Overview

• Orlando signed Paolo Banchero to a five-year rookie-scale extension beginning in the 2026-27 season that guarantees a base of $239 million.
• Performance triggers tied to All-NBA selections or MVP and Defensive Player of the Year honors can boost the contract’s value to $287 million.
• The fifth year includes a rare player option for the 2030-31 season, the first such feature in a rookie extension since 2021.
• Combined with recent extensions for Franz Wagner and the acquisitions of Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones, the deal secures Orlando’s young nucleus for sustained contention.
• After missing 34 games with an oblique injury, Banchero averaged career highs of 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists, becoming one of only eight players 22 or younger to reach those marks.