Paolo Banchero, Magic Agree To Five-Year, $239M Max Extension

[RealGM Wiretap]

Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic have agreed to a five-year, $239 million maximum extension. The deal includes triggers to elevate his salary to the Rose rule max if he makes an All-NBA team.

The deal also has a player option for Banchero in 2030-31, which hasn't happened on a rookie max since Luka Doncic and Trae Young in 2021.

Orlando now has Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs signed for the next five years.

Banchero averaged 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists last season. Banchero missed 34 games over the first two months of last season due to an oblique injury.

Via Shams Charania/ESPN

[sChOlaRlY_Magi]

Let's go, Paolo!

Let's go. MAGIC!

[CaHgO]

He's not a 48M per year player.

[dsg2021]

He's not a 48M per year player.

Congratulations, you are right. He is being paid 15M next year.

And then 41M, 44M, and 47M.

So he doesn’t get paid over 48M until the 2029-2030 season.

If he makes an All-NBA Team or grabs the MVP award, well he is still paid 15M next year, but then he finally gets 48M the year after instead of waiting 3 more years.

Paolo Banchero:
Age 22 years old, younger than many Rookies from the Draft.
15M and 41M/48M the next two years.
28 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 4 APG, 1 SPG, 1 BPG in his 12 Playoffs Games so far.
On 45% FG%, 42% 3P% (2.3 3PM), and 71% FT% (5.3 FTM).

Meanwhile, there are about 28 players who make more than 40M next season while Paolo makes 15M only. One of them is on your team and is a dinosaur called LeBron James. The other one is 46M and he is undeniably an awesome player, top 3 type, well, if you can keep him in FA with your Head Coach and Execs publicly calling him fat directly and indirectly, and paying 50-70M+ against the Cap instead of “48M”.

[ReadyOrlando]

Well deserved!

[CaHgO]

He's not a 48M per year player.

Congratulations, you are right. He is being paid 15M next year.

And then 41M, 44M, and 47M.

So he doesn’t get paid over 48M until the 2029-2030 season.

If he makes an All-NBA Team or grabs the MVP award, well he is still paid 15M next year, but then he finally gets 48M the year after instead of waiting 3 more years.

Paolo Banchero:
Age 22 years old, younger than many Rookies from the Draft.
15M and 41M/48M the next two years.
28 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 4 APG, 1 SPG, 1 BPG in his 12 Playoffs Games so far.
On 45% FG%, 42% 3P% (2.3 3PM), and 71% FT% (5.3 FTM).

Meanwhile, there are about 28 players who make more than 40M next season while Paolo makes 15M only. One of them is on your team and is a dinosaur called LeBron James. The other one is 46M and he is undeniably an awesome player, top 3 type, well, if you can keep him in FA with your Head Coach and Execs publicly calling him fat directly and indirectly, and paying 50-70M+ against the Cap instead of “48M”.

OK, to be more specific - he is not worth $239M over 5 years. At least not at this stage. I like him, and I genuinely like the Magic and I do root for them when they play, but he is currently too one-dimensional for that kind of money. True, everything is becoming hyper-inflated, so we should look at it as a % of cap space, not pure numerical value, but still... If he gets significantly better - particularly in shooting, creating, and passing - then yes, maybe he can be worth that kind of money.

LeBron, if we talk purely about basketball PRODUCTION (not ability, because based on ability alone he is still top 3-5 in the league, even at this age), then I can agree he's not worth his current salary. HOWEVER, he is still an elite playmaker, passer, creator, with thons of experience, leadership, knowledge, historical success and value, etc. etc. - so a gazillion intangibles over Paolo. Add to that the humongous, gargantuan, outrageously huge commercial value of LeBron's brand and presence, and it becomes nonsensical to even put them in the same sentence.

Luka, pretty much the same case. Last season production - easily the worst he has had. But overall skill and value - not in the same stratosphere as 3 Paolos combined.

[Vegeta10176]

He's not a 48M per year player.

Congratulations, you are right. He is being paid 15M next year.

And then 41M, 44M, and 47M.

So he doesn’t get paid over 48M until the 2029-2030 season.

If he makes an All-NBA Team or grabs the MVP award, well he is still paid 15M next year, but then he finally gets 48M the year after instead of waiting 3 more years.

Paolo Banchero:
Age 22 years old, younger than many Rookies from the Draft.
15M and 41M/48M the next two years.
28 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 4 APG, 1 SPG, 1 BPG in his 12 Playoffs Games so far.
On 45% FG%, 42% 3P% (2.3 3PM), and 71% FT% (5.3 FTM).

Meanwhile, there are about 28 players who make more than 40M next season while Paolo makes 15M only. One of them is on your team and is a dinosaur called LeBron James. The other one is 46M and he is undeniably an awesome player, top 3 type, well, if you can keep him in FA with your Head Coach and Execs publicly calling him fat directly and indirectly, and paying 50-70M+ against the Cap instead of “48M”.

LeBron is a dinosaur and he is still far better player than Paolo.. LeBron finished top 6 in MVP voting just last season. Paolo is a rookie and he is getting paid a max which you would expect but you would also expect he would have to get a lot better to actually be worth it.. I would think one day soon he should be better than LeBron but it won't this season probably take 2 more for Paolo to be better than a dinosaur..

[Alex_84]

He's not a 48M per year player.

Congratulations, you are right. He is being paid 15M next year.

And then 41M, 44M, and 47M.

So he doesn’t get paid over 48M until the 2029-2030 season.

If he makes an All-NBA Team or grabs the MVP award, well he is still paid 15M next year, but then he finally gets 48M the year after instead of waiting 3 more years.

Paolo Banchero:
Age 22 years old, younger than many Rookies from the Draft.
15M and 41M/48M the next two years.
28 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 4 APG, 1 SPG, 1 BPG in his 12 Playoffs Games so far.
On 45% FG%, 42% 3P% (2.3 3PM), and 71% FT% (5.3 FTM).

Meanwhile, there are about 28 players who make more than 40M next season while Paolo makes 15M only. One of them is on your team and is a dinosaur called LeBron James. The other one is 46M and he is undeniably an awesome player, top 3 type, well, if you can keep him in FA with your Head Coach and Execs publicly calling him fat directly and indirectly, and paying 50-70M+ against the Cap instead of “48M”.

LeBron is a dinosaur and he is still far better player than Paolo.. LeBron finished top 6 in MVP voting just last season. Paolo is a rookie and he is getting paid a max which you would expect but you would also expect he would have to get a lot better to actually be worth it.. I would think one day soon he should be better than LeBron but it won't this season probably take 2 more for Paolo to be better than a dinosaur..

Are you high? Paolo is in top 20 NBA player already.

[fuller4379]

Welcome to five years of mediocracy.

[dubbmotta]

He's not a 48M per year player.

You must be a casual..he's worth every Penny. Especially when the cap goes up in the next year and all of the stars will be making 60-70 a year.

[dsg2021]

He's not a 48M per year player.

Congratulations, you are right. He is being paid 15M next year.

And then 41M, 44M, and 47M.

So he doesn’t get paid over 48M until the 2029-2030 season.

If he makes an All-NBA Team or grabs the MVP award, well he is still paid 15M next year, but then he finally gets 48M the year after instead of waiting 3 more years.

Paolo Banchero:
Age 22 years old, younger than many Rookies from the Draft.
15M and 41M/48M the next two years.
28 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 4 APG, 1 SPG, 1 BPG in his 12 Playoffs Games so far.
On 45% FG%, 42% 3P% (2.3 3PM), and 71% FT% (5.3 FTM).

Meanwhile, there are about 28 players who make more than 40M next season while Paolo makes 15M only. One of them is on your team and is a dinosaur called LeBron James. The other one is 46M and he is undeniably an awesome player, top 3 type, well, if you can keep him in FA with your Head Coach and Execs publicly calling him fat directly and indirectly, and paying 50-70M+ against the Cap instead of “48M”.

OK, to be more specific - he is not worth $239M over 5 years. At least not at this stage. I like him, and I genuinely like the Magic and I do root for them when they play, but he is currently too one-dimensional for that kind of money. True, everything is becoming hyper-inflated, so we should look at it as a % of cap space, not pure numerical value, but still... If he gets significantly better - particularly in shooting, creating, and passing - then yes, maybe he can be worth that kind of money.

LeBron, if we talk purely about basketball PRODUCTION (not ability, because based on ability alone he is still top 3-5 in the league, even at this age), then I can agree he's not worth his current salary. HOWEVER, he is still an elite playmaker, passer, creator, with thons of experience, leadership, knowledge, historical success and value, etc. etc. - so a gazillion intangibles over Paolo. Add to that the humongous, gargantuan, outrageously huge commercial value of LeBron's brand and presence, and it becomes nonsensical to even put them in the same sentence.

Luka, pretty much the same case. Last season production - easily the worst he has had. But overall skill and value - not in the same stratosphere as 3 Paolos combined.

I think 2-3 people in here missing the point of why I said "dinosaur." It was to imply we have a 22 year old Paolo who is younger than many rookies who were just drafted, and you have a player that doesn't want to play anymore after 1-3 seasons into the future. I said nothing about LeBron's skill level or whether he should retire. In fact, Paolo's closest comparable is an older LeBron James in some facets.

There are also people who judge a player by 90-100% of their regular season versus their Playoffs. Paolo is one of those where the Playoffs stats and the Playoffs eye-test really pop out. SO FAR. As in, who knows if he starts putting up a regular season stat line at the same efficiency as his Playoffs games. Or improve upon both. He already was this past season, his Age 22 season, in the first 5 games, before that injury knocked him off course for most of the regular season until his Playoffs heroics again.

And I don't really know what kind of Lakers world glam show world you live in, because I am really curious what the Magic were supposed to do? If they didn't offer the max, it would be a slap in the face to Paolo and to most NBA teams/commentaries/observers, he'd be soon gone because of all the lesser players around him with the same contract or similar amounts with zero negotiation headaches. I guess the only idea you have left is "We should have traded him before the contract/soon after the contract". But outside of your glam show where Gasol falls into your lap and it dominos into AD falls into your lap and then Luka, I don't really understand who is worth this "rookie extension max contract" that never goes above 50M per year. I would like to know your special, short list of players who qualify for it, so that as I am assuming it, "the Magic should trade Paolo into one of them."

I love how Paolo never gets the benefit of the doubt of improving from the age of 22 as well. You wrote "If he gets significantly better - particularly in shooting, creating, and passing - then yes, maybe he can be worth that kind of money" but geez man, you are some spoiled Lakers glam show fan because I guess I'll take my 22 year old player who needs to significantly improve all that WHILE somehow STILL having a 20.3 PER in the Playoffs as a 1st option getting collapsed on with help defense every play due to the worst shooting team of the past 20 years around him (top 2 team defense for bottom 2 team offense).

Paolo Banchero -
28 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 4 APG, 1 SPG, 1 BPG in his first 12 Playoffs Games so far;
On 45% FG%, 42% 3P% (2.3 3PM), and 71% FT% (5.3 FTM);
With the worst shooting team of the past 20 years.
Age 22 years old, younger than many Rookies from this past Draft.
15M and 41M the next two years.

[dsg2021]

Welcome to five years of mediocracy.

Thank you, you are a very kind Mavs fan. Love your attitude to **** on others. I would request your special wisdom for who out there is better than Paolo Banchero when comparing at Age 22, and when comparing for their Ages 22-27 moving forward, so that I can call the Magic and share your wisdom of trade ideas, oh great one, or tell the Magic to rebuild right now, oh wise one.

Paolo Banchero -
28 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 4 APG, 1 SPG, 1 BPG in his first 12 Playoffs Games so far;
On 45% FG%, 42% 3P% (2.3 3PM), and 71% FT% (5.3 FTM);
With the worst shooting team of the past 20 years.
Age 22 years old, younger than many Rookies from this past Draft.
15M and 41M the next two years.

[dsg2021]

He's not a 48M per year player.

Congratulations, you are right. He is being paid 15M next year.

And then 41M, 44M, and 47M.

So he doesn’t get paid over 48M until the 2029-2030 season.

If he makes an All-NBA Team or grabs the MVP award, well he is still paid 15M next year, but then he finally gets 48M the year after instead of waiting 3 more years.

Paolo Banchero:
Age 22 years old, younger than many Rookies from the Draft.
15M and 41M/48M the next two years.
28 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 4 APG, 1 SPG, 1 BPG in his 12 Playoffs Games so far.
On 45% FG%, 42% 3P% (2.3 3PM), and 71% FT% (5.3 FTM).

Meanwhile, there are about 28 players who make more than 40M next season while Paolo makes 15M only. One of them is on your team and is a dinosaur called LeBron James. The other one is 46M and he is undeniably an awesome player, top 3 type, well, if you can keep him in FA with your Head Coach and Execs publicly calling him fat directly and indirectly, and paying 50-70M+ against the Cap instead of “48M”.

LeBron is a dinosaur and he is still far better player than Paolo.. LeBron finished top 6 in MVP voting just last season. Paolo is a rookie and he is getting paid a max which you would expect but you would also expect he would have to get a lot better to actually be worth it.. I would think one day soon he should be better than LeBron but it won't this season probably take 2 more for Paolo to be better than a dinosaur..

I think 2-3 people in here missing the point of why I said "dinosaur." It was to imply we have a 22 year old Paolo who is younger than many rookies who were just drafted, and you have a player that doesn't want to play anymore after 1-3 seasons into the future. I said nothing about LeBron's skill level or whether he should retire. In fact, Paolo's closest comparable is an older LeBron James in some facets.

There are also people who judge a player by 90-100% of their regular season versus their Playoffs. Paolo is one of those where the Playoffs stats and the Playoffs eye-test really pop out. SO FAR. As in, who knows if he starts putting up a regular season stat line at the same efficiency as his Playoffs games. Or improve upon both. He already was this past regular season, his Age 22 season, in the first 5 games, before that injury knocked him off course for most of the regular season until his Playoffs heroics again.

You wrote "Paolo would have to get a lot better to actually be worth the contract" of 15M, 41M, 44M, 47M, 51M, but I am just curious who is better than Paolo at Age 22 today, especially in the Playoffs stats, as well as for Ages 22-27 moving forward and basically no years above 50M, so that I can call the Magic on your behalf and tell them about your great wisdom.

Paolo Banchero -
28 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 4 APG, 1 SPG, 1 BPG in his 12 Playoffs Games so far;
On 45% FG%, 42% 3P% (2.3 3PM), and 71% FT% (5.3 FTM);
With the worst shooting team of the past 20 years.
Age 22 years old, younger than many Rookies from this past Draft.
15M and 41M the next two years.

[fuller4379]

Thank you, you are a very kind Mavs fan. Love your attitude to **** on others.
.

But hurt Magic fan.

[dsg2021]

Thank you, you are a very kind Mavs fan. Love your attitude to **** on others.
.

But hurt Magic fan.

Over what? Team is so young that literally over what? Lmao

And hey, you came in here first to trash on the contract/team.
What a huge shock that I would come in after you to defend it as a Magic fan.