Oct 16, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) lays up during the first quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Paolo Banchero makes one big play in Magic preseason finale

Originally posted on Orlando Magic on SI
By Ryan Kaminski | Last updated Oct 18, 2025 9:49 AM ET

This is why the Magic traded for Desmond Bane.

Well, this play at least shows one reason the team acquired the electric scorer.

Bane's shooting gravity draws the eyes of the defense whether he's hitting his shots that night or not; Des has earned the respect of the league to be in every scouting report.

Any time Desmond Bane draws multiple defenders away from their responsibilities towards the ball, an advantage is created for the rest of the team, sometimes to the tune of playing 4-on-3; someone has to be open, the ball just needs to find him.

In ONE BIG PLAY from the last Magic game, the team's preseason finale win over the Pelicans, Magic fans witnessed how the gravity of Bane opens up the game for Paolo and the rest of the team up close and personal for the first time in Orlando.

THIS shows why The Magic brought in Desmond Bane

Bane's such a threat to pull, defenses can't look away.

Bane draws two = Paolo playing 4-on-3

Great decisionmaking by Banchero to short roll into a fake-dunk corner 3pt assist jump pass... then he does it AGAIN in the same game! pic.twitter.com/aC4Rh8IndF
— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) October 17, 2025

Desmond runs the pick-and-roll (or handoff), leading multiple defenders to swarm him, leaving Paolo wide open on the roll.

Banchero attacks the rack like he's about to slam it home, pulling in the lone rim-protector left, before faking the dunk and kicking out to the corner for the 3pt assist.

That's right, Paolo Banchero pulled the ol' fake-dunk 3pt assist corner kickout jump pass.

Then he did it again in the second half in case anyone forgot.

MANDATORY CREDIT: Spongebob

Last season, Banchero (and Wagner) faced a packed paint every night out.

With the team's newfound spacing and so many high feel two-way 3&D basketball players who can attack closeouts all duking it out for playing time, especially in the backcourt, it's almost as if the seas have parted for Orlando's big wings.

How the Magic's two rising stars react and adjust will determine how high this team's ceiling goes. Really Orlando's entire core-four of Paolo, Franz, Desmond, and Jalen have the ability to fall somewhere on the scale being the scoring creator, aka a primary decision maker and advantage creator for a team's offense.

If the team sees Paolo continue to develop his decision making process to take the easy kickout over the tough shot when its the best play for the team and the team sees Franz continue to eurostep to the rim like its a layup line, who knows how efficient the #1 rated offense and point differential team in preseason could become going forward.

Even an average offense with average 3pt spacing would have been a sufficient improvement for this defensive-minded Orlando squad; if this Magic team is anywhere near an elite offense without sacrificing its Annual Top-4 Defensive Identity, the league could have a new juggernaut to deal with in the East.

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