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The Orlando Magic might be in the most frustrating position in all of sports: good but not great.
Overall, the team is well put together with nice pieces across the board with a true team identity. They might not play the prettiest basketball, but they grind and get results.
To truly take the leap from good, scrappy team to a legitimate threat in the NBA playoffs, they need their former No. 1 overall pick and ace player, Paolo Banchero, to go from a star to a true superstar.
But does Banchero have that in him?
More news: Would Dylan Harper Be the No. 1 Pick in the 2026 NBA Draft?
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – APRIL 22: Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic leaves the court after a 98-83 loss in game two of the first round of the eastern conference playoffs at Little Caesars Arena on April 22, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
More news: Darryn Peterson Is Not Kobe Bryant: Top 10 2026 NBA Draft Prospects
In the past few days, across the internet and social media, a new question has been tossed out by Magic and NBA fans alike: Would the Magic, in an attempt to become contenders, swap Banchero for Giannis Antetokounmpo if offered?
For the Milwaukee Bucks, it’s a no-brainer, as they go from someone turning 32 this year to a 24-year-old just nearing the prime of his career. The Bucks aren’t going to be contenders for at least a year or two, and it allows them to start building a future core with Banchero in mind.
Down in Florida, Orlando gets, when healthy, a top-five player in basketball with the explosion that the current team desperately misses. In a weaker Eastern Conference, the current core of Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, and Antetokounmpo starts to get you excited about the Magic going into the next few seasons.
It’s a gamble, however, as more injuries to the former MVP or a lack of chemistry might turn what was a promising, scrappy team into a disaster to watch, similar to what happened in Milwaukee this season.
Right now, the Orlando Magic need to make a change in their configuration to become true contenders in the NBA.
Is Banchero a part of that nucleus? In a majority of events, assuredly. But maybe the best one doesn’t involve him in a Magic jersey at all.
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Overall, the team is well put together with nice pieces across the board with a true team identity. They might not play the prettiest basketball, but they grind and get results.
To truly take the leap from good, scrappy team to a legitimate threat in the NBA playoffs, they need their former No. 1 overall pick and ace player, Paolo Banchero, to go from a star to a true superstar.
But does Banchero have that in him?
More news: Would Dylan Harper Be the No. 1 Pick in the 2026 NBA Draft?
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DETROIT, MICHIGAN – APRIL 22: Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic leaves the court after a 98-83 loss in game two of the first round of the eastern conference playoffs at Little Caesars Arena on April 22, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
More news: Darryn Peterson Is Not Kobe Bryant: Top 10 2026 NBA Draft Prospects
In the past few days, across the internet and social media, a new question has been tossed out by Magic and NBA fans alike: Would the Magic, in an attempt to become contenders, swap Banchero for Giannis Antetokounmpo if offered?
For the Milwaukee Bucks, it’s a no-brainer, as they go from someone turning 32 this year to a 24-year-old just nearing the prime of his career. The Bucks aren’t going to be contenders for at least a year or two, and it allows them to start building a future core with Banchero in mind.
Down in Florida, Orlando gets, when healthy, a top-five player in basketball with the explosion that the current team desperately misses. In a weaker Eastern Conference, the current core of Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, and Antetokounmpo starts to get you excited about the Magic going into the next few seasons.
It’s a gamble, however, as more injuries to the former MVP or a lack of chemistry might turn what was a promising, scrappy team into a disaster to watch, similar to what happened in Milwaukee this season.
Right now, the Orlando Magic need to make a change in their configuration to become true contenders in the NBA.
Is Banchero a part of that nucleus? In a majority of events, assuredly. But maybe the best one doesn’t involve him in a Magic jersey at all.
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