Paolo Banchero & Sean Sweeney Playing Advantage Basketball

ORLANDO, Fla. – Putting the defense in a bad spot is a trait of a good offense.

Confusing as many defenders as often as possible by forcing as many live reads as possible and involving as many moving factors as possible is how good offenses operate; sometimes even doing these things multiple times within one play.

Misdirection can create advantages and opportunities for offenses and defenses in many sports; will the Orlando Magic use this concept in building out their new-look offense?

Sean Sweeney's Magic open with Spain Pick-and-Roll, a perfect play to utilize each starter's skill-set & gravity

Franz ball-handling, driving, initiating

Paolo screening, paint scoring, short-roll playmaking

Bane moving, screening screener's man, 3pt popping

Pick Your Poison pic.twitter.com/THgzsvZksp
— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) October 8, 2026

Paolo Banchero & Sean Sweeney Quotes on Reading the Floor

Sweeney coaches — Oct 7, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Orlando Magic head coach Sean Sweeney reacts during the second quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Two days after the team's first preseason win in Memphis, the Magic hosted a Training Camp practice, where I asked Sean Sweeney about the opening play he ran a few times to success against the Grizzlies – The Spain/Stack Pick-and-Roll.

I shared how it's a great example of positioning the starting unit in ideal roles for their skills, while asking how big Misdirection as a concept will be in this new-look Magic offense to best take advantage of all the different types of basketball gravity these players have to offer.

Coach Sweeney replied by joking about the name of the play-call, before outlining how he wants this team to do everything with purpose, along with wanting to create as many live reads as possible to keep the defense honest:

I do not want to give any credit to the Spanish. (laughs)

In general, we want to have, whatever we do, be purposeful.

We want to give guys live looks, make every read a live look.

And I thought our players did a really good job of executing that, on the particular play you are talking about, but just throughout the night I thought we did a really good job to make things live, so the defense has to honor it.
Sean Sweeney

I asked Sean Sweeney about Spain/Stack Pick-and-Roll and how Misdirection can be used in the Magic’s offense

“I don’t want to give any credit to the Spanish…

In general, whatever we do, be purposeful.

We want to… make every read a live look… so the defense has to honor it.” pic.twitter.com/tOQ9qQJiLv
— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) October 10, 2026

At that same practice, I asked Paolo Banchero about the possessions where Sweeney utilized him as a roller, a role he thrived in last year, especially in sets with Desmond Bane. I also asked Banchero how open the floor feels when he catches the ball with two feet already planted in the paint, making his decision tree and basketball life a lot easier when every option is a clear, smart choice.

Banchero shared how once he catches the ball deep in the paint like that, especially as a roller, the offensive reads become easy for him. When it comes to scoring in or near the rim, generating open 3pt shots for others, or finding the big lurking in the dunker spot, Banchero dominates the paint as well as anyone, able to beat defenses in any way they desire.

Once you catch it in that pocket, you are usually playing 1-on-2, 2-on-3.

So, it is pretty easy to make the read – whether it is to score, kick it to open man, dump it off to the big.

Catching the ball in the pocket is good for myself, and whoever that is rolling, because then you are playing advantage basketball and you are putting the defense in a bind.
Paolo Banchero

I asked Paolo Banchero how open the floor is when he’s Rolling into the Paint

“In that pocket, you’re usually playing 1-on-2, 2-on-3, so it’s pretty easy to make the read.

Whether it’s to score, kick it to open man, dump it off to the big…

Playing advantage basketball…” pic.twitter.com/H5Xqyg7CDQ
— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) October 10, 2026

How The Magic Can Use Misdirection To Create Advantages

Bane Shoots — Oct 7, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane (3) shoots for three during the first quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The use of misdirection in offense is vital in many sports, with play-action in football being the most famous example.

Strong running team that fakes the run can help create that half-step advantage for its wide out running deep, where the gravity and confidence of the team's running game sucks in defenders just enough to potentially help the wide receiver get open enough to make the catch; countering the run with the pass to the point where the pass benefits because of the threat of the run, and vice-versa throughout the game.

The Orlando Magic have the ability to play a bit like a football team with a strong running attack.

Orlando is able to hand the ball off to downhill forces like Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner to run it up the gut behind strong screening from its bouldering rim-rollers in Wendell Carter Jr. and Goga Bitadze, while simultaneously threatening defenses with the deep ball on outlets in transition or kickouts for three, while also forcing them to keep one eye at all times on slot receivers like Desmond Bane, Anthony Black, and Jalen Suggs, who could break free for a touchdown at any moment.

With a mastery of its weapons and a good gameplan of attack, Orlando's offense could look something like a modern RPO offense in football.

Take the example of Spain Pick-and-Roll, in football terms – here comes Wagner with the snap, he could hand it off to Banchero, whip it to Bane in the slot cutting across the field, dish it to a wide-out on the corners, or take it himself up the gut, all based on instant read-and-reaction to the defense.

When all of your talents are utilized in an ideal way at once, suddenly the defense is left with an impossible task – stop three all-star level scorers doing what they do best while contesting every open man without doubling; aka, pick your poison.

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