Paolo Banchero

Southeast Notes: Banchero, Johnson, Nurkic, Niang

March 27th, 2025 at 9:45am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Magic have moved within a half-game of seventh-place Atlanta for the top seed in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament. That’s due in large part to Paolo Banchero‘s resurgence. Their star forward has reached the 30-point mark in four consecutive games, including three victories.

In 16 games following the All-Star break, Banchero is second in the league in scoring (29.6 PPG) behind only MVP favorite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (34.1).

“I’m playing some good basketball right now,” he told Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. “[I] just want to keep it up.”

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AJ Johnson, who was part of the Kyle Kuzma/Khris Middleton deal between the Wizards and Bucks, has shown off his athleticism since joining Washington with some high-flying dunks, Varun Shankar of the Washington Post writes. Johnson, a late first-round pick last June, had a season-high 17 points against Toronto on Monday, then showed his passing skills with nine points and six assists against Philadelphia on Wednesday. “Getting better and better every game,” Wizards coach Brian Keefe said.
Jusuf Nurkic is feeling at home in Charlotte with the Hornets after a tumultuous season-and-a-half with the Suns, he told Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer. “It’s obviously a different situation,” Nurkic said. “Sometimes, it’s good for players to change situations, change teams. But just being in a respectful environment, usually the response is good. So we are still learning each other — the coaches, team. The organization is still learning me and I’m learning the organization, getting a feel for each other in our evaluations and stuff. But so far, so good.” Nurkic has one year left on his four-year, $70MM contract.
Georges Niang has given the Hawks a boost since being traded by Cleveland. He’s averaging 13.3 points in 19 games while making 42.3 percent of his 3-point attempts. He told Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda that the Hawks made the transition easier. “This organization has done everything to help me get comfortable with the city and the team. They’ve made it feel like home — and you don’t get that everywhere. I’m truly thankful to be with a high-class, first-class organization like the Atlanta Hawks,” he said. Niang, playing for his fifth team, is signed through next season.

Southeast Notes: Hornets, Kokoskov, Heat, Adebayo, Banchero

March 6th, 2025 at 9:30am CST by Dana Gauruder

Have the Hornets already gone into tank mode? It might seem that way, considering they’ve lost 17 of their 19 games. Head coach Charles Lee denies that’s the case.

“I think it would be very easy to sometimes lay down when you are in the position that you are, but we are obsessed with daily improvement,” Lee told Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer. “Part of daily improvement is going into every game and facing a different type of opponent, different strategy, different coverages, different matchups, and adjusting and adapting. And they’ve done a really good job of doing that.”

Miles Bridges says the players aren’t giving up, even as the losses pile up.

“We’ve got to play with pride — we’re in the NBA,” Bridges said. “We are blessed to be in the NBA. That’s my mindset coming into a game. I’m blessed to be here in the NBA, so I want to go out and give 100% and I try to give that to the other guys. Just going out and playing with pride. Being on a losing streak sucks for everybody. If we can get a win next game against the best team in the league (Cleveland on Friday), that will probably turn us up.”

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Igor Kokoskov became an NBA head coach again — at least for one night. The Hawks assistant filled in on Tuesday for Quin Snyder, who was battling an illness. Atlanta lost to Milwaukee, 127-121. Kokoskov was Phoenix’s head coach during the 2018/19 season. “None of us knew until right before tipoff,” point guard Trae Young told Charles Odum of the Associated Press. “He was here early. It kind of surprised us but we still had a game to go play. It sucks we couldn’t get him the win.”
As things stand, the Heat could wind up with two first-round picks in this year’s rich draft. The Heat will keep its own pick if it misses the opening round of the playoffs, most likely by losing in the play-in tournament. The Heat will receive the Warriors first-round pick if it falls between 11-30, which is becoming an increasing likely outcome. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald takes a look at some of the players who might be available in the middle of the first round, including UConn’s Liam McNeeley, Duke’s Kon Knueppel and Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears.
Bam Adebayo‘s offensive production has increased since rookie Heat center Kel’el Ware was inserted into the starting lineup. That’s no coincidence, he told Jackson. “It gave me more energy to play offense,” he said. “I’m not in every pick-and-roll. Obviously, he’s guarding the five [the center]. A lot of four men [power forwards] don’t and do the things that fives do. For me, it definitely let a load off me where I definitely could focus more on scoring.” Adebayo averaged 15.7 PPG in the first 40 games and 21.3 PPG in the past 19 games, including 17 with Ware starting.
The Magic anticipated they’d be on the upswing once Paolo Banchero started producing at his usual levels again. It hasn’t worked out that way. Banchero, who was sidelined for two-and-a-half months with an abdominal injury, has averaged 29.6 points on 47.8% shooting, 6.3 rebounds, 4.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 34.7 minutes over the past seven games. However, Orlando has lost four straight, including twice to the Raptors. “We’ve got to do some soul-searching,” Banchero told Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. “The good thing about a time like this is that, really, the only way you can go is up.”

And-Ones: Warren, Baker, 2025 Draft, Banchero

February 27th, 2025 at 10:49pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Due to their hard cap, the Knicks are eligible to sign a 15th man to their roster as early as Friday. Free agent forward T.J. Warren is among the players on the New York’s radar and he’s currently suiting up for their G League affiliate in Westchester.

Warren said he’s valuing getting game experience while working his way back to the league. As SNY’s Ian Begley writes, Warren scored a Westchester-record 47 points in a game on February 7 and is averaging 24.9 PPG with a .357 3PT% (8.4 attempts per game).

“It’s been a blessing,” Warren said in an interview with SNY. “I just wanted to get some reps and get in the flow of playing basketball again and just show health. It’s been great being out here, mentoring the guys, just kind of showing them my experiences and teaching them the right way and having fun with it. Take advantage of every day. No wasted days.”

Warren last played in the NBA last year when he caught on with the Timberwolves for 11 games toward the end of the season. Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau praised the route Warren is taking to try to get back to the league.

“I have a lot of respect for what he’s doing,” Thibodeau said. “He’s had a terrific year and he’s been great down there. For our young guys to watch somebody like that, who loves the game, great teammate and obviously he’s been terrific on the floor; I have a lot of respect for that.”

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Robert Baker II officially joined ALBA Berlin prior to this week’s EuroLeague signing deadline, according to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews (Twitter link). Baker, the president of the G League’s Players Union, has turned down multiple offers to join NBA front offices, according to Urbonas (Twitter link). The Osceola Magic, with whom Baker had been playing, confirmed the news in a press release (Twitter link via the Orlando Sentinel’s Jason Beede).
Cooper Flagg continues to prove why he’s the no-brainer No. 1 overall prospect in the 2025 draft, The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie writes in his latest big board. Dylan Harper (No. 2), Ace Bailey (No. 3), V.J. Edgecombe (No. 4) and Kasparas Jakucionis (No. 5) round out the rest of Vecenie’s top five. Outside of that, Vecenie takes a deeper dive into more under-the-radar guys, like Arizona’s Carter Bryant, San Diego State’s Miles Byrd and France’s Joan Beringer. I highly recommend checking out what Vecenie has to say about the rest of the class if you have a subscription to The Athletic, as his draft analysis is among the most in-depth.
In another piece related to the 2025 draft, The Athletic’s John Hollinger takes a closer look at three prospects, evaluating where they stand as the college season winds down. Hollinger agrees with Vecenie in that Bryant’s stock is on the rise, while Duke’s Khaman Maluach is stabilizing and Georgia’s Asa Newell is proving to be a bit more of a question mark. Hollinger also considers whether Edgecombe can push Harper for the No. 2 slot and discusses which prospect he believes is the most undervalued.
Former USA Basketball head coach Steve Kerr said he would be surprised if Magic forward Paolo Banchero isn’t on the 2028 Olympic team that competes in Los Angeles, according to Andscape’s Marc J. Spears (Twitter link). Kerr went on to say that Banchero actually almost made the cut for the 2024 team, per Beede (Twitter link). “He was right in the mix [until] the last second for Paris,” Kerr said. “That’s how strongly we felt about him in the Philippines during the [FIBA] World Cup. He’s such a talented guy and versatile. … he was right in the mix and ultimately it just came down to roster construction, what we needed. We ended up deciding more on guard play than frontcourt.“

Eastern Notes: Williams, Russell, Suggs, Banchero, Knicks

February 18th, 2025 at 9:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

In an ironic twist, Hornets center Mark Williams is listed as probable to play against the Lakers on Wednesday, Charlotte’s PR department tweets.

Williams would be playing in his first game since the Hornets-Lakers trade was rescinded after he failed to pass Los Angeles’ physical due to “multiple issues.” The probable status is due to “return to play reconditioning.”

The Lakers front office thought it had solved their starting center issue by acquiring Williams. They had agreed to give up rookie wing Dalton Knecht, forward Cam Reddish, an unprotected 2031 first-round pick and a 2030 first-round pick swap. Knecht and Reddish returned to the Lakers along with the draft capital when the team decided to void the deal.

Williams, who has battled injuries throughout his young career, is averaging 16.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 blocks and 0.7 steals per game in 22 contests this season.

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While the Nets gave all the appearances of tanking earlier this season, their young core isn’t cooperating. They are within range of a play-in spot, trailing the 10th-place Bulls by just 1.5 games. They’ve gotten a boost from D’Angelo Russell in his second stint with the organization. Russell led them to an unlikely postseason berth five years ago and it could happen again, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. Russell is averaging 14.5 points and 5.8 assists in 16 games since he was acquired from the Lakers. “Last time it just … kind of happened,” Russell said. “So I think if it’s gonna happen, it will. We definitely have the chance. We definitely have a nice group, definitely have all the coaches and everything to give it that. So we’ll keep preparing like that’s in the plans. But as far as getting ahead of myself and trying to do things out of the ordinary, that’s not really … it’s kind of out of my control, I would say. So [we’ve] just got to go one game at a time, one win at a time.”
Even with added rest and recovery time, Jalen Suggs is still not 100 percent. Head coach Jamahl Mosley told Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link) on Tuesday that the Magic guard was “able to go through running portions of practice but no contact still.” Suggs missed the last nine games before the All-Star break due to a left quad contusion.
Expect better results from Paolo Banchero after the All-Star break, Beede opines as he examines five storylines to watch for the remainder of the Magic‘s season. After missing 34 games due to a torn right abdominal muscle, Banchero has averaged 20.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 3.4 turnovers per game while shooting 28.9% from 3-point range over the past 18 contests. Banchero said his main issue after recovering from the injury was getting back into top shape to play with the same energy and effort on a nightly basis.
The Knicks got good grades on their midseason report card. The New York Post’s Stefan Bondy gives Josh Hart an A-plus, with Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns earning As.

Southeast Notes: Banchero, Magic, Salaun, Poole

January 19th, 2025 at 3:36pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Magic All-Star forward Paolo Banchero barely looked worse for wear upon returning to action after missing two-plus months with an oblique injury. He recently reflected on his time away in a “diary entry” for Andscape’s Marc J. Spears.

“The toughest part was just missing out on the competition, missing out on the games and being out there with your teammates,” Banchero said. “Obviously, they did a really good job of getting wins and playing at a high level. But as a competitor, you just want to be out there. For me, it was the longest injury I’ve had to deal with.”

In his four games back so far, the former Rookie of the Year has averaged 24.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 0.8 blocks and 0.5 steals per night.

“So, just having to sit there and watch night after night, it allowed me to grow in some other areas, whether it was watching the game from the bench and helping teammates out, telling them what I see, [or] what I think they can do differently throughout the game,” Banchero added. “And also, just talking to the coaches’ staff too after every game on the road, different times, just picking their brains as well and seeing what they think.”

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The Magic have been struggling all year with their shooting from beyond the arc, observes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. As of this writing, the Magic have the worst three-point conversion rate in the league at 30.4%. That’s 3.4% worse than the Wizards, who are the No. 29 club in that department. “Got to go back and look at them and see if we’re getting the right ones,” head coach Jamahl Mosley said. “We’re getting downhill and teams are collapsing. We’re going to see more zone [defense], understood. But we’ve got to keep continuing to make the right play. I’m never discouraged when we’re getting the right looks.”
The Hornets have assigned rookie lottery pick big man Tidjane Salaun to their G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, for the first time this season, the team announced (Twitter link). The 19-year-old has appeared in 34 contests for Charlotte, averaging 4.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists per contest off the bench.
Wizards guard Jordan Poole had a big night on Saturday against his former team, the Warriors, scoring a game-high 38 points, but it wasn’t enough to secure a win, notes Varun Shankar of The Washington Post.“Made some really tough shots, big shots for us,” said head coach Brian Keefe of Poole’s impact. “I thought he was terrific tonight. They threw the kitchen sink at him down the stretch to make life difficult for him. He really pulled us forward tonight. Hell of a game.”

Injury Notes: Wagner, Magic, Kyrie, Sixers, Haliburton, Jackson

January 14th, 2025 at 1:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Magic forward Franz Wagner, who is recovering from a torn right oblique, will remain sidelined for Wednesday’s game in Milwaukee, but his injury designation will be updated to “return to competition reconditioning,” according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).

The change in designation doesn’t necessarily mean Wagner’s return is imminent, but it does suggest that he’s entering the final stage of his rehab process. By comparison, teammate Paolo Banchero, who sustained a torn oblique of his own on October 30, had his designation changed to “return to competition reconditioning” on December 27, then returned to action on January 10.

“I feel good,” Wagner said on Tuesday (Twitter link via Beede). “I think everything is going in a really good direction. I was able to do some more stuff on the court. I think pretty much the muscle is not the issue at this point. It’s more of getting back in shape, making sure that I check all of the boxes before I go play a game.”

Wagner, Gary Harris (left hamstring strain), and Jett Howard (left ankle sprain) went through a non-contact practice on Tuesday, per Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley (Twitter links via Beede). Tristan Da Silva (illness) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (sore left knee) also practiced, but Jalen Suggs (low back strain) and Goga Bitadze (right hip contusion) didn’t, Beede adds.

Here are a few more injury-related updates from around the NBA:

Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving, who last played on January 1, has been upgraded to questionable for Tuesday’s matchup with Denver. The Mavs announced last Monday that Irving was expected to miss at least a week or two due to a bulging disc in his back, but he fully participated in Monday’s practice and “looked good,” head coach Jason Kidd said (Twitter link via Jared Greenberg of NBA TV).
The banged-up Sixers will be missing Joel Embiid (left foot sprain), Andre Drummond (left toe sprain), and Kyle Lowry (right hip sprain) for a fifth straight game on Tuesday vs. Oklahoma City. Philadelphia also added Tyrese Maxey to its injury report as a result of a left hand sprain, with the star guard considered questionable to play against OKC.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle confirmed during a radio appearance on Tuesday that it’s “highly unlikely” Tyrese Haliburton suits up vs. Cleveland tonight, but said the point guard’s hamstring issue isn’t believed to be significant, as Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star relays. “The good news is we don’t believe that it’s serious,” Carlisle said. “It was tightness, soreness. When you have a high-functioning athlete, skill player like Tyrese, tightness can really make it difficult for him to play at the level that he plays at. Having him come out of (Sunday’s) game was absolutely the right thing to do.”
Grizzlies forward GG Jackson has essentially recovered from his offseason foot surgery and his season debut isn’t far off, according to head coach Taylor Jenkins. “It’s more just about reconditioning and back to play,” Jenkins said (story via Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal). “There may be opportunities with the (G League’s Memphis) Hustle for his first exposure to live five-on-five play.”

Magic Notes: Banchero, Da Silva, Suggs

January 12th, 2025 at 7:29pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Magic All-Star forward Paolo Banchero hit the ground running in his first game back from a two-month injury absence, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel.

During a 109-106 defeat to Milwaukee on Friday, the 6’10” star scored 34 points in just 27 minutes, showing off a versatile offensive attack that included five three-pointers. Banchero had been shelved with a torn right abdominal muscle since an October 30 loss to Chicago.

“The kid’s been working his tail off to get back in,” Orlando head coach Jamahl Mosley said. “What he was able to do with poise, taking the right shots [at] the right time, defending, taking matchups on, this tells you how much he wants to go get it and get after it.

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Rookie Magic forward Tristan da Silva, who thrived with Banchero sidelined, continued to play strongly even when the All-Star returned to action, Beede notes in another piece. Da Silva secured the first double-double of his career in the Bucks bout, scoring 16 points and pulling down 10 boards. “He’s just a natural,” Banchero raved of da Silva. “He can kind of fit out there with anybody, any lineup.”
Mosley provided a minor update on the health of Jalen Suggs on Sunday, including explaining why the injured guard has been away from the Magic‘s bench for the past couple games, Beede tweets. “I think it’s one of those things [that’s] precautionary more than anything,” Mosley said. “With the back [injury], sitting on the bench is not necessarily conducive to how you’re supposed to feel in that scenario… He’s been able to move a little bit here and there on the floor, getting up and getting down a little bit, but nothing with contact.”
In case you missed it, Marc Stein believes Mosley has a real shot at earning Coach of the Year honors. Even with long-term injury absences of Banchero and Franz Wagner, among others, Orlando has held steady as a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference.

Southeast Notes: Rozier, Johnson, Jaquez, Banchero, Williams

January 11th, 2025 at 11:58am CST by Tristan Tucker

Terry Rozier is waiting on his three-point luck to turn around, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. A career 36.3% shooter, Rozier is connecting on just 33.2% during his Heat tenure, including 29.2% this season.

“I shoot the same every year. It will work for me. It’s just ups and downs,” Rozier said. “Once it starts clicking, it’s going to start clicking. I don’t care what my percentage is; I know it’s always 50 percent chance of going in.”

Rozier was removed from the starting lineup for 14 games but has been a starter in five of his past six outings. He’s averaging 12.0 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game on the season. The Heat traded a first-round pick and Kyle Lowry to acquire Rozier ahead of last year’s deadline.

“We all want to start in this league,” Rozier said. “Nobody wants to be a starter and go to the bench no matter what they say. I’m happy being in the starting lineup. It might not be [permanent]; you never know.”

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In the same article, Jackson notes that Heat rookie Keshad Johnson received a call from Charlotte after going undrafted in 2024, but Johnson knew he wanted to sign with Miami. “Here is where dreams come true,” Johnson said regarding the Heat’s previous success with undrafted players.
Second-year Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. is enjoying the best stretch of his season, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes. He’s averaging 16.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists while shooting 54.5% from the floor and 36.4% on three-pointers in his last four games — he also pulled down a season-high 10 rebounds on Monday and scored a season-high 20 points on Thursday.
Paolo Banchero made his return for the Magic on Friday after missing the last two months with a torn oblique. He scored 34 points in a narrow loss to the Bucks in his first game back, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press writes. “I didn’t see that one coming, I can tell you that,” coach Jamahl Mosley said. “But that’s who he is. The kid’s been working his tail off to get back in. And so, what he was able to do with poise, taking the right shots at the right time, defending, taking matchups on, this tells you how much he wants to go get it and get after it. That’s who he is. He’s a star for a reason.” While the Magic stayed afloat without Banchero, Josh Robbins of The Athletic writes that his return and tremendous play gives the team more hope going forward.
Mark Williams has picked up where he left off for the Hornets after returning from health issues that sidelined him for a full year, averaging 12.2 points and 7.7 rebounds in 13 games (10 starts) this year. In an interview with Sportskeeda’s Mark Medina, Williams opened up about his recovery and having his minutes restriction lifted. “In my time that I was out, I was working on my game,” Williams said. “Obviously my teammates are finding me. There are a lot of spots that I’m comfortable in on the floor, whether it’s my floaters or my dunks. I’m also finding them at the same time for kicks and handoffs. That’s just us regaining the chemistry back with my teammates.“

Southeast Notes: Butler, Kispert, Banchero, Hornets

January 9th, 2025 at 6:21pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Wizards two-way guard Jared Butler is stepping up in recent games and has impressed each time he’s gotten a chance at extended minutes this season, The Washington Post’s Varun Shankar observes. Over the past three games, Butler is averaging 19.0 points, 2.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists while finishing with a positive plus/minus in three Washington losses. He registered season highs of 26 points and seven assists on Wednesday against Philadelphia.

The Wizards were without Jordan Poole for all three of Butler’s recent big games and Malcolm Brogdon for two of those outings. In the 11 games this season in which Butler has played 10 or more minutes, he’s averaging 11.4 PPG and 4.1 APG on .477/.406/.714 shooting.

“Just settles us down, gets us organized, has the ability to get in the paint, create for himself, create for others,” head coach Brian Keefe said. “His defense is really good, too — pressuring the ball, picking up full court. He’s doing the stuff that we want him to.”

Butler originally signed with the Wizards on a two-way deal in the summer of 2023 before having that deal converted late last season. Facing a roster crunch last October, the Wizards waived him but were able to re-add him on a two-way contract after no team put in a claim for the former Baylor guard. If Washington clears a standard roster spot this season, Butler is a candidate to have his two-way deal converted.

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After an ankle sprain sidelined him for five games last month, Corey Kispert has found his confidence again, Shankar writes in another story for The Post. Since Dec. 19, Kispert is shooting 43.1% from beyond the arc on 5.9 attempts per game while averaging 13.5 PPG. In his last two games, Kispert scored a season high of 23 points in each outing while making a combined nine threes.
Magic star forward Paolo Banchero will make his return to game action on Friday against the Bucks after missing over two months with an oblique injury, NBA insider Chris B. Haynes reports (Twitter link). Banchero warmed up on Thursday after being ruled questionable, but was ultimately deemed out until tomorrow. While the re-introduction of Banchero into the lineup is obviously a boon for Orlando, it will likely take an adjustment period before the Magic are firing on all cylinders again after they went 19-14 without him, Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel writes. “Finding that flow again is going to take some time and we all understand that,” coach Jamahl Mosley said. “It’s going to be us being able to watch the film, get on the court together and that’s going to take some time.”
The Hornets snapped a 10-game losing streak against the Suns on Tuesday, with the quartet of LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges and Mark Williams playing together for just the eighth time, Shane Connuck of The Charlotte Observer writes. “We have enough in that locker room when it comes to talent. We have enough in that locker room when it comes to competitiveness. We just have to sustain it for four quarters,” head coach Charles Lee said. “We did that tonight, and we need to continue to just stack good days over good days, and we’ll come out on the other side of all of it.“

Magic Notes: Banchero, Suggs, Carter, M. Wagner

January 9th, 2025 at 12:16pm CST by Rory Maher

After missing more than two months with a torn oblique, star forward Paolo Banchero will reportedly return to action on Thursday or Friday. As expected, the Magic have officially listed the former No. 1 overall pick as questionable for Thursday’s contest vs. Minnesota.

Speaking to the media after Thursday’s shootaround, Banchero discussed his lengthy layoff and what he learned while being sidelined, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter video links). The 21-year-old said having more time to watch helped him process the game in a different way, but he’s ready to get back on the court.

“I feel like my coaching career, I’m happy for it to be over,” Banchero said jokingly. “I want to start playing again, but it was fun while it lasted.”

Banchero also talked about how he sustained the injury and what he learned from the incident, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic.

“I think it was a play where I think I made, like, a jump pass and contorted my body in a weird way and just felt that,” Banchero said. “It happens, and I think some of it had to do with fatigue, which is partially on me. I was playing really well, so I was maybe not telling guys, or the team, when I was tired. So, I think fatigue maybe had something to do with it, just playing so hard. So, I definitely (have) got to start listening to my body. No matter how good I’m playing, if I’m dead-tired, I’ve got to come out of the game.”

Here’s more on the Magic:

Despite dealing with injuries to several key players, the banged-up Magic are confident they can compete with any team in the NBA, according to Beede. “We really can roll out any five [players] and compete,” big man Wendell Carter said. “The proof is in the pudding now. We’ve competed and won against some of the top teams in the league. It’s really just a belief system.” Jalen Suggs, who remains out as he deals with a lower back strain, plays a major role in the team’s conviction. “Suggs is the heart of this team,” guard Cole Anthony said. “Obviously we miss him but we know that we’re going to have his support whether he’s playing or not. It’s awesome to have a dude like that in our corner and I can’t wait to get him back.”
Carter missed 12 games earlier in the season with plantar fasciitis in his left foot. He said after Monday’s win in New York that he’s starting to round into form, as Beede writes for The Orlando Sentinel. “I’m definitely starting to get my swag back,” said Carter, who scored a season-high 19 points vs. the Knicks. “That’s something I kind of lost when I went down early. Coming back, trying to get back in tune with the team — went from starting and came off the bench a couple of games and back to starting, guys coming in and out of the lineup — it’s kind of tough for me just to find my groove. But it’s a lot of kudos to my teammates. They keep me [in] high spirits, tell me how good a player I am when I’m aggressive.”
Center Moritz Wagner underwent successful surgery on Wednesday to repair the torn ACL in his left knee, the Magic announced in a press release (Twitter link). The German big man will miss the remainder of the 2024/25 season. Wagner could hit unrestricted free agency this summer if Orlando declines the $11MM team option on his contract for ’25/26.

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