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NBA Stat: Worst clutch 3PT% in the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season (min. 15 clutch 3PA): 1. Cade Cunningham — 6.7% 2. Paolo Banchero — 10.5% 3. PJ Washington — 11.1% 4. Michael Porter Jr. — 16.0% 5. Russell Westbrook — 18.8% (via Clutch Numbers) #NBA
Paolo Banchero: After losing three years in a row in the first round, that sense of urgency is definitely there for me just to work as hard as I can and keep my mind on the main goal, which is obviously to win in the postseason and to get past the first round and deep into the playoffs. So, that's all that's been on my mind this summer. Obviously getting ready for the grind of an 82 game season, but also doing what I need to do physically and mentally to to get ready for a playoff run, because that's what we're trying to do.
In terms of the balance of power in the NBA, it certainly feels like things have shifted toward the East. Have you felt something similar? Paolo Banchero: I mean it's a lot of big names coming to the East. I've always felt like the East is the better conference, even though I think in the past we've been more slept on. I think you saw that this year with the Knicks and their run. Guys see it around the league. The East is wide open in my opinion — a lot of guys feel that, that's why a lot of free agents are coming. But I'm excited and the team's excited. Like I said earlier, last year wasn't what we wanted. It didn't go how we wanted. But a lot of people are going to forget about us and count us out, so it's on us to go and show that we're an elite team in this league. We got a chance to win the East.
Any particular benchmarks for you this season? Something you want to reach that you weren't able to last year? Paolo Banchero: For sure. Improve in all areas. Field-goal percentage, 3-point percentage, free-throw percentage. Obviously just be more efficient. I feel like I can be a guy who averages 25 [points], 8 [rebounds] and 7 [assists]. I feel like that's pretty attainable for me. So just showing up consistently every day, not worrying about the numbers and just worrying about the process and how I'm playing to help us win. And all that will take care of itself.
How have some of the early conversations with Sweeney been? Two thinkers of the game getting together. Paolo Banchero: They've been great. They've been great. Me and him have really hit it off so far. He came out to Seattle last week, worked out with me for a couple days. And obviously we've been working out here in Vegas with the rest of the coaching staff. I'm just really excited about what he can do for me and the team. Like you said, he's a great mind on both sides of the ball. Extremely detail-oriented and he's an intense guy too. And I feel like that's what I need, that's what the team needs. So it's really exciting.
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In terms of the balance of power in the NBA, it certainly feels like things have shifted toward the East. Have you felt something similar? Paolo Banchero: I mean it's a lot of big names coming to the East. I've always felt like the East is the better conference, even though I think in the past we've been more slept on. I think you saw that this year with the Knicks and their run. Guys see it around the league. The East is wide open in my opinion — a lot of guys feel that, that's why a lot of free agents are coming. But I'm excited and the team's excited. Like I said earlier, last year wasn't what we wanted. It didn't go how we wanted. But a lot of people are going to forget about us and count us out, so it's on us to go and show that we're an elite team in this league. We got a chance to win the East.
Dalton Johnson: Yaxel Lendeborg says the players he watches most are Paolo Banchero, Naz Neid, LeBron James and Magic Johnson I asked about if he like his Dominican LeBron nickname: "I do. I really do. It was really fun trying to keep that legacy."
Joe Cowley: Was told by a very good source that Orlando's locker room was a mess and Mosley had no control. He wasn't going to survive even if Magic got past Detroit. There's a major Banchero problem. Donovan would walk into a very talented but dysfunctional circus.
In Banchero’s opinion, the work begins sooner rather than later. “It starts in the summer,” he said. “It’s about winning habits. It’s about just creating a winning environment every single day. From September to now, we’ve just got to be better. We’ve got to be better. And it doesn’t start in April when the playoffs start. It starts in September, October, when we get everybody in the building. You build habits, you create an environment where losing isn’t acceptable. Losing in the first round is not acceptable. It’s not good enough. “That should be the attitude. It shouldn’t be comfortable in the building. It should be everybody on their Ps and Qs feeling pressure to be great because this result is not good enough. So, I think that’s the mindset that needs to be there from top to bottom.”
Paolo Banchero on if the Magic are good enough to reach the next level: "I want to say yes, but we haven't been out of the first round, so if you're going off the last three years, the answer is no."
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Michael Scotto: Paolo Banchero: “Losing in the first round is not acceptable. That should be the attitude. It shouldn’t be comfortable in the building. It should be everybody on their Ps and Qs feeling pressure to be great. I think that’s the mindset that needs to be there from top to bottom.”
Jalen Suggs also craves collisions. He excels at beating opponents to spots on the floor, sometimes wrecking dribble-handoffs before a big man can give the ball to a guard or anticipating picks. “He’s just so good at getting in-between,” Magic forward Paolo Banchero said. “I guess he’s not afraid of that contact, which is sort of what you would see in a football player. Most basketball players don’t have that natural instinct to do that, and he does.
Omari Sankofa II: FINAL: Pistons 116, Magic 109. They've forced a Game 6 in Orlando. Cunningham: 45 points (franchise playoff high), 5 assists, 13-23 overall, 14-14 at the line) Thompson: 6 pts, 15 rebs, 6 assts, 5 steals, 2 blocks
Jason Beede: FINAL: Pistons 116, #Magic 109 Banchero and Cunningham both notch 45 points, but Detroit holds off late to extend its season. Orlando leads the series 3-2 and Game 6 is back at Kia Center on Friday night.
