Would the Orlando Magic Trade Paolo Banchero for Giannis Antetokounmpo?

The Orlando Magic might be in the most frustrating position in all of sports: good but not great.

Overall, the team is well put together with nice pieces across the board with a true team identity. They might not play the prettiest basketball, but they grind and get results.

To truly take the leap from good, scrappy team to a legitimate threat in the NBA playoffs, they need their former No. 1 overall pick and ace player, Paolo Banchero, to go from a star to a true superstar.

But does Banchero have that in him?

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In the past few days, across the internet and social media, a new question has been tossed out by Magic and NBA fans alike: Would the Magic, in an attempt to become contenders, swap Banchero for Giannis Antetokounmpo if offered?

For the Milwaukee Bucks, it’s a no-brainer, as they go from someone turning 32 this year to a 24-year-old just nearing the prime of his career. The Bucks aren’t going to be contenders for at least a year or two, and it allows them to start building a future core with Banchero in mind.

Down in Florida, Orlando gets, when healthy, a top-five player in basketball with the explosion that the current team desperately misses. In a weaker Eastern Conference, the current core of Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, and Antetokounmpo starts to get you excited about the Magic going into the next few seasons.

It’s a gamble, however, as more injuries to the former MVP or a lack of chemistry might turn what was a promising, scrappy team into a disaster to watch, similar to what happened in Milwaukee this season.

Right now, the Orlando Magic need to make a change in their configuration to become true contenders in the NBA.

Is Banchero a part of that nucleus? In a majority of events, assuredly. But maybe the best one doesn’t involve him in a Magic jersey at all.

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This story was originally published May 24, 2026 at 7:43 PM.