The start of 2025 has been rough for the Orlando Magic to say the least.
For a season that started with promise, the Magic have faced a series of setbacks, with key injuries plaguing the team at various points. The latest blow came when guard Jalen Suggs experienced a setback in his recovery from an injury he suffered in late January.
Despite being positioned to make the playoffs, the Magic have struggled to secure wins lately, leading to frustration for star forward Paolo Banchero.
This all seemingly bubbled up to a heated moment between Banchero and one of his veteran teammates during their loss on Monday night to the Houston Rockets.
In a viral social media post following the loss, subtitles in the video claim that the 22-year-old said "What the f--k are they paying you for?" to center Wendell Carter Jr. after he hit the side of the backboard on a three-point attempt.
This caught the eye of Banchero, who took to social media to express his true feelings about Carter, who signed a $58M extension before this season.
"I'm rocking with Dell, y'all went and pulled two clips from different points in the game smh that's not what was said either!" said Banchero in a post to his X account on Mar. 12.
Paolo Banchero has the most 40-point games in the NBA since the All-Star break. pic.twitter.com/i9pcqFeYo9
— StatMamba (@StatMamba) March 15, 2025
The young star forward addressing the misunderstanding came after debates sparked online on their on-court relationship. The duo has been teammates since Banchero was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Banchero has had a breakout year, averaging a career-high 25.1 points and 7.1 rebounds this season. Both he and Carter are integral to the core of the Magic's young foundation that is trying to turn the franchise around.
pic.twitter.com/jG6sezYuwS
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) March 15, 2025
In an up-and-down season for the Magic, it was crucial to address this issue as they approach the playoffs. They have gone 3-7 in their last 10 games and are struggling to find consistency, currently holding a 31-37 record and slipping further down the East standings.
With upcoming games against the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Rockets, the Magic need to eliminate all distractions.
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This story was originally published March 15, 2025 at 1:42 PM.