"If I drop about like 15 pounds" - Paul Pierce claims he can help solve Orlando Magic's shooting woes

Paul Pierce, 48, has not played in the NBA since 2017. However, during the recent episode of the "No Fouls Given" podcast, he claimed that if he gets in shape, he could still play in the NBA and be a contributor to a team.

Pierce clarified that, given his age and whatever's left of his skillset, he couldn't help every team. However, he did mention the Orlando Magic as one team that could benefit from his presence, as they need outside shooting, which, according to the Hall of Famer, is still his specialty.

"I can't help Sacramento. I can help Orlando. They need some more shooting. I'ma give spot shooting. You know I could knock down some shots. They got Desmond Bane, but their shooting is also inconsistent. I can give you some open wide looks and hard fouls, right now," declared Pierce.

Big win, poor 3-point shooting

The Magic picked up a big win on Friday night, as they dealt the Eastern Conference leaders, the Detroit Pistons, a second straight defeat, winning the game 112-109 in Detroit to win their NBA Cup group and advance to the in-season tournament knockout round.

Desmond Bane had an impressive night with 37 points on 13-for-25 shooting, but went 0-for-5 from 3-point range — he is shooting a career-low 33.33 percent from beyond the arc.

The Magic were also a horrible 5-30 from long distance — a 17 percent success rate. They are in the bottom half of the league at just 35.6 percent, ranking 23rd in 3-point makes at 11.7 per game.

Pierce, a career 36.8 percent 3-point shooter who averaged 1.6 3-point makes per game, believes he could help them in that department.

"I'm a stretch four. Give me six weeks to get in shape. I play like a couple of days a week. I need six weeks to get in better shape. If I drop about like 15 pounds, I'll be straight," added Paul.

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Early offense woes

The concerns about Orlando are nothing new.

Earlier this month, ESPN analyst Tim Legler voiced concern over their 3–4 start, noting that their offense wasn't meeting expectations and that Bane hadn't delivered the 3-point boost the team was counting on.

"It has not looked good early,"said Legler. "And one of the things that surprised me was, this was a team that you're going to think they're going to be a Top 5 defense you think on paper, and they added Desmond Bane. So with all that toughness and all that defense, physicality, now you finally have shooting. But yet, they're not making threes. Their offense has not just clicked.

"It's early," he continued. "They got to take time to get it together, but I certainly expected Orlando to be better out of the block."

The Magic now have one of the league's Top 10 offenses, averaging 117.3 points per 100 possessions (seventh overall). They have also climbed in the team standings and are now 12-8.

However, 3-point shooting remains an issue. Pierce may not be the solution they need, but it's something they have to address if they want to be among this year's top contenders.

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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Nov 29, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.