This is just a crushing blow to Orlando.
Franz Wagner, who had stepped up to lead the Orlando offense when Paolo Banchero went down, will be out indefinitely due to the same freak injury: a torn oblique.
Franz Wagner has been diagnosed with a torn right oblique.
Wagner will be out indefinitely and his return to play will depend on how he responds to treatment.
He will be re-evaluated in four weeks. pic.twitter.com/JvgxX3Uemu
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) December 7, 2024
Banchero has been out since Oct. 30 with essentially the same injury and there is no timetable for his return (he has said he hopes to return by Christmas, but that was his hopeful wish).
Since Banchero went out, Wagner has stepped up his scoring and playmaking averaging 26.1 points, 6.3 assists and 6 rebounds a game. The absence of Banchero and Wagner means Jalen Suggs, Moritz Wagner, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Anthony Black — among others — will have more responsibility.
The Magic have been winning t(they are 16-9) thanks to the third-ranked defense in the league, keeping them in every game, and that’s not going to change. However, finding enough points on offense to win will be a serious challenge until Banchero or Wagner return.
