Some Have Questioned If Orlando Magic's Paolo Banchero Is Worth $239 Million

Paolo Banchero has enjoyed success with the Orlando Magic, but there are many who don't feel it is enough.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade drives to the basket as Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero. | Russell Lansford-Imagn Images

The Orlando Magic are led by Paolo Banchero, the No. 1 pick from the 2022 NBA Draft.

In his first three years in the league, Banchero has already been named an All-Star while leading the Magic to consecutive playoff appearances.

While Banchero has already accomplished a lot in the NBA, he has his fair share of doubters. Someone who isn't in that crowd is NBA analyst Zach Lowe, who praised Banchero on a recent episode of his podcast.

“Heard a lot say Paolo is inefficient, he shoots a lot of mid-range jumpers, he’s not a No. 1 guy, how can you pay him like a number one guy? Don’t know what you are seeing, but this dude is awesome,” Lowe said on his podcast.

“I am more than OK paying him a max. I don’t know if he is going to be a first-team All-NBA player at any point, but I would probably lean towards there’s a season where he cracks it.

“But I watched this dude in the playoffs against elite defenses with nothing around him — no shooting, no help, almost nothing reliable… He just shows up and shows up and makes a fair share of really hard mid-range jump shots.”

Banchero and the Magic haven't had much playoff success, but considering the age of the superstar and his supporting cast, the team should be in good shape moving forward.

If new acquisition Desmond Bane can take some of the load off and Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs can stay healthy, Banchero can help lead the Magic to their first playoff series win since 2010.

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