Magic shut down Paolo Banchero in Summer League after impressive debut
Paolo Banchero's Summer League is done.
Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley told reporters on Monday that he's seen enough of the No. 1 pick and wants to put his minutes to use elsewhere.
“I want to give these other guys an opportunity to play, to kind of be able to show what they’re capable of doing,” Mosley said, per the Associated Press. “That’s the point of Summer League, you know — give them a chance ... an opportunity for these other guys to see what they’re capable of doing. And we’ve seen what Paolo was capable of doing.”
The benching isn't an indictment of Banchero's play. Quite the opposite, in fact. He's lived up to the hype in his short Summer League stint while averaging 20 points, six rebounds and five assists in two games. He came up with two game-winning plays in Saturday's sudden-death double overtime win over the Sacramento Kings, blocking Neemias Queta's dunk attempt on one end before setting up Emmanuel Terry for the game-winning bucket on the ensuing Magic possession.
It came down to sudden death in double OT during the Kings-Magic Summer League game 😱
(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/BlTh59ATnH— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) July 9, 2022
So far, so good for the top pick out of Duke.
This is Summer League, of course — not actual NBA-level competition — so all results from Las Vegas should be taken with a grain of salt. But the Magic are satisfied enough with what they've seen to limit Banchero's injury risk and get a closer look at some of the guys who are actually fighting for roster spots.
While promising for the Magic, the news is a tough break for Summer League fans hoping to get a glimpse of rising stars. Orlando next takes on the New York Knicks on Thursday.
