All eyes were on the Orlando Magic when the NBA Summer League started a few days ago.
That is because the team had acquired the number one pick in last month’s draft, Paolo Banchero.
People wanted to see just what Banchero had to offer: was he worthy of being the number one pick or would his talents not translate from college to the big leagues?
Well, fans paying attention were able to see Banchero strut his stuff – but not for long.
Paolo Banchero’s Summer League is over. Put simply, the Magic saw all they needed to see from the No. 1 pick and want other players to get opportunities now.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) July 11, 2022
The Magic have decided to take Banchero out of rotation for the rest of the Summer League.
The team has decided that they have seen all they need before the season starts in a few months and now they want other players on their Summer League team to get on the floor.
So, how did Banchero do in his short amount of time playing?
Banchero’s Business
To put it simply, Banchero has definitely lived up to the hype.
He has been averaging 20 points, 6 rebounds, and five assists in just two games.
Plus, he provided two game-winning plays in Saturday’s sudden-death double overtime win over the Sacramento Kings.
It should be remembered that the Summer League is not the same as a regular NBA season.
It will be much harder for Banchero to keep this up when he’s playing against people like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jimmy Butler, Trae Young, and others.
But you can’t be much happier with what he’s produced during his short time in the Summer League.
Now he gets some time to unwind, rest, and prepare himself for the onslaught of games that’s just a few months away.
Magic fans have seen a lot to like but now they also need to wait to see what becomes of the regular season.
NEXT: Skip Bayless Shares An Extremely Early Paolo Banchero Take