The Orlando Magic’s season, which had already sparked questions in our preview, now becomes even harder to gauge as they navigate a Eastern Conference that is genuinely cutthroat. And the reason is clear: Paolo Banchero has sustained an injury.
Even though it’s obvious that the Florida team will keep trying to climb back after starting the 2026-27 NBA campaign with two straight losses, they must do so without their premier player, who has suffered an ankle sprain that will keep him out for several weeks; according to Shams Charania of ESPN.
The forward was injured during the first half of Friday night’s game, a 115-93 defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves. After the game, Banchero himself told The Orlando Sentinel that he began feeling discomfort as early as the first quarter and he did not play the final twelve minutes.
Paolo Banchero and a familiar tale
Apart from the fact that the forward has been available to the Magic to varying degrees in past seasons, it remains undeniable that the team is struggling to consistently field a first quintet of equal quality.
Over the last three campaigns, the Magic have posted a record of 40 wins and 26 losses when the quartet of Banchero, Wagner, Suggs, and Carter Jr. has taken the floor. 66 games out of 246, according to ESPN, underscoring just how heavily injuries have impacted them.
