The Orlando Magic using Paolo Banchero in a variety of roles on and off the ball have begun to unlock their star’s full skill-set.
Running both ends of a pick-and-roll, flying around in transition, bullying opponents with backdowns, Banchero is creating scoring opportunities for himself and teammates in many different ways.
How Orlando captures this lightning in a bottle will determine whether the offense sinks or swims.
Nov 4, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) passes around Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) in the first quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Always a transition beast, Banchero has scored 1.43 PPP on 40 fast breaks this season, rating in the 81st percentile, via Synergy Sports.
As the Pick-and-Roll Ball-Handler, Paolo Banchero is scoring 0.95 PPP, a good 63rd percentile ranking; but when including the passing reads Banchero makes out of running P&R, he’s creating an even better 1.1 PPP for Orlando’s offense, up to the 78th percentile among any P&R ball-handler.
The Banchero-Bane inverted pick-and-pop has been particularly effective anytime Orlando runs it, creating spacing for everyone consistently.
Desmond Bane Popping off the Pick is ONE BIG PLAY from last night’s Magic game
Orlando inverted the P&R into Banchero-Bane Pick-and-Pops on 4 possessions
This action utilizes Bane’s off-ball gravity, opens floor for Paolo to create, and leads to hard closeouts for Des to drive pic.twitter.com/eazqg0CSLy
— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) October 28, 2025
Banchero has already busted out a new move in this ever-changing Magic offense –
the fake-dunk rim-rolling jump pass
Banchero keeps his head up for perimeter shooters as he rolls like a wrecking ball towards the rim flanked with extra defenders draping all over him.
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
When Banchero scores or passes out of Post-Ups, the Magic score a solid 1.0 PPP, a reliable action for good halfcourt offense, especially after creating a mismatch for Paolo in the post.
Running a Paolo Banchero ISO averages a solid 0.88 PPP, a solid option, yet has room to improve.
As of this season, Banchero is heavily favoring the right side on drives, with twice the volume and literally four times the efficiency.
If defenses catch wind that Banchero going left on Drives is far less efficient, that could be a weakness they can take advantage of, but normally Banchero is good at driving with either hand, so that should bounce back eventually. (He was actually more efficient driving left last season.)
I asked Paolo about P&R with Bane:
“I actually told him during the game, we gotta do more of that…it causes such a problem.
Obviously, he draws a lot of attention with the ball in his hands coming off screens, so for me, being able to use that, be a screener, get easy looks.” pic.twitter.com/CovOR9dkWT
— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) October 23, 2025
Anytime Banchero gets a head of steam, he’s near impossible to stop, so recreating as many transition-esque downhill movements in the halfcourt is the goal, to get Paolo the ball on the move.
Bane and Banchero both raved about their P&R partnership after opening night. Orlando could probably looks to increase the volume of this set.
Every time Paolo Banchero has rolled to the basket in a play this year, Orlando scored a clean 1.0 PPP.
By involving Banchero more as the roller in P&R and DHO sets, Orlando’s achieving this downhill movement goal, unlocking Paolo’s short-roll playmaking by forcing quick read-and-react decisions to drive hard on the rim-roll to the rack, hit the dunker spot with a lob, kick out to a shooter, or stop and pop for the middy, all of which are likely a good look for Orlando if the defense is giving it up.
Orlando keeps leaning into Paolo Banchero as a screener for Desmond Bane. Right side is empty, defense in a drop. Paolo catches on the roll and finishes. pic.twitter.com/2mFh6KkiMP
— Steve Jones (@stevejones20) October 30, 2025
NBA Analyst Jackson Frank of Sportscasting NBA points out four huge positive signs in how Orlando is using Paolo this season:
Career-Highs in Rim Frequency & Free Throw Rate (Good/Efficient shots)
Career-Lows in Long Midrange Frequence & 3pt Rate (Bad/Tough shots)
Paolo Banchero this year:
Career-high 48% rim frequency
Career-high .626 free-throw rate
Career-low 10% long midrange frequency
Career-low 19% 3-point rate
Approach is vastly improved, efficiency hampered by shooting 11/48 (22.9%) from floater/3-point range. Results are coming.
— Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) October 31, 2025
Joining me on my Learning Basketball podcast this week, Jackson Frank went on to say this about Paolo Banchero’s process and shot selection:
“I can’t stress enough how much better Paolo looks in his approach…
A monster getting downhill… drawing the most fouls of his career, half his shots at the rim” – Jackson Frank via Learning Basketball Podcast
“I can’t stress enough how much better Paolo looks in his approach” – @jackfrank_jjf
on Banchero’s improved shot selection:
“A monster getting downhill… drawing the most fouls of his career, half his shots at the rim”
𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 @SwishTheory Pod pic.twitter.com/figvtwQeLa
— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) November 4, 2025
Orlando is still figuring out this offense, but one thing this new playstyle has unlocked is Banchero’s playmaking outlet as a halfcourt downhill hub.
If Banchero’s improved shot selection is a sign of this future offense – more shots at the rim and free throws, less tough pull-up jumper – that’s another positive note for things to come; Banchero taking better shots on average with better shooters surrounding him when deciding to drive-and-kick will result in a higher offensive efficiency (TS%) for both Paolo Banchero and the team.
Paolo Banchero’s current scoring efficiency of 55.8% TS% would be a Career-High, despite the lowest USG% (27%) since his rookie season.
Whatever the final form of this Magic offense looks like should heavily involve Banchero’s barreling rim-rolling and short-roll playmaking as a threat to the defense on as many possessions as possible.
Look out, world
This Orlando Magic lineup is running opponents off the floor with Net Ratings ranked
2nd among 16 lineups with 50+ MIN
3rd among 21 lineups with 40+ MIN
5th among 31 lineups with 30+ MIN
for @HeatMagicOnSI:https://t.co/fK8dtCaf5p
— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) November 3, 2025
