Paolo Banchero has been spectacular to start the 2024-25 NBA season. The former No. 1 overall pick has looked like the face of the franchise the Orlando Magic have sought for years, which included a 50-point outing in a win over the Indiana Pacers earlier this week.
Unfortunately for the Magic, they’ll have to navigate at least the next month without their star forward. In a bit of news announced by Shams Charania of ESPN that the team confirmed not long after, Banchero suffered a torn oblique late in the team’s 102-99 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday evening, which will sideline him indefinitely, and he will not be evaluated again for 4-6 weeks.
“After undergoing further testing today in Cleveland, Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero has been diagnosed with a torn right oblique, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced today,” the team said in a statement. “Banchero will be out indefinitely and his return to play will depend on how he responds to treatment. He will be re-evaluated in four-to-six weeks. Banchero suffered the injury during the fourth quarter of Orlando’s game at Chicago on Oct. 30.”
It’s hard to put into words just how big of a loss this is for Orlando, which had aspirations of building on last year’s fifth-place finish in the East. While it’ll be impossible to completely replace Banchero — who has averaged 29 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists in 36.4 minutes per game this year — much will presumably be asked of Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs to carry the team in his absence.