How Paolo Banchero is still helping Magic despite lengthy injury absence
The Orlando Magic have felt the void left by Paolo Banchero's absence , with the forward sidelined for an extended period due to injury. Banchero has missed the last four games, during which the Magic have suffered four consecutive losses, including a 118-111 defeat to the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday that capped a challenging five-game road trip.
Despite being out of the lineup, Banchero has remained engaged with the team, providing guidance from the sidelines. Head coach Jamahl Mosley highlighted Banchero's contributions beyond the court, noting that the third-year forward has been proactive in offering insights and support to his teammates.
"Prime example tonight... he comes up, he's recognizing what set we're running and who's guarding who and he understands exactly – hey, put this guy in the action, he's talking to the coaches, he's coming up talking to me," Mosley said. "I think it's great that he's helping these guys in the huddles as well – telling them the things that he sees, he's also highly aware of exactly how teams are playing and what we can do to execute. He's done a fantastic job of that... of being engaged, of helping these guys understand how good we can be when he's not even on the floor. That's part of him growing his leadership which we love for him to continue to do."
Magic embrace 'next man up' mentality as Jalen Suggs & Franz Wagner step up in Paolo Banchero's absence
Mosley also addressed the team's challenges without their star forward, acknowledging the narrow margin of error in his absence. The Magic, currently 3-6 on the season, have struggled to maintain consistency, especially on the road. With Banchero out, Mosley has leaned on other players to step up, notably Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner , who have each delivered standout performances despite the team's recent struggles.
"Yes. Again, we always talk about the next man up mentality and we had a lot of guys step in and played hard – they played the right way," Mosley said. "I mean, 26 assists, I think that's something we're trying to share the basketball. We'll go with the margins, which you can't start the game off 38 to 26 in that first quarter. That's very important that you start off the right way, especially on the road – then the second piece is you got to knock your free throws down in these situations."
Suggs, in particular, has shown promise during this stretch. He posted a near triple-double against the Cleveland Cavaliers , notching 28 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in one of his career-high performances. Wagner, who has been dealing with an illness, also showcased his talent, leading the team with 28 points, eight rebounds, and six assists in the recent loss to the Pacers.
Jamahl Mosley carefully balances Suggs and Wagner's increased workload going forward
Balancing the responsibilities between Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner without Paolo Banchero has been a task in itself, as Jamahl Mosley acknowledged the need to manage their minutes carefully.
"That's the tricky part about trying to figure out how much we do with them," Mosley said. "Trying to bump them in, bump them back out and just making sure that they're running different types of stints – just keeping their bodies as fresh as possible. Our medical staff does a great job of making sure we're aware of what they're doing. I think they've stepped in both at different moments to be able to handle the load of Paolo not being in the lineup."
Wagner, speaking after the game, expressed his approach to shouldering a heavier offensive load, emphasizing his focus on staying aggressive while letting his game flow naturally.
"I try my best obviously... try not to think too much about it and just play my game, be really aggressive and see what's out there," Wagner said.
Magic begin five-game homestand with Pelicans matchup
Reflecting on the tough road trip, Wagner noted that the team showed resilience despite their setbacks.
"I think we did learn something on this road trip and we continue to get better – those stretches where we struggle get shorter and shorter," he said. "It's only game nine so we've got a lot more games to improve and figure stuff out. I think for the most part the mentality was good even after that bad first quarter – we never gave up and showed a lot of character I thought in that second quarter."
The Magic's struggles have extended beyond individual performances, with the team's shooting, particularly from beyond the arc, being an area of concern. In their recent game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the team shot just 14.7% from three-point range, though they improved to 28% against Indiana. Still, their shooting remains well below the league average.
Now back in Orlando, the Magic are set for a five-game homestand, starting with a matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night. Both teams, with identical 3-6 records, are dealing with early-season injury challenges and will be looking to turn their seasons around.
