Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero îs expected to miss multiple weeks with a high ankle sprain which he suffered in his team’s 115-93 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. While the team has yet to officially announce a timeline for his return, similar injuries usually sport a 4-6 week recovery period.
The former number 1 pick appeared to tweak his ankle early in the third quarter when he collided with teammate Jalen Suggs on a rebound attempt. He went to the locker room and did not return.
It’s a disappointing start to the season for the dynamic scorer, who, along with Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs have had an injury plagued stretch over the last year plus. Banchero has missed 46 games, Wagner 70 and Suggs 72 over the last two seasons combined. Despite this, the Magic have remained a playoff contender, leading fans to play the “what if?” game when it comes to their team’s potential postseason odds.
Over the course of his career Banchero is averaging 22.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game for Orlando.
The Magic are off on Saturday before beginning a three-game road trip on Sunday against the defending NBA champion New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
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