An injury to Paolo Banchero might completely change the season outlook for the Orlando Magic.
Fresh off their return to the NBA Playoffs a year ago, the Orlando Magic were tasked with repeating the success from the last regular season. While they didn't get off to a perfect start to the season, the Magic have certainly looked the part once again as a team that could enter the conversation as a dark horse contender in the Eastern Conference. One big part of their early-season success was the play of Paolo Banchero. Through the first week-plus of the regular season, Banchero is averaging 29 points, nine rebounds, and six assists on 50 percent shooting from the field and 34 percent shooting from 3-point range.
Banchero is clearly making the jump to superstardom but an injury may not only put his individual momentum but also the team's early hope in jeopardy. After sustaining a torn right oblique, Banchero is slated to miss at least the next 4-6 weeks. How his body reacts to the treatment will determine how much time Banchero ends up missing for the Magic.
While it's still early on in the season, the injury to Banchero is not good news by any means. Not only will it hurt his individual path toward establishing himself as a superstar across the league but it could also change the entire outlook of the season for the Magic - especially considering that he may not be back until late December or even early January.
The Orlando Magic without Paolo Banchero in the lineup
As you would expect, by every metric, the Magic are better with Banchero on the court than they are with him off the floor. Through the first few games of the season, the Magic are nearly 10 points better with him on the floor. Interestingly, they're also approximately 20 points better on the offensive end of the floor when he's in the lineup. To say that the Magic are going to miss him on the floor would be a massive understatement.
With Banchero playing at his peak, the Magic are one of the most dangerous teams in the Eastern Conference. That much was evident in which they nearly pulled off the upset of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. And with the start he had this season, it was clear Banchero was taking another step forward in his development as a star player. This injury doesn't come at the worst time for the Magic, but it also isn't ideal.
Hopefully, Banchero's rehab process is a clean one and he can return on the shorter end of the original timeline that was given. However, Oblique injuries can be tricky and vary depending on how each player reacts to the rehab. But even if Banchero is back until closer to January, the Magic might have just enough to survive in the Eastern Conference. And when he does return, they still will have time to hit their stride before the postseason.