Apr 11, 2023; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman speaks during a press conference for the new Orlando Magic G-League stadium at Osceola Heritage Park. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Orlando Magic Fully Turn Attention To Next Big Objective This Summer

Originally posted on Orlando Magic on SI
By Andrew Cherico | Last updated Jun 18, 2025 6:13 PM ET

After helping lead the Orlando Magic to a second consecutive playoff appearance, Paolo Banchero has firmly established himself as the franchise centerpiece. Despite averaging 29.4 points, the sixth-most in the playoffs, they lacked the supporting talent to overcome the Boston Celtics. The recent blockbuster acquisition of Desmond Bane, combined with the potential of locking Banchero into a max extension, transforms them into a perennial contender.

In a recent interview, Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman expressed signing Banchero to an extension this summer is a major goal, aiming to solidify a strong core for the future.

"We hope to be a good team for a while," Weltman said. "Because our age profile is that most highly paid kind of core four players are ages 23 to 27. Hopefully, we can come to an agreement with Paolo this summer. We'll be having those conversations shortly and have this group together for a long time wearing Magic uniforms, so that obviously will determine what the value of those picks are. It's betting on yourself."

Jeff Weltman speaks with the media https://t.co/h6hxGt9mzy pic.twitter.com/fFAboE3rnS
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) June 16, 2025

Weltman mentioned he's excited about keeping young players like Anthony Black, Tristan da Silva and Jett Howard, emphasizing their importance in their long-term plan.

"We kind of plotted out this rebuild," Weltman stated. "It's been about three and a half years, and I think the stated goal was to build a sustainable winner. We're hopeful that this is a winning team and that we can keep winning for a while because these guys are young. I think there's not only the hope that we can sustain it, but when you think about all of our young guys, what they're going to look like in three or four years. It's kind of exciting to think about that. They should get better every year.”