This is a gut punch from an Orlando Magic team off to an impressive start this season – they have the seventh best net rating in the league.
Paolo Banchero, the team’s leading scorer and leading shot creator, is out indefinitely with a torn right oblique, the team announced. He’ll be reevaluated in 4-6 weeks, which means it could be close to Christmas before he takes the court back (he’ll likely miss that much time to be ineligible for NBA end-of-season awards, like All-NBA).
Paolo Banchero was diagnosed with a torn right oblique.
Banchero will be out indefinitely and his return to action will depend on how he responds to treatment.
He will be reevaluated in four to six weeks. pic.twitter.com/ws0EDiYPpy
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) November 1, 2024
Banchero suffered the injury in the fourth quarter against Chicago on Wednesday. While he had a wrap on it during his postgame media session and was listed as questionable for Friday night against a red-hot Cleveland, his injury was not expected to be that serious. Banchero has been mostly healthy through his first two NBA seasons, missing just two games last season.
Banchero looked like he took another leap this season, averaging 29 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists a game – against Indiana on Monday, he dropped the league’s first 50-point game of the season.
The Magic have built a roster filled with elite defensive players but with that they’ve leaned heavily on Banchero to provide enough offense — both scoring and creating for others — to get wins. Without him, that offense will be hard to come by and will fall much more on the shoulders of Franz Wagner. Moritz Wagner and Jett Howard will also be asked to take on bigger roles.
The Magic front office touted the depth of this roster and what they were trying to build. That is to be tested.
