The Orlando Magic are a team to monitor for the Golden State Warriors once the season gets underway, including when it comes to the future of franchise superstar Paolo Banchero.
For not the first time this offseason, the Warriors have been linked to Banchero through a proposed trade that instantly runs into a major problem with his theoretical fit alongside veteran forward Draymond Green.
Paolo Banchero trade idea runs into major Draymond Green problem
Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey has orchestrated a three-team trade idea that lands Banchero, AJ Green and Goga Bitadze in the Bay Area, while the Warriors give up a massive haul in the form of Jimmy Butler, 11th overall pick Yaxel Lendeborg, and first-round picks in 2027, 2029 and 2033.
It's the kind of risky move Golden State should consider, but history says they won't given they haven't given up multiple first-round picks in a trade for over a decade. They've also been hesistant to deal Butler since his torn ACL injury in Janaury, and are sure to be highly protective of Lendeborg considering he just won Summer League MVP and led the team to the championship.
But regardless of the trade details themselves, acquiring Banchero would make for an incredibly tough fit with Green in the frontcourt. The Warriors ranked 20th in 3-point percentage last season, and they can ill-afford to have two shooters who opposing defenses don't respect from beyond the arc.
Banchero is one of the most talented young players in the league who is destined for multiple All-Star appearances, but his first four years in the league have already shown that you need to build a specific team of shooters around him to be successful.
Warriors will need to move Draymond Green if they land Paolo Banchero
Fortunately Golden State would have the makings of the right combination in a post-trade situation, only they'd need to move on from Green in another trade to maximize spacing around the 23-year-old.
The Warriors could just wait and let Green walk in free agency, but they'd surely want some instant return on their Banchero investment in the event of giving up Butler, Lendeborg and three-first-round picks. The best way to do that would be by trying to trade Green and giving the new combination of Banchero and Stephen Curry the best possible chance at success straight away.
Would the Warriors make such a bold move of trading for Banchero and instantly moving on from Green in a different deal? Almost assuredly not but it's the sort of radical outcome they may need to look at if they and the Magic have a rough start to the season.
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