The Orlando Magic recently rewarded Paolo Banchero with a new extension worth $239 million over the next five years, making it the richest contract in franchise history, and NBA analyst Zach Lowe strongly believes that he deserves it.
During a recent episode of his podcast, where he and fellow NBA analyst Michael Pina presented their tier list of Eastern Conference teams, Lowe lauded Banchero’s continuous development as the Orlando Magic’s franchise player.
“I don’t know what y’all are seeing. This dude is f***ing awesome. I am more than okay paying him the max. I don’t know if he’s going to be a first-team All-NBA player at any point. I would probably lean towards believing there’s a season in there where he cracks it,” Lowe said about Banchero.
“He’s also shown me he’s a good passer, he’s a good playmaker on the move as a screener. The more talent around him, the more he’ll tap into those parts of his game…Give me all the Paolo Banchero stock, that dude is ready for everything,” he added.
Orlando Magic receives high grade for productive 2025 offseason
The Orlando Magic received an A grade from senior NBA writer Ben Rohrbach in a recent column because they’ve positioned themselves to be a top contender in the Eastern Conference with their summer moves.
“No team in the East took a bigger swing at contention in the absence of Tatum and Haliburton than the Magic, who swapped Cole Anthony, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and the rights to four first-round draft picks with the Grizzlies for Desmond Bane, one of the most underrated shooting guards in the league,” Rohrbach wrote on Yahoo Sports.
“Orlando was a pesky out in the first round of the playoffs, as both Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner flashed their worth as max-contracted players. It was clear the Magic lacked talent in the backcourt, where Jalen Suggs was injured for the postseason. He will return to a corps that now includes Bane, Tyus Jones, and rookie Jase Richardson. That is a sizable upgrade for a team in desperate need of shooting,” he added.
