Report: Magic’s Paolo Banchero grew frustrated with Jamahl Mosley’s late-game decisions

Now we’re getting a clearer picture of what may have been going on behind the scenes with the Magic.

Before Orlando fired coach Jamahl Mosley on Monday, star forward Paolo Banchero had grown frustrated with how things were handled late in games, especially when the ball wasn’t in his hands.

That’s according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, who reported Banchero was bothered by Mosley’s late-game decision-making down the stretch of the season. The two still had a strong relationship, but the on-court tension was real.

It sort of tracks, too. The Magic blew a 3-1 series lead to the Pistons, struggled to close games, and too often looked unsure of who was running the show when it mattered most.

That usually falls on the coach, but it also tends to surface in how your best player feels about his role.

Banchero didn’t exactly hide his mindset after the Game 7 loss, making it clear the standard needs to rise across the board.

So when the front office talked about needing a new voice, this is part of what they meant.

And if your franchise player is quietly questioning late-game strategy, the clock is already ticking.