How Paolo Banchero's Injury Will Impact the Magic

The Orlando Magic have just begun the 2026-27 season, and they are already being hit hard by adversity. 

After the Magic got off to a 0-2 start following a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, it was revealed on Saturday that star forward Paolo Banchero had suffered a low-grade right high ankle sprain. The timetable for recovering from such an injury is four to six weeks.

Without Banchero on the floor, Orlando is missing the face of its franchise and its most productive scoring option. On the latest episode of the Full Court Magic Podcast, I detailed what the loss of Banchero means:

"So, you know, let's talk about it. Let's get right into it. So, Banchero was hurt in Friday's loss to the Timberwolves, a 115-93 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He had been feeling discomfort in the first half, and by the second half he had to briefly exit the game, head to the locker room before trying to return to the game, and then subsequently being sidelined for the remainder of the contest. 

Afterward, coach Sean Sweeney said that it was just a sore ankle and that he'd be evaluated by the team, and then by Saturday afternoon, the news was released that Banchero was going to miss time with this injury, a four- to six-week timetable here. So, you know, they have to prepare. The Magic have to prepare for life without their superstar. So, what does a timeline without Paolo Banchero look like? Well, we do have some precedent to lean on here. We've got some past evidence.

Last season, Banchero missed 10 games with a hamstring injury in November, and the Orlando Magic, led by Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane, proceeded to go 7-3 in that stretch, and those two were playing high-level basketball. And that was with Jamahl Mosley at the helm, a different coaching skill set, different limitations, different strengths from what Sean Sweeney has to offer. And Wagner and Bane are going to have to do it again, as will Jalen Suggs.

They're going to have to show up because Banchero, I mean, in the season opener against the Hawks, made NBA history, becoming the first player in a season opener to score 35 or more points, have 10 or more assists, and shoot 80-plus percent from the field. So, brought his superstardom and put it on full display, and now that is going to be absent for at least a month, it looks like, and that's tough.

That's tough for this team, because he brings a lot. At the end of the day, he is the face of this franchise, and through the first two games, averaging 24.5 points, while shooting 69.6 percent from the field and 50 percent from three. Ouch, that's tough to lose. That is very tough to lose."