The Orlando Magic have played without Paolo Banchero for their last three games due to a groin injury. Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley has shared a promising update regarding Banchero’s recovery from a strained groin.
Speaking to Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel, Mosley revealed that the former No. 1 pick has already started doing non-contact drills. However, there’s still no official recovery timeline due to the nature of his injury.
“Paolo’s doing well. He’s been going through some non-contact, hard weight room workouts with our training staff. Being with the team, his communication with the guys has been great. The things that he’s seeing while he’s not playing are always at a high level,” Mosley said.
Banchero suffered the injury in the second quarter of their game against the New York Knicks on November 12 at Madison Square Garden. It was unfortunate timing for the Magic star since it was also his birthday.
Nevertheless, the Magic got the job done despite his absence from the rest of the game. Franz Wagner had 28 points, nine rebounds and four assists to lead Orlando to a dominant 124-107 victory. Desmond Bane added 22 points, six rebounds and eight assists.
Magic Felt Confident Despite Banchero Injury
While there was plenty of concern for Paolo Banchero following his strained groin diagnosis, the Orlando Magic felt confident despite his absence. Coach Jamahl Mosley stressed the way they handled last season’s injury-plagued campaign that saw Banchero miss 36 games because of an oblique injury.
“Our guys know what it’s like to play without him. Understanding it is always going to be by committee, and guys stepping up and embracing their role and what they need to do. Not asking for more, just being able to star in their role while he is out,” Mosley said on November 14, via Orlando Magic Daily.
In Banchero’s absence, Franz Wagner becomes the first option on offense, followed by Desmond Bane. Tristan da Silva has stepped into the starting lineup, with the Magic going 2-1 since their best player went down. They earned wins over the Brooklyn Nets and Golden State Warriors, while narrowly losing to the Houston Rockets in overtime.
Tension Between Banchero and Mosley Before Injury
According to Grant Afseth of RG.com, there was a growing concern within the Orlando Magic organization regarding the relationship between coach Jamahl Mosley and star player Paolo Banchero. Afseth cited sources saying that there is tension, possibly due to the team’s poor start to the season.
“There is a ‘growing disconnect’ between franchise cornerstone Paolo Banchero and head coach Jamahl Mosley. The source described communication between the two as strained, adding that members of the organization have grown concerned about Banchero’s level of engagement with his coach during games,” Afseth wrote on November 11.
Afseth added that there’s nearly zero communication between Banchero and Mosley even during timeouts. But since that reported tension, the Magic have won five of their six games. They were on a roll prior to Banchero’s injury, with seven wins in their last 10 games, entering Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers.
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