Wendell Carter Jr. Feels Paolo Banchero Pairing Makes Magic 'More Deadly'
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ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic is just two weeks away from tipping off another season into its rebuild, one that officially began in 2021 when the team traded away All-Star Nikola Vucevic to the Chicago Bulls.
In return, the primary player the Magic received in the trade was big man Wendell Carter Jr., who is expected to have his best year yet in his fifth season in the league.
"I feel like I'm definitely going to have higher percentages this year from the three-point line," Carter Jr. said. "And then just my confidence and my stamina, you know, being able to withstand everything that I'm gonna go through this season and still be able to play all 82 games."
Carter Jr. had a career year last season, averaging 15 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. However, he's going to have to make some room in the box score and in the frontcourt as No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero is expected to play alongside him. Carter Jr. is excited about the possibilities the pairing can provide.
"We're both pretty versatile big men," Carter Jr. said. "I feel like it just makes us so much more deadly, especially in the front court. We're gonna be able to bring the ball up the court, come off pick and rolls, you know, he can do a little bit everything and, you know, I feel like, especially coming from Duke, he understands [and] he knows how to win."
The Magic still has a long way to go to get to where it wants to be, but Carter Jr. is ready to help lead Orlando take those first steps towards contention.
"As long as we come with the energy each and every day to understand that let's go on against each other playing really hard as it is," Carter Jr. said. "It's just going to make us better as a group."
Carter Jr. and the Magic begin their season on October 19 against the Detroit Pistons.
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