The Orlando Magic were already without All-Star forward Paolo Banchero due to an injury when they scratched starting center Wendell Carter Jr. just minutes before their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night.
The team announced that Carter is out because of tendinitis in his right knee. Moe Wagner will start in his place, marking his first start of the season.
Coach Jamahl Mosley did not mention Carter’s injury during his pregame media session.
Carter has been averaging a team-high 10.4 rebounds and 8.8 points for the Magic, who are expected to miss Banchero for at least a month due to a torn right oblique. Banchero got hurt during a loss to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.
Banchero’s injury took away a lot of the excitement for Orlando’s matchup against Cleveland, a rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference first-round series that the Cavaliers won in seven games.
The No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA draft, Banchero had a strong start to the season, averaging 29 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game. He scored a career-high 50 points on Monday against Indiana, which is the only 50-point game in the league this season.
Before the game against the Cavaliers, Mosley emphasized that every player on the roster would need to step up in Banchero’s absence.
“Not much is easier without Paolo on the floor,” Mosley said. “I can’t sugarcoat that one.”
The Magic will reevaluate Banchero in four to six weeks. He will continue to travel with the team while he recovers. Banchero was unsure how he got hurt but kept playing and finished the game with 31 points in the 102-99 loss.
