Chance a buzzword like Orlando Magic Face Unwelcome Stretch without Paolo Banchero

CLEVELAND – Paolo Banchero told his Orlando Magic teammates that his injury was serious and that he would be out indefinitely.

Upon diagnosing a torn right oblique and the minimum absence of four to six weeks, the Magic’s young leader immediately turned the doom and gloom into something positive:

His unwanted injury is an opportunity.

“I just told them and sent them a message last night saying, ‘This is a great opportunity for us to come together as a group (and) become even closer,’” Banchero said Friday morning during the Magic’s shootaround in Cleveland . “It’s obviously not ideal that I’m out, but we have a lot of guys who can step up and make plays, so I think they’ll be ready.”

Although his message was optimistic, ignoring the reality of the situation is difficult. Through five games, Banchero’s scoring totals were 29.0 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists – superstar numbers. His development, combined with an emerging young core and the summer addition of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the front office, set the direction for a team that is looking to compete both now and in the future.

With their leading scorer and playmaker sidelined for the foreseeable future, the Magic’s journey to an Eastern Conference contender is much more difficult.

“We had to have a conversation last night after it came out and everything,” guard Jalen Suggs told reporters Friday. “I need to speak up, pick his brain and give him some words of encouragement. It just sucks to see your brother who wants to commit so much – not just to this team, but everyone who is part of it – and something like a ( stomach) takes you out, one of those weird injuries.”

“It’s extremely tough,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. “What we were talking about this morning as a group was, it sucks, you know. There’s no other way to say it. It sucks for him, the way he started this year, the way he played, us carried in so many ways.”

But in the second part of Mosley’s answer, that word was present again.

“In the same breath you have to say this is an opportunity,” he continued. “An opportunity for guys to step up, increase their role. (A) chance for guys to continue playing to our basketball standard.”

Banchero’s injury came in the fourth quarter of Wednesday night’s 102-99 loss at Chicago. He said Friday he felt it and knew something was wrong. He wanted to finish the game – and he did so with 31 points – but wanted to test further. The results were worse than anyone had hoped.

So far, Banchero has been a sustainable player. He played all 39 games of his lone season at Duke. During two seasons with the Magic, he missed a total of 12 games. At 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds, the way he arms his body to attack defenders is one of his biggest assets — similar to the way LeBron James or Giannis Antetokounmpo can muscle their way into just about anywhere on the field.

For all the talk about opportunities for players not named Banchero to step up, Mosley said the setback is an opportunity for the 21-year-old All-Star to get to know himself in new ways.

“He understands there’s nothing he can do to control that right now, and it’s another opportunity for his growth,” Mosley said. “Now there won’t be as much physical activity, but it will be… a mental version of it.

“We talked about it a little bit this morning, his ability to be in some of the coaches’ meetings, to see the game differently from that side of the room,” Mosley added. “It’s another opportunity for his growth in that area. Talking to players (and) guys on the sidelines, from his point of view, would help the whole group.”

When asked how he sees himself contributing while away from the floor, Banchero sees himself becoming more vocal and staying involved in practice. He will still travel with the team and try to keep things “as regular as possible.” If he does this, it will benefit both his team and himself.

“Because this isn’t a – well, hopefully it’s not a multi-, three-, four-month injury. Hopefully it will only last six or seven weeks. So just try to stay involved as much as possible and stay positive. one day at a time and be ready to come back.”

Suggs has dealt with injuries himself, and those experiences led him to view that time as an opportunity to slow down and focus elsewhere — an option not available in the daily grind of the NBA.

The Magic still understand that they need Banchero back as soon as possible. Treading water without your No. 1 star in this league isn’t easy.

But if the Magic can capitalize on the unexpected opportunities they took advantage of so much on Friday morning, then adding a ready-made Banchero could send them back in the direction they want to go.

“To have this time early in the season, while everyone else is pushing (and) making runs, to slow down, find rhythm, squeeze everything together and keep the mind, body and spirit steady,” Suggs said, “so that when he comes back (and) everyone else starts to get tired, he’s fresh for that All-Star meeting and fresh for those 25 games after that.

“I’m excited to see how he handles this challenge,” Suggs added. “It’s a great challenge. It sucks, as we talked about last night, but it’s a great opportunity to grow. I know he looks at it that way.”

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