The Orlando Magic have gotten off to a dream start in the opening quarter of the season. Going .500 in the first 10 games followed by a nine-game win streak to get them to 14-6 at the 20-game mark has the Magic in position to make the playoffs and flirting with contention in the Eastern Conference.
Perhaps nobody is expecting the Magic to keep up this pace -- the team is currently on a 57-win pace, a mark only one team in franchise history has beaten. But the magic seem like they are going to hang around in the playoff race.
The start has certainly forced everyone to take notice of the team. Paolo Banchero won the Eastern Conference Player of the Week last week. Franz Wagner has a good chance to win the award for this week after three straight 30-point games this week.
The Magic are at the front of a lot of national conversations at this point in the season. Inevitably that is going to continue building the chance for the team to get national recognition and have a few players book their trips to Indianapolis in February for All-Star Weekend.
All-Star balloting is set to open Dec. 20 until Jan. 21. There will be a month for everyone to make up their votes and book the trip to Indianapolis. Banchero and Wagner are likely going to be waiting for the coaches to vote them in as reserves.
Their All-Star candidacies were always going to depend on the team's overall record. If either player wanted to take the jump into the Sunday showcase at All-Star Weekend, the Magic had to have a strong record and be near the top of the Eastern Conference.
A few weeks ahead of the opening of balloting, the Magic have done that job. We need to talk very seriously about the campaign for both Banchero and Wagner to reach All-Star Weekend. They are both very much in the running.
Wagner currently leads the Magic in scoring with 20.7 points per game on improving splits of 46.6 percent shooting, 32.7 percent from deep and 84.3 percent from the foul line.
Banchero has been steady too, averaging 19.5 points per game, 6.9 rebounds per game and 4.9 assists per game. And he still has plenty of time to improve his counting stats to stay in the conversation.
That much should be clear at this point of the All-Star "race." Both Banchero and Wagner deserve your consideration.
The Orlando Magic have not had an All-Star since Nikola Vucevic in 2021 during the COVID-shortened season (and just a few weeks before the team dealt him to the Chicago Bulls). The Magic have not had multiple All-Stars in the same season since 2009 when Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis and Jameer Nelson all made it to play in Phoenix.
Who knows if the Magic will have multiple All-Stars this year? That still seems a possibility but a remote one. There are a lot of games yet to play.
It will be important for Orlando to continue winning to support these campaigns. Banchero and Wagner are likely to put up the numbers to be in the conversation. It will take both of these players continuing to play for a winning team to push them into the All-Star Game.
For now though, let's take the temperature of where Banchero and Wagner sit in their All-Star candidacies. This is the first of our ongoing series power ranking the All-Star candidates in the Eastern Conference.
The Surefire Starters
Nobody should be under any impression that either Paolo Banchero or Franz Wagner can get themselves into the starting lineup for All-Star Weekend.
The Orlando Magic are getting more notice these days, but not that much notice. And not to the general fan. The team is still not on national TV -- the only traditional national TV game is the Tuesday before the All-Star Break and they get an NBATV game in San Francisco against the Golden State Warriors on Jan. 2. Orlando is a nice story, but fans have to look under the surface.
The starters for the All-Star Game, at least the players who get voted in, are already established names. There is no shame not being on this list. You establish your credentials in the playoffs in a lot of ways. So the Magic will get noticed once they compete in the postseason.
Banchero and Wagner are not starting unless they are replacing someone who is injured.
Even at this point, it is hard to see the voters deviating from these five players for the Eastern Conference starters:
The Philadelphia 76ers came through the chaos of their early season to still be one of the best teams in the league. We will get to the surefire All-Star debutante that is coming. But everything still revolves around last year's MVP.
Embiid leads the league in scoring and is still doing all the things he has done for years now. With no other big men really to challenge him in the East, Embiid is going to be starting. He has been the model of consistency and the Sixers are off to a strong enough start.
No doubt, Giannis Antetokounmpo is still adjusting to playing alongside another big-time scorer in Damian Lillard. The Bucks have stumbled a bit out of the gate and have had to find their way. Antetokounmpo is willing to cede the late-game stage to Lillard. And the team is finding its defense.
Antetokounmpo is still putting up monstrous numbers. And in the Eastern Conference, at least, there is probably no more marketable star. Antetokounmpo is likely to be the leading vote-getter in the East and he will be in the starting lineup.
The Boston Celtics have the Eastern Conference's best record and there are going to be a lot of Celtics vying for spot on this team. Boston is guaranteed to have at least one starter in Jayson Tatum. Even if Tatum's Q score is not high, he is on a marquee franchise and the best team in the East.
Tatum is having a strong season with his most efficient field goal percentage. He is still putting up big numbers and is definitely an All-Star moving forward.
Surefire All-Stars
The forward spots for the All-Star game are pretty much locked in. That is going to make it hard for Paolo Banchero or Franz Wagner to break through into the starting lineup. They are going to have to get good or wait their turn -- or for one of those players to request a move to the Western Conference.
That is just the reality of the zero-sum game that is an All-Star roster spot.
The guard spots feel more up in the air, although I suspect Damian Lillard will get voted in regardless of his stats (which are All-Star worthy, do not get it wrong).
The fact is that even with players making surges, there are some players who are just going to make the team regardless of anything anyone does. And these players are indeed deserving.
I am not sure Tyrese Haliburton will get voted in for his home All-Star Game. But he is going to make a push to break through for those two spots. The Indiana Pacers (except when they face the Orlando Magic) are the most exciting offensive team in the league. And Haliburton is the big engine for that.
He leads the league in assists and is putting constant pressure on the basket and from deep. The Pacers are built around Haliburton and his ability to push the pace (pun intended) at all times. Haliburton has essentially locked up a spot as one of the more difficult-to-guard players in the East.
There is going to be at least one first-time All-Star this year. Tyrese Maxey has been a revelation for the Philadelphia 76ers and made the release of James Harden back into the trade wilds OK for the Sixers. They were right to hold the line and keep Maxey.
He has been dynamic attacking downhill and finishing at the rim and has been an effective 3-point shooter. He plays perfectly off Joel Embiid. Maxey has been outstanding and a clear-cut All-Star in the early part of the season.
Without a doubt, it has been a learning process for Damian Lillard to integrate with the Milwaukee Bucks. They have needed to get their defense right and find the balance in adding Lillard into the group with so little training camp time. Lillard is learning how to be a role player as much as he is a star when the team needs him.
He stepped up his game up during the In-Season Tournament though, averaging 30.0 points per game in the four tournament games. The Bucks have a chance to make a major statement and build on their 14-6 record (same as the Orlando Magic!) with a strong In-Season Tournament push.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have felt like they have had a disappointing season to this point in the year. They have not quite come together and delivered on their defensive potential or looked to shore up the areas where they faltered in last year's playoffs. Cleveland is 11-9 so far.
Injuries played a role in that. And individuals have played well. None more than Donovan Mitchell. He is likely to get the fans' nod to start (although maybe Jaylen Brown or Tyrese Haliburton have something to say about that). There is no denying the numbers and Mitchell remains a dynamic and flashy scorer capable of carrying a team to the Playoffs at least.
If anybody thought Jalen Brunson's first season in New York or his playoff run with the Dallas Mavericks in 2022 was some fluke, he is putting that to rest this year. He has been an engine of offense for a New York Knicks team that is right in the thick of the Eastern Conference race at 12-7.
Brunson has done a lot of heavy lifting and been consistent for New York even with some uncertainty around him with Julius Randle and RJ Barrett still trying to find their levels of consistency this season. The Knicks are a dangerous team. And Brunson might still be one of the most clutch shot-makers in the league.
Sorting Through the Regulars
Trae Young was very upset with being left off the All-Star team last year with the gaudy numbers he put up -- 26.2 points and 10.2 assists per game last season. And he is again putting up some gaudy numbers that may be hard to ignore with the thin group of guards in the East.
What the two-time All-Star probably does not realize is that winning is ultimately what gets you onto the All-Star team. That is what coaches value. Fans value flash, coaches value consistency. And that is the part Young is still trying to figure out as the Hawks struggle again at the bottom of the standings.
And there is at least a decent chance that Young gets squeezed out of the lineup once again.
The Orlando Magic saw firsthand how dangerous Mikal Bridges can be when he scored 26 of his 42 points in the first quarter of their streak-busting loss Saturday. Bridges has not quite done that every game this season. But he is still a dynamic and dangerous scorer for a Brooklyn Nets team staying in the postseason picture.
Bridges does not scream superstar yet, even though he can have superstar performances. And Brooklyn's record at 10-9 is perhaps his biggest demerit. There is still a big case to be made for his first All-Star bid. But Bridges has been solid this year.
The Miami Heat will get at least one representative onto the All-Star Team this year. They are cruising at 11-9 and there have been some tinges of disappointment as they try to pace themselves through the league. Miami may be one of those teams in line for just one star.
Jimmy Butler is working pretty slowly through the season so far. Bam Adebayo is my pick to get the All-Star nod for the Heat as a team. He has upped his scoring to a career-best levels and his versatility and defensive strengths are clear. Even if the counting numbers are not so impressive.
The Magic's Fit
Maybe this is me being too much of a homer. But both Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero have legitimate cases to make the All-Star team as things stand.
Their numbers check out. The team is near the top of the standings. It is just a matter of how much the coaches want to reward them, whether they will give two spots to the Magic and whether the Magic can keep this pace up.
The Orlando Magic will almost assuredly get at least one representative on the All-Star team, provided they are still in the top six in the Eastern Conference when the coaches make their selections in late January. That is the position the Magic have put themselves in for the standings.
The question will be who among Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero.
Right now, Wagner might have the edge, but that is only because of his three 30-point games this past week -- something that could easily get him Eastern Conference Player of the Week this week.
Paolo Banchero's overall numbers do not scream All-Star quite yet. But he is definitely in the fight. Winning the Eastern Conference Player of the Week gives him a bit of a boost in the conversation among the Eastern Conference's elite. Undoubtedly, some will say his overall scoring average is down even though his efficency and everything else is up.
Banchero has been looking a lot better lately. Since Nov. 1, Banchero is averaging 21.3 points per game on 50.0/48.1/70.5 shooting splits with 7.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game. Those are All-Star numbers. If he keeps that production up and the Magic stay near the top of the standings, he is easily in the All-Star conversation.
The only problem is the two Magic stars might cannibalize each other's chances unless the coaches really want to reward this young team with two first-time bids to Indianapolis.
Deciding between Wagner and Banchero right now just might be the flavor of the week. But as both continue to improve and this team continues to rise, both are clearly future All-Stars.
The Bubble
Jimmy Butler has seemingly eased himself into the season. This is not a guy that particularly cares about making the All-Star team. His focus is on winning in April, May and June. And he is very good at elevating his game for those moments.
He is just not someone who cares for regular season numbers. And Butler has been solid but not spectacular this season. Butler has been more concerned with the Heat's inconsistent energy so far this year. Still, Miami is a dangerous team everyone knows is out there ready to make another run.
Jaylen Brown is the most likely second Boston Celtics player to get to the All-Star Game after his All-Star trip last year. But this has not been the year he has typically had. He has struggled to adjust to the new additions to the Celtics -- Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, who have made at least quieter bids for All-Star berths.
Brown's scoring average is its lowest in five years. He has ceded rebounds more this year -- understandable with Porzingis there. Brown has struggled with turnovers too and there is at least a little frustration with the your-turn, my-turn nature that the Celtics' offense sometimes devolves into.
The marriage between Trae Young and Dejounte Murray has not been perfect at all. The duo has struggled to find the right mix offensive with each other and the Atlanta Hawks' defense has remained a disaster.
The counting stats still look good. Murray's scoring though has dropped this season, as have his assists. Murray is not the strongest All-Star candidate especially as the Hawks sit at .500 at 9-10. Still if things click and they make a run, the Hawks have star talent.
Kristaps Porzingis and several Boston Celtics players are going to get in the conversation for the All-Star Game because of how well they are playing -- 15-4 start with a trip to the In-Season Tournament, where they are still the tournament favorites.
Porzingis has been a great addition for the Boston Celtics -- his absence in the second half of the game in Orlando was a big factor in the Orlando Magic's victory. He is a real presence defensively and his ability to spread the floor is critical to all the success. After a strong season last year in Washington, Porzingis has fit in perfectly in his role for the Celtics.
The question with Kyle Kuzma right now is whether he is putting up great numbers because he is the lead player on one of the absolute worst teams in the league or if he is truly an All-Star. Coaches are likely going to say the former than the latter.
Kuzma is strong offensively though. He seems to be trying to do the right things for a Wizards team that looks disjointed and too wrapped up in its offense and getting up quick shots to do much defensively.
LaMelo Ball continues to put up some stellar numbers for the Charlotte Hornets as he returns from last year's injury. He is the engine that drives a pretty strong offense for Steve Clifford's team. But the Hornets' record is likely the thing that keeps him out of the All-Star Game.
Then again, Ball remains a fairly popular player and it would not be too surprising to see fans sneak him in without a marquee guard on the East's roster. His injury though will likely eliminate him from any kind of contention.
The New York Knicks are still hanging out in the middle of the Eastern Conference, knocking on the door to contending for something more. Everyone just feels like Julius Randle is the something holding him back.
He is still producing solid numbers this year. But everyone wants more. And the Knicks seem to be stuck outside the contending group despite Tom Thibodeau's excellent coaching and Jalen Brunson's excellent play.
Other Players To Note: Darius Garland (CLE), Scottie Barnes (TOR), Pascal Siakam (TOR), DeMar DeRozan (CHI), Zach LaVine (CHI), Cade Cunningham (DET)
Current Projected All-Stars
BC | BC | FC | FC | FC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Tyrese Maxey | Tyrese Haliburton | Jayson Tatum | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Joel Embiid |
Damian Lillard | Donovan Mitchell | Mikal Bridges | Franz Wagner | Bam Adebayo |
Jalen Brunson | Trae Young | Paolo Banchero |
Accuse me of being a homer (I think that is warranted). But I would give two All-Star spots to the Orlando Magic right now. Both Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero have had deserving seasons at the moment. And there is no reason to ignore that or not honor it.
Having said that though, there is still a long way to go before the coaches make their decision.
Jimmy Butler, Jaylen Brown and Dejounte Murray have all been All-Stars before and have been known commodities in the league. The coaches may also want to reward the Boston Celtics for their strong season with multiple All-Stars too.
But what this exercise should make clear, even if you quibble with the rankings and the ultimate roster we are putting together (for now), is that both Banchero and Wagner are in the conversation to make the All-Star team.
This should not be considered some fans overreaction to the team's win streak. If Orlando remains in postseason contention and Wagner and Banchero continue to play this well, both of those players should be representing the team in Indianapolis.
At least one seems set to do so.
Everything is breaking right not only for this to happen. The Magic are earning those appearances and this recognition on the court. All the team has to do is to keep putting in the work to get there.