Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero agreed to a five-year, $239 million maximum rookie contract extension that could reach $287 million, Mike Miller of LIFT Sports Management told ESPN on Monday. The deal also has a player option for Banchero in 2030-31. This is the first time a rookie max extension has had a player option since 2021, when Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks) and Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks) completed their rookie max contracts. Let’s look at the Magic and see what the team looks like now.
Magic Core Right Now
The Magic now have their core of Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs under contract for the next five years, as well as newly acquired Desmond Bane under contract through the 2028-29 season.
Orlando’s selection of Banchero with the No. 1 pick in the 2022 draft triggered a turnaround for the franchise that has led to two postseason appearances in the past two seasons. Weltman said after last season that the franchise would take an aggressive approach this offseason, and after the acquisition of Bane and the signing of veteran guard Tyus Jones, that is exactly the direction the team is headed.
Final Thoughts
He’s only the eighth player in NBA history to average at least 25, 7, and 4 at age 22 or younger. And he joined Tracy McGrady and Shaquille O’Neal as the only Magic players to average more than 25 points in a season.
Banchero took his game to another level after the All-Star break, averaging 29.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. In the playoffs, he put together seven straight games with 25 points or more spanning the 2024 and 2025 seasons, tying the longest streak in Magic history.
He has the third-most career points through three seasons in Magic history with 4,432, behind only O’Neal and Penny Hardaway. The 2022-23 NBA Rookie of the Year, who earned his first All-Star selection in 2024, has averaged 22.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 4.6 assists in his three NBA seasons.
The Magic have positioned themselves to be contenders in the Eastern Conference for years to come. Stay tuned to Total Apex Sports for all the latest NBA news.
