The 23-year-old top draft pick began to decline right after signing his maximum contract.

After writing about Jokic yesterday, it was predictable that he would lose today. The Nuggets and Magic battled intensely in the closing moments, exchanging leads until the final second. Murray’s last-second jumper failed, giving the Magic a close victory.

Jokic still posted a monstrous triple-double with 34 points, 21 rebounds, and 12 assists, but Blake on the opposing side was even more dominant, shooting 14 of 24 from the field, 7 of 11 from three, scoring 38 points along with 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals, setting a career high.

Besides Blake’s explosive performance, other Magic players also contributed well. Bain’s clutch free throws sealed the win, Carter scored 18 points with 7 rebounds, while bench players DaSilva added 17 points and Isaac, though low in scoring, played excellent defense with 4 steals and a plus-minus of +17.

With Wagner sidelined, defeating a fully charged Jokic was no easy feat, and it seems the Magic’s nominal star, Banchero, had little to do with it. In 36 minutes, Banchero shot 6 of 13, missed all 2 three-point attempts, and failed all 4 free throws, finishing with 12 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and a -11 plus-minus.

Honestly, watching Banchero play now feels like watching Randle during his Knicks days. Whenever he has the ball, the team’s offensive rhythm slows down, four players just watch him handle the ball, and the worst part is his low efficiency. He barely shoots mid-range, scores mostly on layups, and whether he can convert free throws after drawing fouls is uncertain.

In today’s game, Banchero missed all four free throws, which I believe is a mental issue. He took 13 shots, and every attempt beyond reasonable contact was a miss, including free throws. Last season, he at least maintained league-average mid-range shooting, but this season, it seems like he has completely lost his shooting touch.

Regarding three-pointers, Banchero’s situation has become dire. In his last seven games, he made only 1 out of 23 attempts from beyond the arc. His shooting heatmap this season looks like a vast ocean. After an initial groin injury and return, his form has continuously declined.

His playing style is stuck in an awkward phase. If you call him a primary ball-handler, he lacks stable scoring methods and playmaking skills; if you call him a point forward, his shooting is so weak that opponents give him space, eliminating any passing threat. He has neither elite transition skills, off-ball movement, nor strong defense.

A 23-year-old top draft forward who should be in his career ascent has suddenly dropped significantly this season. Averaging 20.1 points per game doesn’t reflect his true ability; in the last three games, his highest score was 13, completely detached from the team’s system.

He won Rookie of the Year in his first season, made the All-Star team in his second, and averaged 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in his third. Looking at his first three seasons, Banchero clearly presented himself as a league face. He is even somewhat rare as a young core who performs better in playoffs than in regular season.

In 12 career playoff games, Banchero averaged 28 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists, with an impressive 41.8% three-point shooting. So after his first three seasons, the Magic didn’t hesitate to give him a five-year, $239 million max extension. After all, Wagner already had a max deal, so it made sense for Banchero to get one too.

But as mentioned earlier, Banchero’s style and stats are deceptive. Although he averaged 20 points as a rookie and won Rookie of the Year, he carried the highest usage among his peers but posted one of the lowest true shooting percentages in the league. Since then, he has never escaped the label of inefficiency.

In his four seasons, his highest three-point percentage was only 33.9%, and this season it plummeted to 23.1%. Because both Banchero and Wagner shoot so poorly from three, the Magic traded four first-round picks to acquire Bain. Unexpectedly, Banchero’s three-point shooting has worsened drastically, dragging down his mid-range game as well.

His max contract doesn’t even start until next season, yet this year he has already become a burden for the team. Weak on both offense and defense, after turnovers he tends to foul recklessly. He should be the Magic’s primary offensive option, but whenever he has the ball, the offense grinds to a halt.

Next door, the Hawks have lost six straight games since Trae Young’s return, showing the downside of relying on him. If Banchero keeps playing like this, he’s only proving his own limitations as well.