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Giannis Antetokounmpo staying put opens Paolo Banchero-Magic trade opportunity
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With the NBA trade deadline passing Thursday without a Giannis Antetokounmpo deal materializing, the Milwaukee Bucks ' decision to keep their franchise cornerstone could shift the league's trade landscape toward the offseason — and potentially open the door to major changes for the Orlando Magic .
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On the latest episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, NBA analyst Zach Lowe revisited the idea of Orlando as a team positioned to feel the ripple effects of Antetokounmpo remaining in Milwaukee, while also reviving a trade concept he has floated previously involving Paolo Banchero .
"Can we go back to Orlando. They're 25 and 24 and some of their losses have been recently, like the funk level hovering over there team is at DEFCON Two level funk at this point and obviously they're waiting for Franz to come back and crossing their fingers that Franz, who is I think their best player, ties everything together."
Lowe suggested that Orlando's direction could be far from settled if the current season does not turn around.
"I think their roster is going to look, there team could look very different next year, coach, roster, everything if they don't turn this around. I'm trying to think what are the teams that feel like they've lost because the Giannis thing got kicked to the summer, and what are the teams that won because the Giannis thing got kicked to the summer. And I want to include Orlando on the latter list because you know that the Paolo and a bunch of stuff for Giannis is one of my favorite fake trades, but the Magic don't have a bunch of stuff anymore and the bloom is off the rose for Paolo."
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Paolo Banchero remains focal point as Giannis Antetokounmpo trade talk swirls for Magic
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The Magic's asset situation has changed dramatically over the past year. Orlando surrendered four first-round picks in a blockbuster deal to acquire Desmond Bane , a move that strengthened the roster but limited future flexibility. Lowe noted that had Antetokounmpo been formally available at the deadline, those assets could have been deployed differently.
For now, Banchero remains the focal point in Orlando. The 23-year-old forward is averaging 21.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 46.3% from the field and 29.7% from three-point range across 40 games, logging 34.3 minutes per contest. He helped lead the Magic to a 118-98 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night, improving the team to 26-24 and seventh in the Eastern Conference standings.
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Banchero is also tied to Orlando financially for the long term. He is earning approximately $41.5 million this season after signing a five-year, $239 million maximum rookie extension that could rise to $287 million if he earns All-NBA honors. The deal includes a player option for the 2030-31 season, making him one of the league's most significant long-term commitments.
Giannis remains with Bucks, setting stage for potential summer talks
Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, remained with Milwaukee despite heightened speculation linking him to teams such as the Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves ahead of the deadline. The 31-year-old two-time MVP and former Defensive Player of the Year is averaging 28 points, 10 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game while shooting career highs of 64.5% from the field and 39.5% from three-point range across 30 games, playing 29.2 minutes per contest. Despite his production, the Bucks sit at 20-29, 12th in the Eastern Conference.
Antetokounmpo is making $54.1 million this season as part of a three-year, $175.3 million contract that includes a player option for the 2027-28 season. His contract structure and age make any potential offseason move complex but not implausible.
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Lowe has acknowledged that the framework involving Banchero and Antetokounmpo is not new, having previously raised the idea earlier in the season. With Milwaukee opting to delay any franchise-altering decisions until the summer, Orlando could find itself among the teams most affected by that timeline.
Whether the Magic ultimately pivot toward a dramatic roster reshaping remains to be seen, but as Lowe noted, Antetokounmpo's name is unlikely to disappear from offseason trade conversations — and Orlando's trajectory could be closely tied to how those discussions unfold.
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