Magic's Paolo Banchero: Tears oblique, out multiple weeks
Rotowire
Banchero was diagnosed Thursday with a torn right oblique and will be re-evaluated in 4-to-6 weeks, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.
Banchero had been listed as questionable for Friday's game against the Cleveland after he apparently suffered the abdominal injury in Wednesday's loss to the Bulls, but the star forward will now be headed for an indefinite absence after follow-up tests revealed a more serious injury than anticipated. Charania notes that a firmer timetable for Banchero's return will depend on how he responds to treatment, but fantasy managers can prepare for him to miss at least a month, and likely longer. The Magic don't have an obvious candidate to serve as a 1-for-1 replacement for Banchero, but his absence could open up more minutes for Jett Howard, Anthony Black, Jonathan Isaac, Gary Harris and Cole Anthony. Starters Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, Wendell Carter could also notice spikes in usage while Banchero is out of the lineup.
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Magic's Paolo Banchero: Iffy against Cleveland
Rotowire
Banchero is listed as questionable for Friday's game versus the Cavaliers due to a right abdominal strain, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.
Banchero seems to have suffered an abdominal strain against Chicago and is in danger of missing his first game of the season Friday. If the star forward is ultimately ruled out, Jonathan Isaac and Jett Howard are candidates to receive increased playing time.
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Magic's Paolo Banchero: Pours in 31 in Chicago
Rotowire
Banchero logged 31 points (12-22 FG, 2-9 3Pt, 5-7 FT), seven rebounds and four assists over 37 minutes during Wednesday's 102-99 loss to the Bulls.
One game after becoming the first player in the NBA this season to put together a 50-point performance, Banchero was dominant again as he led all scorers on the night. The third-year forward could be ready to rise to superstardom after being the first overall pick in the 2022 Draft, topping 30 points in three of five contests to begin the campaign while averaging 29.0 points, 8.8 boards, 5.6 assists and 2.2 threes.
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Magic's Paolo Banchero: Career-high 50 points vs. Indiana
Rotowire
Banchero registered 50 points (16-26 FG, 3-9 3Pt, 15-22 FT), 13 rebounds, nine assists, two blocks and one steal over 40 minutes during Monday's 119-115 victory over the Pacers.
Banchero dominated in the first half of Monday's contest, finishing with a 37/7/6 line after 24 minutes. His production slowed down a bit in the third frame, but he paced the Magic in the fourth quarter and earned his 50th point on a free-throw attempt with less than a minute to play. Banchero had a couple of mediocre stat lines after a 33-point outing in the regular-season opener against the Heat on Oct. 23, but the 21-year-old showcased Monday why he was taken No. 1 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft. Banchero and the Magic will hit the road to take on the Bulls on Wednesday.
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Magic's Paolo Banchero: Explodes for 33 points in opener
Rotowire
Banchero notched 33 points (12-24 FG, 4-8 3Pt, 5-6 FT), 11 rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal across 31 minutes during Wednesday's 116-97 victory over the Heat.
Banchero is looking to build on an excellent second season during which he received an All-Star nomination and helped the Magic make the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. The double-double was an encouraging sign as the talented front man found double-doubles elusive last season. If he can keep the production going, he could easily exceed his season averages (22.6 points, 6.9 rebounds) from last year.
Banchero tallied six points (3-6 FG), six rebounds, seven assists and a steal across 17 minutes in Wednesday's 107-97 preseason loss to the Spurs.
Head coach Jamahl Mosley had already stated that Banchero would play "around 16" minutes in this contest, so fantasy managers shouldn't worry about the low minutes. The Magic are trying to give Banchero enough reps to get him into a rhythm, but they're also taking care of him, as he figures to be the team's primary offensive option once the regular season begins. Banchero is likely to remain under a minutes restriction -- if he plays at all -- in the Magic's final preseason games before the regular-season opener against the Heat on Oct. 23.
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Magic's Paolo Banchero: Minutes limited Wednesday
Rotowire
Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said that Banchero would play "around 16" minutes during Wednesday's preseason game against the Spurs, Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel reports.
Banchero played 22 minutes in Orlando's preseason opener, and he'll have his workload trimmed further Wednesday. Entering his third NBA season, Banchero is a budding superstar, so it's not surprising to see the Magic be a little cautious. Banchero appeared in 80 regular-season games last season, averaging 22.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists.
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Magic's Paolo Banchero: Leads Orlando in scoring
Rotowire
Banchero finished with 15 points (5-7 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 4-6 FT), three rebounds and two assists across 22 minutes in Monday's 106-104 preseason loss to the Pelicans.
Banchero was one of two Magic starters who surpassed the 20-minute plateau in this preseason opener, and it was clear from the jump that he was going to be the team's primary threat on offense. That shouldn't be surprising, as Banchero is coming off a career-best season in 2023-24 in which he averaged 22.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 35.0 minutes across 80 regular-season appearances. Banchero should continue to see steady minutes in the preseason ahead of the regular-season opener against the Heat on Oct. 23.
Magic's Paolo Banchero: Fourth-year option picked up
Rotowire
The Magic announced Friday that they picked up Banchero's fourth-year team option for 2025-26.
Banchero has quickly established himself as one of the best young players in the league after averaging 22.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 35.0 minutes across 80 regular-season appearances in 2023-24. Banchero is one of the cornerstone pieces of the Magic alongside Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs.
