Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero has now reached the six-week mark since suffering a torn right oblique, but his recovery timeline remains uncertain. Initially expected to return within four to six weeks, the star forward is still far from making his comeback.
“He was not able to practice [today],” Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said on Friday. “He’s doing the same ball-handling, a little light movement on the floor, and then just trying to find ways to get the cardio up without applying too much pressure. But again, he’s just slowly moving his way to touching the court.”
Banchero, who hasn’t played since October 30, continues to work through a cautious rehabilitation process, leaving his return date indefinite.
Adding to the team’s challenges, teammate Franz Wagner was diagnosed on December 7 with the same torn right oblique injury that Banchero sustained.
Wagner is now also on a similar four-to-six-week recovery timeline. The injuries to both players have left the Magic without two key contributors, further straining their lineup during a critical stretch of the season.
Paolo Banchero Not Close To Returning https://t.co/NlD5pxRCxq
— RealGM (@RealGM) December 14, 2024
