Paolo Banchero is ready to embrace the expectations that come with being a No. 1 pick, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. The former Duke star is looking forward to starting workouts with the Magic next week in preparation for his July 7 debut in the Las Vegas Summer League.
“There’s going to be high expectations for myself that I’m going to hold myself to and that everyone is going to hold myself to,” Banchero said during a press conference Friday in Orlando. “But I feel like it’s nothing I’m not used to. It was the same thing for me heading into college, throughout high school, a lot of expectations. It’s been like that my whole life.”
Banchero wasn’t sure he would be the first selection until a few seconds before his name was announced. Orlando conducted a thorough search of several candidates — most notably Jabari Smith and Chet Holmgren — and kept its intentions hidden until the draft began.
“There’s things that you’re grabbing from each one that you’re like, ‘Oh, man, wow, that can be great for us,’” coach Jamahl Mosley said. “But then it ultimately comes down to, ‘How does that fit for us? How do we jell with them in the locker room? How are they treating people when they’re walking in?’ Because all those pieces play a factor. And I think we’ve done an incredible job with those details.”
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Magic guard Jalen Suggs is making progress in his recovery from surgery in April for a slight stress fracture in his right ankle, but he won’t take part in Summer League, per Khobi Price of The Orlando Sentinel. “Jalen got his boot off and he’s ramping up his recovery,” president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said. There’s still no set timetable for Jonathan Isaac, Weltman adds, although the team is optimistic that he can be ready for the start of the season.
- The Hawks didn’t trade John Collins before the draft, but it’s still likely to happen at some point during the offseason, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. A source close to Collins told Kirschner, “He won’t be a Hawk past this summer,” and Kirschner adds that no one he’s talked to expects Collins to be with the team on opening night.
- The Wizards will explore other options after failing to land a starting point guard on draft night, states Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Washington took Johnny Davis at No. 10, but he’s viewed as a wing rather than a lead guard. “I think a lot of times if you force something on draft night, you’re taking away the opportunity in free agency and everything that free agency represents,” general manager Tommy Sheppard said. “… The point guard, all along I felt it was going to come after the draft, not during the draft.”
How do you not interview or workout the #1 pick? Like you have the #1 pick you don’t need to be shady about who you talk to or workout. Banchero will probably be good but still the magic just strike me as a dumb organization. Like the money they gave Fultz and Isaac, just dumb. Like they have potential for a squad but some of their moves just make you scratch your head, like thinking they’ll get a 1st for Ross.
Are you really sitting here casting stones about “dumb moves” from Sixers land? Talk about a lack of self-awareness.
Last time I checked Sixers still have Embiid, Maxey, and Harden. Magic have nothing currently resembling an MVP caliber player.
Sixers just tied for the 2nd best record in the East and managed to dump Ben Simmons and receive Harden. So yeah, he has every right to cast stones over the moves of the basement-dwelling Orlando Magic. They only have one season over .500 in the last ten years. Everyone can cast stones at them.
On top of that the Sixers knew Fultz was a bust and dumped him to Orlando. And those clowns gave him 50M guaranteed.
Stop embarrassing yourself.
Fultz $ isn’t guaranteed.
Fultz is also NOT a bust…far from it. He was very solid before he tore his ACL; and looked even better last season when he returned.
Like Like Like Like Like
It’s a little odd. One of the benefits of having the first pick is you can literally pick WHOEVER you want—trying to game it so other teams don’t know who you like …. seems asinine.
But I do like some of the young talent Orlando has (Cole, Wendell, Franz), although the Suggs thing seems dicey.
The Isaac thing is just weird all around — this dude is basically angling for a spot after Tucker instead of playing basketball? Fultz was playing well before he got injured, he could come back and be a low end starting PG IMO.
It’s odd to hide the first pick. Just say it and let your guy strut and dismiss suspense. It should be a good thing like that.
It’s not a GM’s job to sell the draft coverage on tv like it’s hosted by Seacrest and suspense must be kept.
Nobody will suddenly offer Durant or whatever once the show starts.
Ratings boost is ABC’s challenge. Stphen Smith says he’s up to it. He will shout about the Knicks all night long.
Wrong
You NEVER reveal your cards prematurely. It has nothing to do with ratings. It’s about keeping opponents guessing in case there are trade opportunities.
+ you prove to agents, players and other teams that you can be trusted to not leak internal conversations
Even if you know who you are going to pick you still might entertain trading the pick if he is not the consensus. Perhaps they were trying to get the #2 or #3 team to slide them some extra draft capital to move up. Perhaps they wanted to throw off the teams after them and blow up their plans.
Quite frankly, teams should ALWAYS keep their wanted picks anonymous, even if picking first. To do otherwise gains you nothing.
A team wanting the #1 had WEEKS to make an offer. If they didn’t, they won’t.
This is not true for any other pick, even #2, because a surprise could happen at the #1.
The #1 pick is diffetent from other picks by nature… different logic applies.
If the #1 holder wanted to trade the pick, why wait… just do it. Why would anything change after Silver takes the podium?
Freezing your #1 like the Cavs did with Irving, him sitting there alone with his hood up, makes no sense. He was probably planning to bust out early on, and he did, sabotaging ’18.
You prolly think teams draft adults.
You NEVER reveal your cards prematurely.
It’s about keeping opponents guessing in case there are trade opportunities.
+ you prove to agents, players and other teams that you can be trusted to not leak internal conversations
You said this before.
Name a way the #1 pick can be reduced in value by talking about it, or declaring.
If you say another team will suddenly want it after the designated 5 minutes, I laugh at you. These decisions are not whims. And if it is so sudden, it will turnout to a false alarm and waste of your time.
I can’t even recall a sudden trade for #1.
Im not talking about any other pick #.
Your * point is from a different argument. Wrong place for that “prove trust” point, if no promise was made not to declare. And my thing is to declare.
You’re reading comprehension is clearly lacking. It never said they didn’t interview or work him out predraft. The workouts a player does with a team before the draft aren’t the same as once they are under team control.
SMH, some people should stop talking about things they know nothing about.
• Paolo:
1. choreographed workouts don’t mean anything; especially for a #1 whom ORL has been scouting in-person in REAL game action since he was a sophomore in high school
2. he gave ORL his medicals and anthropometric data
3. he did all the psychological testing for ORL
4. his agent Mike Miller has close ties with the Magic and the city of Orlando + represents RJ Hampton…because of that, ORL was in dialogue with Paolo and his agent throughout the entire process
5. ORL already had an in-person meet with him at the draft combine
• Only morons reveal their cards prematurely. ORL played it perfect in the context of draft day trades. You keep your opponents guessing in case trade opportunities present themselves.
On top of that, they showed agents, players, and rest of NBA teams that they can be trusted to keep their conversations from leaking.
• Fultz is on a very good contract + he’s the Magic’s PG of the future. He looked very good prior to his injury and looked even better after his return last season. It’s obvious you haven’t watched him play since ORL stole him from PHI for a bag of chips.
• Isaac’s contract has injury provisions, just like Embiid’s contract. Low risk, high reward.
• The Magic have been in no hurry to trade Ross. He is a good vet that provides needed shooting for a very young team.
They were asking for what made trading him at that time worthwhile for the team.
His contract is declining scale and Magic have not been in cap situation were it mattered.
This summer the Magic don’t have real need for more cap room as they already have $28m and aren’t at rebuild stage to be utilizing it yet anyhow. They don’t “need” to drop their price. They’ll do it as favor to him, or if it’s in their interest (ex: a no-brainer opportunity that requires them to move off his salary.
All that and you still didn’t say what difference declaring a #1 pick makes. It will still be #1. Your guy is #1.
Your guy will get a confidence boost, the ability to look down on all of it and smh.
Banchero did leak 2 days before the draft. All that effort to hide it but plop.
Which teams have the best rookie contracts next year?
Warriors
Cavs
Grizzlies
Pistons
Magic
Thunder
Rockets
Answer your own question.
I felt that Johnny Davis was overrated, but I love his competitiveness. I wouldnt call him a true PG; he’s more of a combo guard, but I think he makes sense at PG with certain pieces around him. While he’s great defensively, I’m not sure he’ll be able to guard bigger positions, and I think he’s a good enough secondary playmaker to play next to someone like Beal, with shooters around them. That’s essentially what I’ve been saying they should be looking for next to Beal anyway; someone that can defend and playmake, although he still needs to show more consistency there
I think they should have tried to address defense at the 4, and they probably would have taken Sochan of the Spurs hadnt, but I think Eason would have made sense for them there, and I could also make an argument for AJ Griffin for more shooting, plus I think he might be a 4 defensively, rather than a 3/2 that he seems like otherwise
The Magic have made mistakes. This will be their third no. 1 pick that will become a Laker. If they get nothing for Ross it will be their fault. They did moving Vuc and Gordon but 2 seconds for Fournier. Giving money to Isaac and Fultz hopefully will get them two loyal players. We shall see if they can out do Detroit in their rebuild.
I would hate to see John Collins go as I’ve said numerous times before. But if we trade him I wouldn’t be too mad at something like John, Skylar Mays, Cha’s 2023 1st (lottery protected) & Atl’s 2024 1st (top10 protected) to San Antonio for Dejounte Murray, (Romeo Langford or Devin Vassell) & SA’s 2024 2nd
I agree that now of all times doesnt really make sense to move Collins…if anything, Capela and maybe 1 of Bogdanovic/Gallinari would be the main pieces I would consider moving, and then I have Okongwu, Collins, Jalen Johnson as options at the 5, especially now that they replaced losing Reddish with AJ Griffin. Bring back Delon Wright, and stay healthy, and that team looks pretty good to me, but maybe I’m missing something
You’re missing that Collins is the one wanting out, and the Hawks are embarassing themselves with their evals of him. Still hecwill draw more than those other guys you want to trade.
He is under contract for several more years. Him wanting out doesnt matter if we’re trying to win. His role would also be expanded if you move those other pieces, as he wants, so it’s a win-win.
Trae Young, Kevin Huerter, DeAndre Hunter, John Collins, Onyeka Okongwu
Delon Wright, Bogdanovic, Jalen Johnson, AJ Griffin
That’s a really good rotation, with versatility, defense, shooting, and playmaking
If you can get another 3 and D piece on the wing or at the 4, or possibly a useful floor space that can adequately defend at the 5, I can see moving him, but otherwise, I think it makes more sense to move those other guys
They can’t even move Collins, and you want them to move Gallo or Bogan instead? Nobody is biting. Your lineups sound good but have already started disappointing.
Going to run it back? If so add Gallo to those… He’s not the one that has already been written off in ATL.
Gallinari is definitely tradable. He is on a non guaranteed deal…
Hawks missed their chance to move Collins. Blazers for CJ would have been best they will ever get. Could have used Cam in trade too. Now Collins value is low. Sometimes waiting and sitting only dulls the value.
Magic have solid talent. I like their players. It’s chemistry they don’t have. And that’s all about injuries to key players. A healthy team, which they will be next yr. Is a playoff team.
Funny a Sixers fan calling Fultz a bust. When they passed on Tatum. For Fultz ……. Now that’s a Buster
Fultz has become a solid 2way guard. He’s still getting better. Make sure you watch him this yr. Magic have too many guards. Imo Fultz will be moved.
Omg. I finally agree with you. You should talk about other teams more.
Markelle Fultz is an all star point guard, the only thing in the way of that is playing time.
The Magic should look to trade Mo Bamba and Cole Anthony and they will be in good shape.
Fultz
Suggs
Franz Wagner
Banchero
Carter Jr.
Mo Wagner
Isaac
Bol Bol
Okeke
Hampton
Brazeidekas
Ross
Trading Anthony and Bamba will save them on cap space and the Magic can likely get a nice haul of picks and rotation players. They could use a three point specialist.
Bamba and Anthony are starters in the NBA, starters need their minutes, Magic have to make a trade.
What if there’s no haul?— Bamba’s RFA.
No haul for John Collins apparently.