the Magic to make a leap again, they need Banchero to make another leap. | Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
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Early odds for the Orlando Magic to win each 2025 NBA award

MVP: Paolo Banchero

Betting Favorite: Nikola Jokic (+360)
Magic Candidate: Paolo Banchero (+50,000)

Paolo Banchero just gets on the board for MVP consideration with long-shot odds to win the award. Five hundred-to-one odds is a pretty good return on investment if you believe Banchero is about to make a seismic leap in his game.

No one would be concerned that Banchero is not in the MVP conversation, although placing him in the same tier as Julius Randle, LaMelo Ball, and Cade Cunningham feels a bit insulting.

Banchero though turned in an MVP-like performance in the Orlando Magic's playoff series. He averaged 27.0 points per game, 8.6 rebounds per game and 4.0 assists per game while shooting 45.6 percent from the floor and 40.0 percent from three.

If Banchero can mimic his playoff performances more often during the regular season, he will not only be a two-time All-Star but could be pushing to start (although it will be hard to break into a frontcourt that features Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo).

That is the level the Magic are clearly hoping Banchero can get to. His regular season was a solid improvement from his rookie year. He averaged 22.6 points per game, 6.9 rebounds per game and 5.4 assists per game. But there is still plenty of room for growth.

As offseason discussions around Banchero have noted, the biggest area of improvement for Banchero is with his efficiency. He shot only 45.5 percent from the floor and 33.9 percent from three. His 54.6 percent true shooting percentage is heading in the right direction, but could still greatly improve.

To be sure, the difference between the Magic merely making the playoffs and becoming a title contender will be on Banchero developing into an MVP candidate. He showed hints of that in the playoffs. Everyone should be excited to see his next evolution.

But, at least for now, nobody sees him as an MVP candidate quite yet.

Franz Wagner may also get into the conversation for the Magic's MVP. The advanced stats all love Wagner and his overall positive impact on the team—certainly more than Banchero who tends to play more with and against starters.

But this is about baby steps too. Wagner has to earn his first All-Star bid before we talk about awards.

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