Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Orlando Magic boasted one of the most impressive young cores in the league, with a star pairing of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner leading the team. Now, at the time of the All-Star break, with a 28-25 record (7th in the East), it is safe to say that the Magic have been underwhelming.
While many reasons can be attributed to Orlando’s subjectively poor performance this campaign, former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins presented a more direct approach by calling out Paolo Banchero on “NBA Today.”
“I will go a little further and say Paolo Banchero has been the biggest disappointment player-wise,” Perkins boldly stated. “When you talk about a guy that, when we came into the season, we had high expectations for this young man. We were talking about [him] being one of the top five young players under 25. He has taken three or four steps backward, and I am beginning to question whether he is their franchise guy moving forward.”
“Can he be that franchise guy? Can he be that guy that’s going to go out there and play at an All-NBA level every single night?” he continued. “He didn’t make the All-Star Game. His points have dropped by 3-4 points this last season. He has been the biggest disappointment.”
Perkins’ scathing indictment of Paolo Banchero may seem extreme, but in the context of his ceiling, the former NBA champion may have good reason to be critical.
Banchero is widely considered one of the most gifted athletes in the game. While boasting tremendous physical tools, standing at 6’10” and weighing 250 lbs, Banchero also possesses a versatile offensive skill set to go with phenomenal athletic ability.
On paper, the 24-year-old has all the necessary tools to be considered one of the best players in the league. However, his inconsistencies this season have done considerable harm to his reputation.
While he is averaging 21.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game this season, it does pale in comparison to his display last year (25.9 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 4.8 APG). When gauging the notable decrease in scoring production, it becomes evident that external factors are at play. Among these, the fewer shot attempts may be the most telling.
Although his field goal percentage has been roughly the same, he is shooting 4.2 shots less per game, suggesting that his role on offense has been curbed to some extent.
It is also worth noting that the criticism surrounding Paolo Banchero has typically been about his shot selection, with his efficiency often becoming a point of concern.
Considering that he is averaging a career-best 55.9% TS, this argument can only be justified when considering his midrange shooting stats (37.1%). Still, when factoring in that he is only attempting 15.7% of his total shot attempts from midrange and 6.3% from between 16ft and three-point range, this critique seems mildly misplaced.
Thus, the point of concern may lie in the team’s performance when he is on the court.
In the 43 games Banchero has appeared in this season, the Magic have posted a 21-22 record, implying that they enjoy a 7-3 record without him. Additionally, the team possesses an offensive rating of 113.6 this season (19th in the NBA). In comparison, in the 10 games without Paolo Banchero, Orlando boasted an impressive offensive rating of 120.7.
This is an unfortunate situation, since it suggests that the Magic may be forced to move on from Paolo Banchero. However, when considering the growing tension between the star and the Magic head coach, it may be in the best interest of both parties to part ways.
