01-29-2026, 09:47 AM
(01-29-2026, 09:25 AM)HoosierDaddyKid Wrote: https://x.com/therealbeede/status/201665...54509?s=46&t=7jjjOInfMYMx9Oz31QRJeg
Trouble in the Magic Kingdom? I was always suspicious of the Desmond Bane trade. They gave up KCP, four 1st round picks, and a 2029 pick swap. Orlando has been hovering around .500 all season after being predicted to be a top 4 team in the East after the trade. However, Franz Wagner has been in and out of the lineup due to injuries. Anthony Black has taken a major leap in place of KCP, however. This trade very well could come back to bite them.
I am also surprised how bad Orlando is doing. I thought that trade will lift them in the fight for top of the East conference, yet they are not even in top6.
I think their biggest problem is Banchero and more detailed a bad fit between Banchero and Wagner. Both are weak shooters, surrounded by Suggs (career 30 % three point shooter) and WCj (career 32 % three point shooter). A harsh critic would say that Banchero is an inefficient chucker (sub 50 % eFG) and Orlando defense is better with him off the floor (he has worst defensive rating of all of their rotation players).
I don't think the trade itself was that bad. Sure 4 FRP sounds like a lot, but it has to be considered that Orlando was also sending a really bad salary in KCP and similarly overpaid Anthony, who was later cut and is now playing for vet min. Bane is playing approximately at expected level, although his efficiency is considerably worse than in his previous seasons (is he worse or is this the consequence of him being the only shooter in the line-up?). Still, their offense did improve a lot compared to last season, but their defense took a similar hit. However, numbers don't really suggest that Bane is the sole or main cause for that. The problem was the misjudgement of the team situation, especially the mentioned Banchero dynamic.