Orlando Magic’s Paolo Banchero says his team can take on anyone in the Eastern Conference.
The Magic, who made the postseason for the first time since 2020, are on a roll after going 47-35, their best regular-season record since 2011.
“We felt like we were right there” Banchero said Friday during an appearance on ESPN’s “First Take.”.”
“We’re right up there with all those teams. I remember last year we started out in the top three, top two seeded teams, and everyone thought it was a fluke. Everyone thought we were going to be a team that would make the finals and fall out of the top of the East. But we finished well and got fifth place, and we had a chance to get second at the end of the season.”
Banchero is one of the best young players in the NBA. In his second year in the league, he became an All-Star. That’s why, when he looks at the Eastern Conference landscape, he sees that his team should be in the fight with teams like Boston and New York, the top two seeded for the 2024 playoffs.
“Last year we were at the same level and this year we’ve improved, like I said. I’ve improved, we’ve all improved. We have some new pieces that are going to help a lot. We’re trying to make some noise. We should easily be among the top four or three teams and have a chance to win the East.”
Is Banchero’s claim completely absurd? Perhaps not.
The Magic eventually lost in the first round to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a grueling seven-game series. The young team blew an 18-point lead in that game, an experience the Magic hope they can learn from. With an average age of 24.3, the Magic were the second-youngest team in the playoffs.
So when the opportunity to sign two-time NBA champion Kentavious Caldwell-Pope came along, they jumped at the chance. Caldwell-Pope brings championship experience and shooting experience, something the Magic lacked last season. Orlando ranked 26th in the league in 3-point percentage and struggled to create from the perimeter in the series against Cleveland.
Additionally, NBA veteran Cory Joseph has also signed with Orlando. Joseph, a champion with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014, can be a valuable mentor for the team’s younger guards, such as Jalen Suggs and Cole Anthony.
In addition to the free-agent additions, Orlando re-signed many of its rotation players, including forward Jonathan Isaac and rising star Franz Wagner. It also selected Tristan Da Silva, a 6-foot-8 forward from Colorado who is projected to see minutes thanks to his high IQ and perimeter shooting.
How does the Magic’s offseason compare to the rest of the East?
Looking at some of the moves other teams in the East have made, Orlando’s team seems marginal at best.
The Philadelphia 76ers revamped their roster in free agency, signing veterans Paul George, Eric Gordon, Caleb Martin and Reggie Jackson, all of whom have significant postseason experience and, in Jackson’s case, an NBA championship. George was one of the biggest acquisitions in free agency. He’s a career 20.8 points per game scorer and will be the third option on Philadelphia’s roster behind the All-Star duo of Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid, giving Philadelphia an incredibly formidable threat and arguably the number one threat to Boston in the conference.
The Knicks, coming off a season as the second seed in the East, have also improved. Mikal Bridges, 27, is coming off a season in which he averaged 20 points a night and is recognized as one of the best perimeter defenders in the game. Beyond that, the chemistry between him and the team’s other former Villanova Wildcats can only help.
OG Anunoby’s contract extension is also expected to pay off for the Knicks. Having him and Bridges will certainly justify the Knicks having the best defense in basketball.
Outside of those teams, the Milwaukee Bucks, with a Damian Lillard and Giannis Antentokunmpo in good form, will always be formidable. Likewise, the Indiana Pacers are also another young team that will be a year better after a great playoff run. The same goes for the Cavaliers, who can rest easy knowing that Donovan Mitchell is committed to them for the long haul.
While Banchero and the Magic have certainly improved, it remains to be seen how far they can go on what is shaping up to be the deepest team the East has had in a long time.
