Desmond Bane Over The Last Three Games (11/6/2025)

[zeebneeb]

previous 5 seasons 3fga's

6.9 / 7.0 / 8.6 / 6.1

this year: 4.4

Very bizarre considering the main thing ORL needed from him was 3pt shooting

Have you watched Orlando this season? I've watched every one of their games. Getting open shots is like pulling teeth for them.

Brutal as hell. Now, if they had legitimate low post players, do that repeatedly. Problem is, both Banchero and Wagner are more dive to the rim type of players.

[Daddy 801]

I’ll admit. This is one of my worst takes this offseason. I thought he would fit in like a glove. I still think long term he will be ok. But I am shocked it’s not translating faster.

I like what Orlando is building. But if I’m honest I only see a couple games a year of theirs. So I wasn’t the most informed on the fit. But I’m still surprised by the little data I have on Orlando and Bane. Something seems weird.

[davidv2001]

I haven't watched many Magic games this year though and I am curious if he's at least providing more spacing for them by being on the floor?

I watched them 2 days ago.

The creator/facilitator everyone in this thread is saying the Magic desperately need, is what Mosley is trying to turn Bane into.

Almost every time Bane touched it, he's driving towards the rim, most times into traffic. Idk why Mose is trying to convert an off-ball catch and shoot guy into an on-ball creator and trying to pressure the rim.

I think either Franz Wagner should be their primary facilitator, or they should get Banchero to play more like a poor man’s Giannis (attacking downhill and driving and kicking to Bane, Suggs and Wagner for open threes).

Bane is a very good shooter, but he’s not a pure point guard.

[Shock Defeat]

Orlando blew their load in order to have a ceiling of being a 2nd round team, with the likeliness of being a 1st round exit.

[JujitsuFlip]

I haven't watched many Magic games this year though and I am curious if he's at least providing more spacing for them by being on the floor?

I watched them 2 days ago.

The creator/facilitator everyone in this thread is saying the Magic desperately need, is what Mosley is trying to turn Bane into.

Almost every time Bane touched it, he's driving towards the rim, most times into traffic. Idk why Mose is trying to convert an off-ball catch and shoot guy into an on-ball creator and trying to pressure the rim.

I think either Franz Wagner should be their primary facilitator, or they should get Banchero to play more like a poor man’s Giannis (attacking downhill and driving and kicking to Bane, Suggs and Wagner for open threes).

Bane is a very good shooter, but he’s not a pure point guard.

I honestly think Mose should take a page out of Kenny Atkinson's playbook and try to split Franz and Banchero's minutes as much as possible.

Mobley and Allen spend a few minutes together to start each half, other than that they both play a majority of their minutes while the other sits.

I hated seeing the Magic sub out Bane and Suggs together, it makes no sense. Split your core4 up into 2 units and just constantly have a forward and guard who can score in bunches.

I'd probably keep Black with Bane due to his disadvantaged wingspan; and Suggs with Tyus Jones to cover for his slight frame.

From there, TDS can play tons of minutes at SF off the bench with both units because when Banchero sits, you're just sliding Franz to 4.

Then at your 5 position it doesn't really matter how ya rotate the guys, I'd honestly probably just keep it to WCJ and Moe (once he's healthy).

[pepe1991]

Orlando swore Anthony Black was going to be the ball handler they needed. What happened? Then Franz was going to be the point forward. What happened?

Black has no playmaking chops in him whatsoever.
He has slow first step, can't shoot off dribble ( can't shoot in general) , his ball handling isn't all that good.
Guy is 3 and D wing with very shaky 3. But very good on ball defender.

Only times when he is actual treat to score is when he attacks unset defense.
Guy played playoffs vs Celtics as "point guard" with 0 assists over 5 games. It's almost impossible to achieve it, but yet, he did.

[pepe1991]

Point guard is most important position in basketball. Always was, always will be. Point guards control pace, are almost always most skilled ( even in cases when they aren't best ) players on the floor, because competition among smaller people to get to NBA is brutal, unlike competition among 6'11 people.

Magic didn't have serious PG since Jameer Nelson, 15 years ago.

Banchero isn't playmaker, he is scorer who sometimes can pass ball. Franz isn't playmaker, he is solid ball swinging wing, with solid vision. But nothing more. Bane and Suggs are shooting guards, most comfortable in basic catch & shoot.

So... on entire roster, nobody can actually set anything (but Jones, but he just sucks as he always did ).

This delusion of "point guard by committee" was from start just that, delusion of some hybrid basketball.
Yet, year after year, Magic always end up among worst offenses, because their NOT- playmakers fail to set offense and that drags their efficiency to garbage. Last year 3 point shooting was historically bad, but not because of lack of shooting, but because once again, team had no playmaker.

Magic offense often wastes 18 seconds to even set all players in right spots.
Because there is nothing fluid going on, every second possession is isolation for either Banchero or Franz.

They can fire Mosley, but new coach will still have same problem.

[jefe]

I haven't watched many Magic games this year though and I am curious if he's at least providing more spacing for them by being on the floor?

I watched them 2 days ago.

The creator/facilitator everyone in this thread is saying the Magic desperately need, is what Mosley is trying to turn Bane into.

Almost every time Bane touched it, he's driving towards the rim, most times into traffic. Idk why Mose is trying to convert an off-ball catch and shoot guy into an on-ball creator and trying to pressure the rim.

Bane is not a PG or playmaker. The Grizz tried desperately to turn him into one early in his career. He spent a summer league playing PG and then spent the next season as the de facto backup point guard, but his handle was never tight enough and he produced too many turnovers trying to create for others.

With that said, he regularly made straight line drives at the rim when the ball rotate around the horn to him and he caught his defender even slightly out of position. He did it so much so that the Grizz play-by-play crew called him "downhill Des" every time he did it.

[JujitsuFlip]

I haven't watched many Magic games this year though and I am curious if he's at least providing more spacing for them by being on the floor?

I watched them 2 days ago.

The creator/facilitator everyone in this thread is saying the Magic desperately need, is what Mosley is trying to turn Bane into.

Almost every time Bane touched it, he's driving towards the rim, most times into traffic. Idk why Mose is trying to convert an off-ball catch and shoot guy into an on-ball creator and trying to pressure the rim.

Bane is not a PG or playmaker. The Grizz tried desperately to turn him into one early in his career. He spent a summer league playing PG and then spent the next season as the de facto backup point guard, but his handle was never tight enough and he produced too many turnovers trying to create for others.

With that said, he regularly made straight line drives at the rim when the ball rotate around the horn to him and he caught his defender even slightly out of position. He did it so much so that the Grizz play-by-play crew called him "downhill Des" every time he did it.

To me, on Tuesday, it never looked like he had his man beat. And since there was no Trae Young that night, he always had a bigger defender on him.

I think they just need to try to find him more catch and shoot opportunities. If he still wants to drive it sometimes and still wants to set screens for Banchero sometimes, fine. But i think he needs a steady diet in the offense of having to do nothing but just shoot it.

He currently has the lowest percentage of his career on assisted 3 pointers.

2020-21: 93.2% - 3s assisted
2021-22: 82% - 3s assisted
2022-23: 72.9% - 3s assisted
2023-24: 61.3% - 3s assisted
2024-25: 63.4% - 3s assisted
2025-26: 50% - 3s assisted

[sodmoraes]

I not a Orlando expert, but shouldnt them priorize Banchero or Fran´s and trade the other? Seems like they are a bit redundant. I think they would be better trading one for a really good guard. Imagine if they trade one of them for a guard like Maxey/Garland? That would make their team more balanced, and would improve Bane´s numbers.

[Indomitable]

This is a bit more evidence that the Magics offense needs a bit of tuning. Without a natural PG, the Paulo iso's aren't creating enough open looks for shooters. He's got black hole energy sometimes, and often times defenses will play him straight up. He's not drawing a ton of doubles to assist out of, and I always imagined that would be how Bane got his opportunities. He's also not a mid-post hub either, he's a slashing face up 4 most of the time.

Regardless, he'll turn it around as I don't see the Magic's coaching staff just letting this happen much longer, they've invested too much to see him only average 4 longball attempts per game.

Paola is doing that Demar dribble thing?

[Black Jack]

I not a Orlando expert, but shouldnt them priorize Banchero or Fran´s and trade the other? Seems like they are a bit redundant. I think they would be better trading one for a really good guard. Imagine if they trade one of them for a guard like Maxey/Garland? That would make their team more balanced, and would improve Bane´s numbers.

I've been saying this for awhile now, they need to choose one of Branchero and Wagner, and trade the other.

Confused FOs make this mistake when they have two young redundant players. Like Portland hanging on to Dame and CJ for way too long.

Odds are they hold onto these two too long and wind up not getting full value when they trade one.

[ForeverTFC]

I not a Orlando expert, but shouldnt them priorize Banchero or Fran´s and trade the other? Seems like they are a bit redundant. I think they would be better trading one for a really good guard. Imagine if they trade one of them for a guard like Maxey/Garland? That would make their team more balanced, and would improve Bane´s numbers.

I've been saying this for awhile now, they need to choose one of Branchero and Wagner, and trade the other.

Confused FOs make this mistake when they have two young redundant players. Like Portland hanging on to Dame and CJ for way too long.

Odds are they hold onto these two too long and wind up not getting full value when they trade one.

This is easy to say when you're not intimately involved with the franchise, whether in management or even as a fan. We said the same about the Celtics. It's very hard to trade a guy you drafted and hit on. It's even harder when you're Orlando; a franchise and a FO that i) is not very aggressive and ii) has been scarred with star players leaving them.

Also, you have to think about the FO dynamics as well. I'd bet that at least a couple of guys in that FO are higher on Franz than Paolo, but Paolo is much harder to trade because of his status with media and fans. And what if you do make a trade and it's the wrong one? Your job is gone. They're not in a position now to take that risk.

[thelead]

Bane is used to getting the ball at optimal/premium spots, due to playing with an actual PG in Ja Morant. He is not getting this whatsoever in Orlando, because the GM running the show has a closed head injury.

Orlando absolutely, positively, has to get a PG if they want to move forward. Not some scrub, but an actual, factual floor general. The East has some big, highly skilled PG's, and Orlando has to be able to compete.

Its gonna cost them, but you gotta do, what you gotta do.

https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/desmond-bane-stats-without-ja-morant-last-season

21ppg/6.7rpg/6.2apg/1spg on 48/39/87 splits (59.6 TS%) in 25 games without Ja last year.

Bane WAS essentially the PG when Ja was out and played great. Now, I'm not saying that he should be a PG but the stats show that he has playmaking chops and doesn't 'need' a great PG to be effective.

Let's call it what it is:
1) He needs more time to gel with the Magic roster
or
2) Mosley is a terrible offensive coach

[Wolveswin]

He will improve, but a huge problem is that he isn't a natural creator. Orlando has a funky roster composition for maximizing his strengths.

When Magic called Grizzlies about Bane they should have been asking about Morant.

[JujitsuFlip]

Bane is used to getting the ball at optimal/premium spots, due to playing with an actual PG in Ja Morant. He is not getting this whatsoever in Orlando, because the GM running the show has a closed head injury.

Orlando absolutely, positively, has to get a PG if they want to move forward. Not some scrub, but an actual, factual floor general. The East has some big, highly skilled PG's, and Orlando has to be able to compete.

Its gonna cost them, but you gotta do, what you gotta do.

https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/desmond-bane-stats-without-ja-morant-last-season

21ppg/6.7rpg/6.2apg/1spg on 48/39/87 splits (59.6 TS%) in 25 games without Ja last year.

Bane WAS essentially the PG when Ja was out and played great. Now, I'm not saying that he should be a PG but the stats show that he has playmaking chops and doesn't 'need' a great PG to be effective.

Let's call it what it is:
1) He needs more time to gel with the Magic roster
or
2) Mosley is a terrible offensive coach

This is January 2025 against the Spurs, Bane had 14 assists.

https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=AST&EndPeriod=0&EndRange=28800&GameID=0022400582&PlayerID=1630217&RangeType=0&Season=2024-25&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&StartPeriod=0&StartRange=0&TeamID=1610612763&flag=1&sct=plot&section=game

This is another game from January 2025 against the Pelicans, Bane had 14 assists.

https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=AST&EndPeriod=0&EndRange=28800&GameID=0022400632&PlayerID=1630217&RangeType=0&Season=2024-25&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&StartPeriod=0&StartRange=0&TeamID=1610612763&flag=1&sct=plot&section=game

You're exactly right, on Tuesday, this is how it seemed the Magic wanted to use Bane. I think the key difference is the Magic do not have the complimentary pieces for Bane to play like this. The Magic have almost zero guys who can catch and shoot from 3 with any consistency. Nor do the Magic have a 5 like Edey that Bane can just dump it off to.

[Black Jack]

I not a Orlando expert, but shouldnt them priorize Banchero or Fran´s and trade the other? Seems like they are a bit redundant. I think they would be better trading one for a really good guard. Imagine if they trade one of them for a guard like Maxey/Garland? That would make their team more balanced, and would improve Bane´s numbers.

I've been saying this for awhile now, they need to choose one of Branchero and Wagner, and trade the other.

Confused FOs make this mistake when they have two young redundant players. Like Portland hanging on to Dame and CJ for way too long.

Odds are they hold onto these two too long and wind up not getting full value when they trade one.

This is easy to say when you're not intimately involved with the franchise, whether in management or even as a fan. We said the same about the Celtics. It's very hard to trade a guy you drafted and hit on. It's even harder when you're Orlando; a franchise and a FO that i) is not very aggressive and ii) has been scarred with star players leaving them.

Also, you have to think about the FO dynamics as well. I'd bet that at least a couple of guys in that FO are higher on Franz than Paolo, but Paolo is much harder to trade because of his status with media and fans. And what if you do make a trade and it's the wrong one? Your job is gone. They're not in a position now to take that risk.

Either you're a talent scout or not.

Let's say I'm wrong and they should keep both for now. Well, why didn't they get a player who can handle and shoot to augment their 2 prospects?

Personally if I were the Magic GM I'd have went after Trae or another guy like that where you could have used the Bane assets to get him.

Send Bane to a contender he's useful just not needed on Orlando.

[Billl]

I'm not sure why so many NBA franchises fall into this trap. You have to put guys in a position to play to their strengths. You can't just say "well, we need this on the team and he's better at it than our other options, so lets have him do it."

Bane is a solid defender, really good shooter, and competent enough with the ball that he can make the easy passes within the flow of the offense and attack closeouts. That's really valuable, so just let him do that. That should be completely separate from the Magic's need for a primary creator in the pg slot.

[ForeverTFC]

I've been saying this for awhile now, they need to choose one of Branchero and Wagner, and trade the other.

Confused FOs make this mistake when they have two young redundant players. Like Portland hanging on to Dame and CJ for way too long.

Odds are they hold onto these two too long and wind up not getting full value when they trade one.

This is easy to say when you're not intimately involved with the franchise, whether in management or even as a fan. We said the same about the Celtics. It's very hard to trade a guy you drafted and hit on. It's even harder when you're Orlando; a franchise and a FO that i) is not very aggressive and ii) has been scarred with star players leaving them.

Also, you have to think about the FO dynamics as well. I'd bet that at least a couple of guys in that FO are higher on Franz than Paolo, but Paolo is much harder to trade because of his status with media and fans. And what if you do make a trade and it's the wrong one? Your job is gone. They're not in a position now to take that risk.

Either you're a talent scout or not.

Let's say I'm wrong and they should keep both for now. Well, why didn't they get a player who can handle and shoot to augment their 2 prospects?

Personally if I were the Magic GM I'd have went after Trae or another guy like that where you could have used the Bane assets to get him.

Send Bane to a contender he's useful just not needed on Orlando.

You and I are mostly aligned. My point is that it's a lot easier for us to say this than the people that actually have to do it. There is a lot more variables at play for them.

[thelead]

Bane is used to getting the ball at optimal/premium spots, due to playing with an actual PG in Ja Morant. He is not getting this whatsoever in Orlando, because the GM running the show has a closed head injury.

Orlando absolutely, positively, has to get a PG if they want to move forward. Not some scrub, but an actual, factual floor general. The East has some big, highly skilled PG's, and Orlando has to be able to compete.

Its gonna cost them, but you gotta do, what you gotta do.

https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/desmond-bane-stats-without-ja-morant-last-season

21ppg/6.7rpg/6.2apg/1spg on 48/39/87 splits (59.6 TS%) in 25 games without Ja last year.

Bane WAS essentially the PG when Ja was out and played great. Now, I'm not saying that he should be a PG but the stats show that he has playmaking chops and doesn't 'need' a great PG to be effective.

Let's call it what it is:
1) He needs more time to gel with the Magic roster
or
2) Mosley is a terrible offensive coach

This is January 2025 against the Spurs, Bane had 14 assists.

https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=AST&EndPeriod=0&EndRange=28800&GameID=0022400582&PlayerID=1630217&RangeType=0&Season=2024-25&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&StartPeriod=0&StartRange=0&TeamID=1610612763&flag=1&sct=plot&section=game

This is another game from January 2025 against the Pelicans, Bane had 14 assists.

https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=AST&EndPeriod=0&EndRange=28800&GameID=0022400632&PlayerID=1630217&RangeType=0&Season=2024-25&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&StartPeriod=0&StartRange=0&TeamID=1610612763&flag=1&sct=plot&section=game

You're exactly right, on Tuesday, this is how it seemed the Magic wanted to use Bane. I think the key difference is the Magic do not have the complimentary pieces for Bane to play like this. The Magic have almost zero guys who can catch and shoot from 3 with any consistency. Nor do the Magic have a 5 like Edey that Bane can just dump it off to.

I’ve been very vocal about magic needing an upgrade at the starting C spot for years. I think WCJ would be an excellent backup 4/5 but isn’t bringing what the magic need as currently constructed (neither size as a screener/lob threat or as a 3pt shooter). The other issue with the starters is that Paolo and Franz cannot coexist if, at least, one them doesn’t turn into a feared 3pt threat. They clog everything up for each other and their teammates.