The Orlando Magic couldn’t wait to have Paolo Banchero back, and the former NBA Rookie of the Year winner revealed his target timeline for his return from injury.
Paolo Banchero has been out of the lineup for weeks due to a torn right oblique he sustained in a loss against the Chicago Bulls. In a recent interview with ESPN, he said he feels good and hopes to return before Christmas.
“The way I feel and I’ve been feeling, I think I can get back before Christmas,” Banchero said via NBA on ESPN on X (formerly known as Twitter). “If it’s around that time, and they say ‘No way, you can’t go,’ then I’ll listen. But if he gives me the green light, then ima do it.”
The Orlando Magic have been up and down since Banchero went down with an injury. They went on a four-game losing streak (after the Chicago Bulls game) and won their next six consecutive games.
Because of their hot streak, the Orlando Magic is currently the third seed in the Eastern Conference with a 9-6 record.
Orlando Magic’s Franz Wagner wins weekly individual honor
Franz Wagner was recently named the NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the first time for putting the Orlando Magic on his back, making him the 14th player in franchise history to win the league’s top weekly honor.
He averaged 30.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 2.0 steals per game and guided Orlando to a perfect 3-0 with wins over Charlotte, Indiana, and Philadelphia, despite Paolo Banchero’s absence. Franz Wagner could also get his first-ever NBA All-Star production if he continues this type of production.
