ORLANDO, Fla. — Paolo Banchero signed the largest contract in Orlando Magic history earlier this week — a five-year, $239 million rookie max extension that could rise to $287 million if he reaches All-NBA levels this season.

It’s great news.

It’s a landmark deal.

It’s a generational commitment.

It’s a clear message that the Magic believe in Paolo and the rest of this roster.

But with that belief comes something even greater than expectations.

It comes with responsibility.

Not just to score. Not just to win.

But to lead.

To inspire.

And, mostly, to stay.

Paolo Banchero can’t just be another face of the franchise; he has to be a symbol to Magic fans. He must become a star who builds and not bails, who chooses loyalty and legacy over leverage.

In other words, he has to be a different kind of superstar than the ones Orlando has seen before.

You know who I’m talking about:

Shaq, T-Mac, Dwight.

Shaquille O’Neal, Tracy McGrady and Dwight Howard.

Each of them thrilled the city. Each of them gave Orlando hope. And each of them, in time, left to chase brighter lights and bigger cities.

And the heartbreak was never just about the departures. It was about what they symbolized: Orlando was a place players passed through, not stayed in. That the team could develop stars, but couldn’t keep them.

With this contract, Paolo has the opportunity — and the obligation — to write a different story.

When Paolo put pen to paper, he did more than secure generational wealth.

He made a statement: “I want to be here.”

In today’s NBA, that kind of message matters. Because players don’t need to wait for free agency to leave anymore. In today’s NBA, signing a max extension is no longer a declaration of permanence. You can always take the money now; force a trade later. All it takes is a few passive-aggressive interviews, a few cryptic tweets or maybe a mysterious injury.

We’ve seen it again and again.

But Paolo has a chance to be different and better. He has a chance to make this contract into more than just a legal transaction. He can turn it into a commitment and pledge to a city and a fan base that has been burned too many times, that has PTSD when it comes to star players of the past.

No, it’s not Paolo’s fault Shaq gave Orlando a Finals trip in 1995, then shocked the league by leaving for the Lakers one year later. It’s not Paolo’s fault that T-Mac led the league in scoring but couldn’t lift the Magic past the first round before his feud with ham-handed general manager John Weisbrod led to a trade in 2004. It’s not Paolo’s fault that Dwight took the Magic back to the Finals in 2009 before he forced a trade to the Lakers a couple of years later.

However, Paolo has heard all the stories. He understands that these weren’t just player departures to Magic fans; they were betrayals of trust. They were reminders that in the NBA, talent is transient, and loyalty is often conditional.

By signing this contract, Paolo must know that he is now in a long-term relationship with an emotionally fragile partner. Magic fans love their stars, but they desperately want to be loved back. Yes, they want to win a championship first and foremost, but you know what else they want almost as much? They want a superstar who loves the team and the town as much as they do. They want someone who embraces Orlando not just as a launchpad, but as a landing spot.

From all indications, Paolo is that type of player. He’s already shown leadership, humility and patience through injuries and adversity. He’s already spoken with affection about the city, about the franchise and about his desire to be here long term.

And he’s certainly shown his star quality, toughness and grit. Despite missing 34 games with an oblique injury last year, he went on to have a career season, averaging 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists. He’s only the eighth player in NBA history to average at least 25, 7 and 4 at age 22 or younger.

Now he’s signed a long-term contract with a franchise that is obviously committed to trying to win a championship. The Magic’s front office and ownership are spending so much money on salaries moving forward that the team will enter the realm of the luxury tax for the first time in 15 years.

The Magic now have their core of Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs under contract for the next five years, as well as newly acquired 3-point marksman Desmond Bane under contract for the next four years.

If Paolo truly embraces this moment — if he leans into the leadership, the loyalty, and the long road ahead — he has a chance to become the greatest player in Magic history.

A different kind of superstar.

A superstar who finished a job that others left half-done.

A superstar who doesn’t just take the money; he takes the mantle.

NBA history is filled with players who signed max contracts, but Paolo Banchero has a chance to attain something much rarer in Orlando:

A max legacy.

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