The Orlando Magic have one of the NBA’s best young cores, led by homegrown talent Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs and Anthony Black. After trading for Desmond Bane, the Magic’s projected starting lineup features no player older than 30, giving the group time to develop and build chemistry in pursuit of a championship.
Of the players mentioned, Banchero remains the most crucial to the Magic’s success in the coming seasons. Since entering the league as the No. 1 draft pick in 2022, he has carried heavy expectations. He has already delivered, winning Rookie of the Year and earning an All-Star selection soon after. If he reaches another level next season, he could position himself as an MVP candidate.
While Banchero is central to the Magic’s growth, he cannot be their only focus. That’s why president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman, chose to go all in on strengthening the supporting cast, adding youthful talent such as Jase Richardson and Noah Penda.
Bleacher Report recently ranked the Magic’s young core No. 5 in the NBA, citing the group’s growth in unique roles.
“Had he played enough games to qualify,” Bleacher Report wrote. “Banchero would have earned All-NBA consideration a year ago. One of the league's most promising under-25 scorers, the 6'10" forward pushed his three-point volume to a career-high 6.2 attempts per 36 minutes and got to the foul line a whopping 8.4 times per game. That last stat will be the key to Banchero's continued climb up the scoring-leaders chart; his combination of size, aggression and ball-handling will allow him to pile up easy points at the line for years to come. Of all the players we've covered, Banchero (25.9 points per game as a 22-year-old) may have the best shot to one day lead the league in scoring.”
“Wagner continued his steady overall improvement last year and was in the MVP discussion before an oblique injury cost him most of December and January. Like Banchero,” the article added. “He's a handful when going downhill—even if his attacks are more about craft than pure force. Shooting concerns intensified for Wagner last season, as he hit under 30.0 percent from deep for the second year in a row. He's already a high-end starter who earned a rookie-scale max extension, but he can't become a true star if teams don't have to guard him beyond the arc.”
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