Wendell Carter Jr. goes down twice in two games! The Orlando Magic found themselves in deep trouble, at least for a month. The latest update on Paolo Banchero (torn oblique) revealed that the team ruled him out indefinitely and will reevaluate in 4-6 weeks. Meanwhile, two games after Banchero went down, the short-handed Magic roster took yet another blow. Starting center Wendell Carter Jr. sustained a foot injury amid the blowout game against the Dallas Mavericks.

During the 6th minute mark in the second quarter, Carter sustained a non-contact injury during a defensive play. In an attempt to intersect Luka Doncic’s lob pass to Daniel Gafford, the Magic star had an awkward landing on his left foot after an aggressive jump.

While the hooper continued to play, limping across the floor, he clocked out in the 5th minute. Moments later, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon updated that Wendell sustained a left plantar fascia strain and will be out for the rest of the game.

In the previous game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, the team ruled Wendell Carter Jr. minutes before the game, citing a tendinitis in his right knee. Notably, the Magic coach, Jamahl Mosley, didn’t mention anything about Carter’s availability during the pre-game presser. And it was Moe Wagner, who replaced him as the starting center. The German baller put up a decent effort, dropping 14 points with 5 rebounds. Nevertheless, it didn’t have any effect as Banchero-less Magic suffered a 120-109 loss.

It wasn’t any different tonight. After Wendell Carter Jr. departed in the 2nd quarter with 9 minutes, Wagner punched in 21 minutes, dropping 10 points with 6 rebounds. And the team suffered yet another 108-85 blowout loss in the hands of Luka Doncic & Co.

With Wendell Carter Jr’s exit, Paolo Banchero’s injury is a BIG loss for Orlando!

“Not much is easier without Paolo on the floor… I can’t sugarcoat that one,” said Jamahl Mosley, describing the Magic’s fate until the star forward returns. The 2022 NBA #1 pick emerged as one of the most improved talents in the league, recording 22.6 ppg in his sophomore year. Notably, the hooper started this season with MVP-caliber performances, averaging 29.0 ppg in 5 games with a high score of 50 points, 13 rebounds, and 9 assists.

In the absence of Paolo Banchero, everyone’s attention shifted to Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner, as they held the second and third spots in the team’s offensive leaderboard. Tonight, however, the duo barely made any difference, putting together 23 points in a blowout loss. Wendell Carter Jr., who has been part of the Magic fold over the last 4 seasons, played a significant role as a starting center, scoring an average of 12.5. So, losing him has further worsened the situation.

While the Mavs belted the Magic on the court, Paolo Banchero sat out with a disappointed look throughout the game. Nevertheless, the 21-year-old rising star has a motivated mindset, as the hooper said, “It’s just 6, something weeks. Just trying to stay engaged as much as I can and stay positive, take it one day at a time, and be ready to come back.”

What do you make of the Magic’s situation? Let us know in the comments.