There have been plenty of criticisms aimed at Paolo Banchero over the last several years, but hardly any of them remain fair. What is becoming increasingly clear to Orlando Magic fans is that Banchero's shortcomings largely aren't on him, rather they're a symptom of much larger issues when it comes to [this team's overall offensive structure](https://orlandomagicdaily.com/orlando-magic-have-finally-conquered-demon-haunted-them-over-decade).
Fans of this team have experienced plenty of nights where Banchero was put in a tough position to succeed. Orlando has continually leaned on possessions where Paolo ends up having to make something out of nothing with the ball in his hands, and that just isn't the best recipe for success, especially in this day and age in the NBA.
When Paolo is forced to create sporadically like this, it can work in spurts just due to his talent. But when defenses load up, the offense grinds to a halt and frustrations can arise. It's no coincidence that the Magic have routinely encountered long scoring droughts while Banchero takes the heat for it, even though the root problem lies in something deeper than just him getting stopped by a defender.
Paolo Banchero has taken undeserved criticism for Orlando's troubles
--------------------------------------------------------------------
If you've watched Orlando closely during this current era, you have seen how so many of Banchero's touches have historically come with the defense already set. The guys on the floor around him are rarely cutting, or creating any kind of backside actions or misdirection to free him up. Often, he's getting a touch eight or nine seconds into the possession where he gets forced into a late-clock situation that's just a nightmare to handle effectively.
Even the best offensive players are going to come up empty in those situations when help defense is ready to come over and the lane is collapsing. It's not a matter of Paolo being a flawed scorer, it's just the way the Magic's offense has operated.
This season, Banchero is still producing at a high level offensively, putting up roughly 21.7 points and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 46.1% from the field. Meanwhile, Orlando's offense has shown some signs of improvement. They currently hold the ninth-best offensive rating in the Association.
That progress helps prove Paolo can thrive that much more [and elevate his team](https://orlandomagicdaily.com/the-orlando-magic-about-settle-big-debate-get-even-better) when the system gives him room to operate. But even with those gains, the pacing remains sluggish and the spacing is often inconsistent. Until the Magic commit to more motion, better spacing and more varied offensive sets, Banchero will continue to be unfairly burdened. The problem here remains in the structure and not the player.