Should the Nets pursue Magic's Paolo Banchero on the NBA trade market?
TL;DR
The Brooklyn Nets are considering a trade for Orlando Magic's Paolo Banchero to enhance their roster after a poor season. Banchero, a former No. 1 pick, has been performing well in the playoffs.
Key points
- Brooklyn Nets finished the 2025-26 season with a 20-62 record
- Paolo Banchero averaged 22.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists
- Banchero is performing well in the playoffs with 25.8 points per game
The Brooklyn Nets are hoping to significantly improve this offseason after finishing the 2025-26 NBA season with the third-worst record in the league (20-62) after winning 26 games the previous year. Brooklyn is still in the early stages of its rebuild, but as the Nets go about acquiring more talent, should they take a look at trading for Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero?
"A Banchero blockbuster admittedly feels less likely with the Orlando Magic closing in on a first-round knockout of the top-seeded Detroit Pistons, but maybe that series says a lot more about the latter than the former," Zach Buckley wrote for Bleacher report when discussing how the Nets could be one of the trade landing spots for Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero. Certain events would have to fall into place, however.
"Orlando's offense isn't exactly humming, and Banchero's numbers still lack quality beneath the quantity," Buckley continued on Banchero before explaining why Brooklyn could be a good landing spot to foster Banchero's talents. "Brooklyn has an obvious opening for an alpha scorer like Banchero, but it's also flexible enough to construct a more complementary supporting cast around him."
Banchero, 23, is in the midst of another solid season for the former No. 1 overall pick as he averaged 22.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game while shooting 45.9% from the field and 30.5% from behind the three-point line. In the Magic's current first-round playoff series against the Detroit Pistons, Banchero has stepped up his level of play once again with averages of 25.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per contest while shooting 42.9% from the floor and 38.5% from three-point land.
One issue in the way of any possible situation in which the Nets trade for Banchero is the fact that he's owed $239 million over the next five seasons, including a player option in the 2030-21 season worth $54.7 million. Brooklyn should have plenty of cap space this summer, but general manager Sean Marks has maintained that the franchise wants to have salary cap flexibility. Either way, Banchero may be a name to watch for the Nets this summer.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Should the Nets pursue Magic's Paolo Banchero on the NBA trade market?
Q&A
What are Paolo Banchero's current stats in the playoffs?
In the playoffs, Paolo Banchero is averaging 25.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.
Why might the Nets want to trade for Paolo Banchero?
The Nets may pursue Banchero to fill their need for an alpha scorer and to build a complementary supporting cast around him.
How did the Brooklyn Nets perform in the 2025-26 NBA season?
The Brooklyn Nets finished the 2025-26 NBA season with a record of 20-62, ranking as the third-worst team in the league.