The Orlando Magic recently reshaped their roster by acquiring Memphis Grizzlies’ sharpshooter Desmond Bane in exchange for Cole Anthony, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and multiple future first-round draft picks. This bold move aims to revamp the team’s offense for the 2025-26 NBA season, positioning Bane as a pivotal figure in improving the Magic’s attacking dynamics and enhancing star Paolo Banchero’s growth as a primary playmaker.
After consecutive first-round playoff exits, partly due to injuries sustained by key players Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, the Magic are ready to contend in a wide-open Eastern Conference. Adding Bane to Orlando’s already strong defense offers a new dimension to a roster supplemented by promising young talents like Anthony Black, Tristan Da Silva, Jase Richardson, and Noah Penda. Still, for deeper postseason success, Banchero’s development into a commanding offensive leader remains crucial.
Paolo Banchero’s Offensive Challenges and Potential Growth
Paolo Banchero looks like a rising star with his recent numbers: last season, he averaged 25.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game, rising even more during playoffs with 29.4 points and over eight rebounds per game. Despite his individual success, Orlando’s offense struggled, finishing 26th in league offensive rankings and struggling particularly in three-point shooting frequency and accuracy—ranking 21st and 30th respectively.
Banchero’s tendency to shoulder heavy offensive responsibilities has yet to translate into efficient team scoring. Since entering the league, lineups featuring both Banchero and Franz Wagner posted below-average offensive ratings, and even without Wagner, Banchero-led units struggled similarly. His style relies heavily on midrange jumpers and possessions with the ball, limiting his impact when off the ball. Last season, he scored inefficiently on average, with a true shooting percentage below league norms, despite using the fifth-highest share of team possessions.
Though his size and talent are undeniable, Banchero’s offensive game lacks consistent rim attack and off-ball movement, as evidenced by him attempting only 31 percent of his shots at the rim—a low figure among big men. His decision-making and offensive process need refinement to become a true elite initiator.
paolo banchero must improve his on and off ball process to become a contending-caliber initiator and boost his creation efficiency. he leaves far too many rim attempts and high-value passes on the table
hopefully bane can help him become that guy, orlando’s ceiling depends on it pic.twitter.com/djchsQqA9r
— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) July 21, 2025
The Offensive Impact Desmond Bane Brings to Orlando
Desmond Bane arrives in Orlando as an underrated yet highly efficient offensive weapon designed to ease the burden on Banchero and elevate the Magic’s spacing and ball movement. Despite injuries disrupting his recent seasons and a shift in his offensive role away from off-ball scoring, Bane’s consistency remains impressive. Over the past three years, he has averaged over 21 points with nearly 40 percent accuracy on three-pointers, along with solid assist and rebound numbers.
Orlando’s offense often stagnated due to low ball movement and slow tempos. The team ranked near the bottom in handoffs and average possession time, indicating a lack of urgency and creative motion. Bane’s skills as an off-ball shooter and secondary playmaker should address these issues by increasing horizontal movement and generating more open looks.
For example, the addition of quick screens and pitches, as seen in plays where Bane could either replace Wagner or act as a screener and pop shooter, opens critical spaces for Banchero to attack or draw fouls. Bane’s versatile shooting and playmaking create a dangerously dynamic threat, forcing defenses to choose between contesting his catch-and-shoot opportunities or leaving other stars more room to operate.
While pacing the offense faster also benefits transition scoring, which Bane excels at from his Memphis experience, the Magic still need to improve their ability to execute against sturdy set defenses. Their elite defense producing turnovers can fuel quicker scoring chances, but last season Orlando’s transition opportunities ranked surprisingly low, limiting the full impact of Bane’s skill set.
Supporting Cast and Injury Recovery Critical to Continued Success
Orlando’s offensive outlook for 2025-26 greatly depends on health and development beyond just adding Bane. Franz Wagner, who missed significant time due to an ACL tear but was recently re-signed, showed exceptional scoring efficiency before injury. His per-minute production placed him among the league’s elite, trailing only the likes of Nikola Jokic.
retaining moe wagner was quietly a big move for the magic, assuming he can smoothly return from his ACL tear. his secondary creation and play finishing were key for orlando’s offense
he averaged a comical 24.9 pts/75 on 65.3% TS, numbers that only nikola jokic matched last yr pic.twitter.com/wrMYtxTIpa
— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) July 21, 2025
With Wagner’s expected return, alongside Banchero’s growth as a more efficient and versatile creator, Orlando could see a significant offensive lift. The Magic also signed Tyus Jones to handle bench leadership, though his role lacks the high-level scoring threat typically needed for starting point guard duties. Without another established lead playmaker, Orlando’s hopes rest mainly on Banchero’s continued maturation.
Additionally, young players like Anthony Black, Tristan Da Silva, Jase Richardson, and Noah Penda contribute valuable depth and help sustain Orlando’s roster depth. Combined with the core trio, this talent mix presents a promising foundation for contention.
Outlook for the 2025-26 Season and Beyond
By combining Desmond Bane’s elite shooting and off-ball impact with Paolo Banchero’s evolving offensive leadership, Orlando hopes to transition from a defensively elite team with inconsistent offense to a balanced contender in the Eastern Conference. The Magic’s defense ranked among the top last season, and even league-average offensive production would position them to win more games and advance deeper in playoffs.
However, their ceiling hinges on major improvements from Banchero and Wagner, especially in half-court creation and decision-making. Bane’s addition offers a crucial piece to unlock these improvements, but the Magic still face challenges competing with stronger Western Conference teams. For now, the focus remains on health, chemistry, and executing a more fluid, dynamic offense capable of capitalizing on Bane’s spacing and scoring threat.
Ultimately, Orlando’s 2025-26 campaign will reveal whether this reconfigured offense can fulfill its potential and propel the Magic into the NBA’s upper echelons after consecutive playoff disappointments.