Banchero, Wagner, and Bane explode onto the scene, showcasing a potent new trio destined for Eastern Conference contention.
The Orlando Magic have officially entered the next phase of their rebuild, positioning themselves to compete for a top spot in the Eastern Conference. Ultimately, they aim at winning the franchise’s first championship.
The addition of Desmond Bane has transformed the team’s offensive identity, directly addressing their biggest weakness, perimeter shooting. With Bane’s elite marksmanship spacing the floor, superstar forwards Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner finally have the freedom to operate without constant double teams, giving the Magic a new and dangerous offensive dynamic.
This new “big three” has the perfect blend of shot creation, shooting, and defense. What stood out most in their season-opening win over the Miami Heat was how evenly they shared the spotlight, each playing a crucial role while showing early chemistry. Together, they combined for 71 of Orlando’s 125 points. Banchero and Wagner each scored 24, while Bane added 23. For a debut performance, their balance and efficiency even rivaled some of the most iconic big threes in NBA history.
Let’s reference arguably the greatest big three in history, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. After the pressure they came out flat with a loss to the Boston Celtics only combining for 52 points. The way they came about is was significantly different, James had 31 points, Wade recorded 13 and Bosh finished with eight.
The Magic have already shown their chemistry is clicking, with Bane proving to be a seamless fit, not only on the court but also as a steady veteran presence in the locker room.
Not every night will see all three stars dominate, and that’s perfectly fine. There will be nights when one takes over while the others play supporting roles. For coach Jamahl Mosley, having three reliable scorers he can trust in clutch moments is the kind of problem every coach wants to have.
“Those are very good problems,” Mosley said. "I mean, you see down the stretch, we're trying to find a matchup. We go to Paolo and Desmond in the pick and roll, when usually we go to Franz and Paolo in the pick and roll. Jalen is out there. He makes a big play. It says a lot about the guys that are not afraid of the moment, and they trust each other enough to make the right play at the right time, and they're all capable of making big-time plays, and they celebrate each other. That's the beauty of this team, is our depth, our togetherness, and the focus that we have to continue to work for one another.”
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