Desmond Bane being pushed to be aggressive to escape slump

When the Orlando Magic acquired Desmond Bane in June, they were expecting him to be the perfect complementary sidekick alongside Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.

That has been anything but the case through the first two weeks of the season. But Bane finally got back on track Friday against the Boston Celtics, scoring 22 points while dishing out a team-high seven assists, to go along with six rebounds, one steal and a pair of blocks.

Most importantly, as I outlined in our takeaways, it was Bane's most decisive game of the season. He agreed.

"My teammates been telling me, my coaches been telling me to stay aggressive and try and make the right play," he said after the Magic's 123-110 win.

“(It has) definitely been a process. I’ve been trying to feel it out — when to get other guys involved and let them do their thing and when to be aggressive.

"That’s any new job, like if you were to go work somewhere else, it’s going to be some adjusting at first until it feels normal and routine. It’s getting better day by day.”

Why Bane must continue to be aggressive after rough start:

The Magic traded four first-round picks, plus Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony, for Bane because he was unlike any player they've had alongside their two stars.

Nothing's changed, though. Orlando has tried to maintain quality spacing, but it's led to stagnation and poor ball- and player-movement.

Making shots has also been a huge issue, but teams have dared the Magic's non-spacers to pay, which, for the most part, hasn't happened. And Bane's effectiveness was invisible.

His off-ball gravity hasn't been enough to offset his hesitancy on-ball. Through seven games, Bane wasn't confidently bending defenses nor capitalizing on the advantages he created off the bounce.

In Friday's win, that wasn't the case. From the opening tip, Bane helped set the tone, building a 16-point first-quarter lead. He looked comfortable, yet aggressive, which is a huge sign amid the early season struggles.

Boston eventually battled back, but it was Bane -- as well Wagner, Anthony Black and Wendell Carter Jr. -- who made pivotal plays down the stretch both offensively and defensively.

“He provides winning,” Mosley said. “Those are the little small things: Diving for a loose ball, picking his teammates up when a mistake is made, continuously bringing guys in on the huddles.

“It’s not always just about playmaking in the pick-and-roll or making shots. It’s all those small, little things that contribute to winning. And that’s what he provides to this group — especially with his voice, and then he backs it up with action.”

As the Magic continue to figure out its spacing and which combinations work, they will need their 6-foot-5 guard to look aggressive. Truthfully, they don't have enough shotmaking, playmaking or advantage creation (and conversion) to compensate for it.

And it's up to Bane to change the calculus.

Why Bane must continue to be aggressive after rough start:

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