The Orlando Magic were arguably one of the more disappointing teams in the NBA last season. Despite some noteworthy performances by players like Paolo Banchero, the team routinely underachieved, raising concerns about their future.
After another failed campaign, the Magic were forced to return to the drawing board to make adjustments this summer. With a new head coach in place, Orlando appears to have started the process of rebuilding itself. Still, this process demands a more proactive approach from the players, too.
On that note, Magic superstar Paolo Banchero seems to be taking the initiative. During a recent interview with Yahoo! Sports, Banchero shared some insight on the team and the upcoming season. When asked about his own aspirations, however, the 23-year-old responded by setting some ambitious goals for the upcoming campaign.
“Improve in all areas,” Banchero began. “Field-goal percentage, 3-point percentage, free-throw percentage. Obviously, just be more efficient. I feel like I can be a guy who averages 25 [points], 8 [rebounds], and 7 [assists]. I feel like that’s pretty attainable for me. So just showing up consistently every day, not worrying about the numbers, and just worrying about the process and how I’m playing to help us win. And all that will take care of itself. “
The forward’s awareness of his own shortcomings and the subsequent willingness to improve in these areas is promising. Still, when gauging his goals, it would seem like he has also set fairly reasonable targets for himself.
Last season, Paolo Banchero averaged 22.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game while shooting 45.9% from the field and 30.5% from three-point range. Regarding scoring, Banchero can easily address the shortfall by improving his shooting efficiency. From a playmaking standpoint, the 23-year-old may need to embrace a larger role as a point forward if he wishes to be more impactful.
Needless to say, the Magic will make these demands of him in the upcoming season. As one of the team’s best players, Paolo Banchero must take the next step in becoming the face of the franchise.
For the most part, the Magic superstar seems eager to take the next step. However, this enthusiasm may reflect his faith in the team’s potential to be competitive next season.
“The East is wide open in my opinion, a lot of guys feel that, that’s why a lot of free agents are coming. But I’m excited, and the team’s excited,” Banchero commented. “Like I said earlier, last year wasn’t what we wanted. It didn’t go how we wanted. But a lot of people are going to forget about us and count us out, so it’s on us to go and show that we’re an elite team in this league. We got a chance to win the East.”
When speaking about the new head coach, Sean Sweeney, and how he could drive the team forward, Paolo Banchero added:
“Like you said, he’s a great mind on both sides of the ball. Extremely detail-oriented, and he’s an intense guy too. And I feel like that’s what I need, that’s what the team needs. So it’s really exciting.”
On paper, the Orlando Magic have a solid squad in place. Given that they have minimal changes to their core, the franchise remains confident in the team’s ability to contend. For all intents and purposes, this is positive. However, Orlando will have its work cut out.
As Paolo Banchero mentioned, the Eastern Conference will be extremely competitive in the 2026-27 season. With teams like the Heat, the 76ers, and the Raptors becoming better, the Magic will have to battle through some stiff competition to make it out of the East.
Although Orlando came up short in their efforts last year, if Paolo Banchero can become the catalyst next season, there is still some hope. With immense potential, the Magic will also hope Banchero fulfills his potential as a perennial All-Star.
