Following additional testing in Cleveland, the Orlando Magic announced Thursday night that Paolo Banchero had a ruptured right oblique.
Banchero will be sidelined permanently and reassessed in four to six weeks, according to Jeff Weltman, president of basketball operations.
How Banchero got hurt
During the fourth quarter of Orlando’s victory over Chicago on Wednesday, Banchero sustained an injury. He averaged 29 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game this season, including a career-high 50 points against Indiana on Monday night.
After Orlando’s shootaround, Banchero told reporters in Cleveland on Friday, “I felt it when it happened.” “Knew it didn’t feel well, but didn’t know what it was.
I just wanted to get it checked out after the game and hoped it wasn’t too serious, but it was clearly a little worse than I had anticipated.
Banchero, an All-Star the previous season, was selected first overall in the 2022 NBA draft.
Banchero tied the team record for points in a half set by Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady on March 9, 2003, with 37 points in the first half of his 50-point performance.
On October 30, he scored 31 points in the Magic’s 102-99 loss against the Chicago Bulls.
Bachero’s injury impact on the Magic
On Friday night, Orlando will visit Cleveland. Banchero would probably return in time for Orlando’s five-game road trip through the Atlantic Division if he were to miss four weeks of action.
Following that journey, the Magic will play their next seven games at home through December 29.
He will be out of action for at least 21 games if he misses six weeks. Under the new rules that were implemented last season, he would also most likely not be able to vote in the majority of NBA awards at the end of the season.
In Banchero’s absence, the Magic will probably look to experienced big man Jonathan Isaac and swingman Franz Wagner (17.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 4.2 apg) for further contributions. Banchero has the highest Magic usage rate (31.1%), followed by Mortiz Wagner (26.8%), Franz Wagner (25.7%), and Jalen Suggs (24.5%), all of whom ought to play a bigger part.
It’s awful. It can’t be expressed any other way,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley stated. “The way he began this year, the way he was playing, and the way he’s carrying us in so many ways is terrible for him.
In the same sentence, you must state that it is an opportunity for the guys to take charge, assume their roles, and keep playing basketball to our standards.
