Franz Wagner stepped up in countless ways for the Orlando Magic when All-Star forward Paolo Banchero tore his oblique.
And now, Wagner has the same injury.
Wagner has a torn right oblique in a crushing blow for a team that survived the loss of Banchero and will play in the NBA Cup quarterfinals — but now will be without their second-leading scorer for at least four weeks and likely longer.
“Wagner will be out indefinitely and his return to play will depend on how he responds to treatment,” the Magic said Saturday in a statement announcing the injury. “He will be re-evaluated in four weeks.”
Wagner was hurt in Friday’s loss at Philadelphia. He started each of Orlando’s first 25 games this season, a huge reason why the team is off to a 16-9 start.
Wagner, without question, has been Orlando’s best player in the 20 games the team has played since Banchero got hurt in late October, averaging 26.1 points, 6 rebounds and 6.3 assists in that span — leading the Magic to a 13-7 record in those contests, 13-3 in their last 16 games.
He seemed headed toward his first All-Star selection and was an early candidate for the league’s most improved player award this season.
“All-Star,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley yelled earlier this week as he walked toward Wagner speaking with a group of reporters. “I’m telling the truth. All-Star.”
All that seems in jeopardy now. If the injuries are similar — there’s no way of knowing how much faster or slower Wagner’s recovery process will be compared to Banchero’s, which is ongoing — then Wagner’s candidacy for end-of-season awards such as the MIP honor would be in jeopardy because of the NBA rule requiring players appear in at least 65 games to be eligible for such honors.
Banchero will miss his 21st game of the season when Orlando hosts Phoenix on Sunday. The Magic are hopeful that he may return by the end of the month.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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