With a four-day break in the Orlando Magic’s schedule, Jonathan Isaac joined Ballislife’s podcast to talk about the 2024-25 season. Of course, high on the list of topics was the injury of star forward Paolo Banchero, and how his absence has affected the Magic’s locker room.
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Isaac admitted that spirits were high in Orlando at the start of the season. The acquisition of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope along with the development of the team’s youth had Jamahl Mosley’s side setting high expectations.
“We were like ‘Yo, this is our year. You, know we’re gonna do great, we’re gonna take it.’ And then out of nowhere, Paolo goes down after having a great start to the season. And so we definitely were rattled for a little bit,” the 27-year-old shared on ‘All Things NBA’.
To start the season, Isaac was mostly playing backup minutes for Banchero, whose third-year jump had made him the primary scoring option for the Magic. However, at the end of October, when the Magic were in Chicago, the 22-year-old tore his right oblique.
The abdominal injury occurred in the fourth quarter; Banchero still finished with 31 points, 7 boards and 4 dimes in the 3-point loss.
With at least a six-week timeline on his return, Isaac reflected on the team’s mentality to maintain their top 3 seeding in the East. “It kind of has to be business as usual to keep the boat afloat. But everybody’s thinking the same thing, like, ‘Okay, what are we going to look like without him on the floor?’”
Banchero certainly left big shoes for the Orlando roster to fill. The Duke standout recorded the season’s first 50-point-game before he was sidelined and was averaging 29 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists through the five games he played. But now the Magic have played more games without Banchero than with him this season, and he’s set to miss at least a dozen more.
Can the Orlando Magic maintain their footing without Banchero?
Orlando has played 9 games since the 2023 Rookie of the Year was sidelined with injury. They lost the first four contests, but during their five-game homestand, the Magic came alive behind their other star forward, Franz Wagner.
They won all of the five home games and Wagner led the way, averaging 28.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 6 assists and 1.8 steals. With Jonathan Isaac playing more minutes in Banchero’s absence, the Magic’s defense also found a new wind.
Despite missing Wendell Carter Jr. as well, Orlando limited teams to the fewest points in the paint and second-chance points over the last five games. The win-streak has them at 5-4 without their #5, which isn’t really a drop-off from the 3-2 record they boasted before his injury.
The Magic are currently third in the East, but the 12th placed Milwaukee Bucks are less than 4 games behind them. Orlando will now go on a 3-game road trip through the Western Conference which will be a true test of their potential without Banchero. They have struggled on the road, winning just 1 of their 7 away games this season.
