Injured Orlando Magic All-Star Paolo Banchero is expected to return to the court this week, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports.
According to the report, Banchero will make his return either Thursday against the Minnesota Timberwolves or Friday against the Milwaukee Bucks. Banchero has been out since Oct. 30 due to a torn oblique he suffered while playing against the Chicago Bulls.
Banchero has played in just five games this season and missed 33. It’s a series of injuries to key Magic players, including a torn oblique that sidelined forward Franz Wagner for 13 games and this since December 6.
Despite the injuries, the Magic are off to a 22-16 start, good for fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
A third-year professional and No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Banchero made his first All-Star team last season and helped the Magic earn their first playoff appearance since 2020. In the five games that Throughout this season, Banchero improved his All-Star numbers across the board. Before his injury, Banchero averaged 29 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game while shooting 49.5% from the field and 34.4% on 6.4 3-point attempts per game .
Banchero returns to a Magic team that is in position to compete for a spot in the top half of the Eastern Conference playoffs after winning fifth place and losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the last playoffs. Wagner, meanwhile, still has no clear timetable for his return. His brother and his replacement Magic Moritz Wagner is out for the season with torn ACL.
