Banchero Sees the Magic as Contenders in the East for the New Season: We’ve Gotten Stronger, At Least a Top Four Team

In the new season, don’t underestimate the Orlando Magic.

Not long ago, one of the new core players of the Magic, Paolo Banchero, expressed that he believes the Magic have become stronger after this off-season compared to last season, and they now possess the ability to compete with the top teams in the Eastern Conference.

When Banchero was on a show, he said, “We feel that our strength is very close to those elite teams in the East. I remember last year, when the season started, we were consistently ranked second or third in the East. At the time, everyone thought it was just luck, and everyone believed that we would end up being a play-in team. But in the end, we secured the fifth spot in the East and had a chance to fight for the second place at the end of the season. So, our strength was already very close to those teams last season.”

In the new season, we’ve gotten stronger, I’ve gotten stronger, all of us have gotten stronger. We’ve brought in some new players who will help us a lot. Therefore, in the new season, we should easily become a top four or three team in the East and have a chance to stand out in the East.”

Last season, the Magic successfully returned to the playoffs after three years thanks to the performances of young players like Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs.

This off-season, the Magic did not rest on their laurels; they signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency, further enhancing their starting lineup. However, whether this is enough to put them in the ranks of teams like the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, or even the Cleveland Cavaliers or Indiana Pacers remains to be seen.

However, if 21-year-old Banchero makes another leap forward in his third season, the Magic are likely to become a formidable opponent.