Paolo Banchero Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Magic, Knicks Advance To Cup Semifinals

December 9th, 2025 at 10:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Magic and Knicks advanced to the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas with victories on Tuesday. They’ll face each other in the East semifinal on Saturday at 5:30 ET, the league confirmed (via Twitter).

Orlando was carried by a big outing from offseason acquisition Desmond Bane. He scored 37 points, while Jalen Suggs added 20 points and Paolo Banchero supplied 18. The Magic trailed by 13 after the first quarter, pulled within one by halftime, then outscored Miami 61-51 in the second half.

The Heat had four starters with at least 19 points, led by Norman Powell‘s 21.

The Knicks moved on with a 117-101 win over the Raptors. Jalen Brunson was the star of the game with 35 points. Josh Hart contributed 21 points and Karl-Anthony Towns tossed in 14 with 16 rebounds. Brandon Ingram led the Raptors with 31 points.

New York took control in the second quarter, outscoring Toronto 34-13.

The teams that were eliminated on Tuesday will now play each other on Monday, as the Heat will host the Raptors at 7:30 ET, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press tweets.

The Suns and Thunder will square off in the first of the Western Conference quarterfinals on Wednesday, with the Lakers and Spurs playing in the late game. The winners of those two contests will face one another in the West semifinal on Saturday.

Southeast Notes: Banchero, Herro, Whitmore, Ball

December 6th, 2025 at 9:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

Paolo Banchero was limited to 20 minutes as he returned to the court Friday after missing 10 games with a left groin strain, but he was able to do just enough to help the Magic claim a one-point win over Miami, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required). Banchero, who finished with nine points, six rebounds and two assists, said he’ll need time to work his way back into playing shape.

“It’s going to take a couple of games,” he said. “My first two shots went in, so that was a good feeling. My shot feels decent. I think it’s going to take a few games, but I was just excited to be out there with the guys and get a win.”

Banchero returns at a good time for the surging Magic, who have won seven of their last 10 games and moved into a tie for fourth place in the East. He’s looking forward to a higher-stakes rematch with the Heat when the teams meet in the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup tournament.

“(Friday) was a pretty ugly game for the most part,” Banchero said, “but just being able to find a way to win against a good team, we’re going to see them again Tuesday so we’re going to have to make the adjustments, see what we could have done better and come out and try to get another one against them.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

An MRI conducted Saturday showed that the toe irritation that prevented Tyler Herro from playing on Friday is being caused by a contusion, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (subscription required). He was held out of the Heat’s game tonight against Sacramento, but it’s not expected to be a long-term injury. “I know about as much as y’all,” Herro told reporters on Friday. “I’m just day by day right now. Not really too sure what happened. I got a little soreness in my big toe. Obviously, I got kicked in like the first quarter the other night in the back of my calf. And then I woke up and my big toe was hurting.”
Wizards forward Cam Whitmore didn’t play on Saturday, and coach Brian Keefe indicated the decision was disciplinary rather than being related an illness that had Whitmore listed as questionable, per Varun Shankar of The Washington Post (Twitter link).“We have certain standards that we have for our team,” Keefe said. “He has to live up to those on the better. And he’ll have a chance here, but that’s gonna be up to him when that time comes.”
Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball has been diagnosed with a bone bruise on his left ankle that will force him to miss Sunday’s matchup against Denver, relays Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link). Ball was unable to finish Friday’s game due to soreness in the ankle.

Paolo Banchero Cleared To Return For Magic

December 5th, 2025 at 10:42am CST by Luke Adams

Magic forward Paolo Banchero has been upgraded to available for Friday’s game vs. Miami, the team announced today (via Twitter). It will be the first time Banchero has played since November 12.

Banchero, who has missed Orlando’s past 10 games due to a left groin strain, was initially listed on Thursday as questionable for Friday’s matchup between division rivals.

In 11 healthy games this season before he was injured in his 12th outing, Banchero averaged 23.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in 34.7 minutes per contest. His shooting line was a modest .466/.250/.761, and the Magic have been a little better with him off the court (+5.1 net rating) than on it (+2.6) so far this fall. However, the team – which has gone 12-5 after a 1-4 start – isn’t worried about reincorporating the 2024 All-Star.

“He’s a very smart basketball player,” teammate Jalen Suggs said of Banchero last week. “… He’ll come back into the fold and jell well with us because that’s our brother. Regardless of how we’ve been playing while he’s been off, we want him on the court. And we’re better when he’s on the court.”

While the Magic will be getting back one of their top offensive weapons for Friday’s game, the Heat will likely be without one of their leading scorers. Guard Tyler Herro is listed as doubtful due to right big toe irritation and will undergo an MRI on the injury on Saturday, tweets Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.

The good news for Miami is that Norman Powell (left ankle sprain) has been upgraded to available after sitting out Wednesday’s loss to Dallas. Powell has led the Heat with 25.0 points per game through his first 17 appearances.

Magic’s Banchero, Knicks’ Anunoby Questionable Friday

December 4th, 2025 at 5:31pm CST by Rory Maher

A pair of key NBA players could return from their respective injuries on Friday.

Magic forward Paolo Banchero has been upgraded to questionable for Friday’s game vs. Miami, as first reported by Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel and subsequently confirmed by the team (Twitter links).

Banchero, the first overall pick in the 2022 draft, has missed the past 10 games with a left groin strain.

The injury designation for Banchero is somewhat surprising. As Beede writes, head coach Jamahl Mosley indicated after shootaround on Wednesday morning that the former Duke star was still limited to non-contact drills in practice. Perhaps that changed over the past 36 hours.

“At the end of the day, we always try to see how he’s responding to each day and how he recovers that next day after he’s gone through treatments and workouts,” Mosley said.

For what it’s worth, Banchero said on November 23 that he was “definitely feeling close” to returning from the injury. Orlando has compiled a 7-3 record without the 23-year-old and is currently 13-9.

Banchero was limited to 46 games last season after making 80 regular season appearances in year two. The 2024 All-Star signed a maximum-salary rookie scale extension this summer that includes Rose Rule language — he could earn a significant raise if he makes an All-NBA team this season, but he’d only be eligible if he appears in at least 65 games.

Veteran forward OG Anunoby also has a chance to return to action on Friday, having been listed as questionable for the Knicks‘ matchup with Utah, according to Steve Popper of Newsday (Twitter link). The former All-Defensive member has missed the past nine games with a strained left hamstring.

Anunoby was cleared for controlled contact work and 3-on-3 scrimmaging over the weekend, then head coach Mike Brown said on Wednesday that the 28-year-old had taken full contact, as James L. Edwards III of The Athletic relays (via Twitter).

“He’s progressing in the right direction,” Brown said.

Anunoby was off to an impressive start to the 2025/26 season before the hamstring strain, averaging 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.1 steals through 11 games (33.5 minutes per contest). His shooting line over that span was .483/.397/.760.

New York is currently 14-7. The team has gone 6-3 in Anunoby’s absence.

Southeast Notes: Johnson, Ball, Banchero, Magic, Sarr

December 1st, 2025 at 12:41pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jalen Johnson‘s All-Star level season reached new heights on Sunday as the Hawks forward poured in a career-best 41 points against Philadelphia in a double-overtime win. He scored 12 of those points during the extra sessions.

“I think that’s been the really exciting thing about the things he’s doing is, when he’s made mistakes, he hasn’t let it get to him,” Hawks head coach Quin Snyder told Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “He’s responded and adjusted that. That’s the sign of a more mature player, when you’re able to make adjustments during the game. So I know he’s as happy as anyone about the win because he’s the guy that we’re playing through most of the time late in the game. But when we do that, as I’ve said, it doesn’t necessarily have to. We’re trusting him to make a play. And I think that’s the thing that he’s embracing.”

Over the past 10 games, Johnson has averaged 25.4 points, 11.0 rebounds and 9.1 assists per night.

“I’m just trusting my work, and I have the confidence and trust from my teammates and coaches as well. So when you got that recipe, only good things happen,” said Johnson, who is in the first year of a five-year, $150MM contract.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Hornets coach Charles Lee would like to see LaMelo Ball impact the game even when he’s struggling on the offensive end. Lee wants Ball, whose name has come up in the rumor mill this season, to make more of a difference on the defensive side. “We talk about that a good amount,” Lee told Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer. “… So, we’ll continue to watch the film, and now we have to back it up with our actions game after game, day after day. Because this is the standard, this is the expectation. And I know when he plays at that high of a level, he makes our team different and really special and unique.”
Magic star forward Paolo Banchero hasn’t played since Nov. 12 due to a left groin strain and he’ll miss Monday’s game against the Bulls. Coach Jamahl Mosley said Banchero is still in the non-contact phase of his rehab, Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel tweets. “We just continue to see and monitor how he responds to each treatment each day,” Mosley said.
Despite the extended absence of Banchero, the Magic still rank in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive rating, Beede notes. Orlando’s offensive rating is eighth, 19 spots higher than it finished last season, aided by the addition of Desmond Bane and some coaching staff changes.
Wizards center Alex Sarr won’t play against Milwaukee tonight due to right adductor soreness, Josh Robbins of The Athletic tweets. Sarr is averaging 19.1 points and 8.6 rebounds this season.

Magic Notes: Banchero, Hot Streak, Suggs, Bane

November 27th, 2025 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Magic forward Paolo Banchero has been ruled out for an eighth straight game due to his left groin strain and won’t be available on Friday when Orlando visits Detroit to face the Pistons, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).

Banchero said at the start of the week that he believed he was “pretty close” to returning to the court, but the groin injury will keep him on the shelf until at least December — his next opportunity to play will be on Monday (Dec. 1) against Chicago.

Orlando’s showdown with the Pistons on Friday will help determine which Eastern Conference teams join Toronto in the NBA Cup knockout round. The winner of that matchup in Detroit will claim a spot in the quarterfinals, though the Magic would still be very well positioned to be the East’s wild card team with a loss, as long as they’re not blown out.

Here’s more on the Magic:

After getting off to a 1-4 start this season, the Magic are 10-4 in the past four weeks and appear to be figuring out their identity, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. “Yeah, we started the year off rough,” center Wendell Carter Jr. said. “In those losses, we weren’t playing to our standard on the defensive end. We’ve reestablished our defensive identity, and the offense is clicking right now.” To Carter’s point, in their past 14 games, the Magic rank seventh in the NBA in defensive rating (110.7) and fifth in offensive rating (121.0).
Is it a concern that the Magic have played their best basketball of the season since Banchero went down? Not in Orlando’s locker room, where they believe correlation doesn’t imply causation in this case, according to Robbins. “He’s a very smart basketball player,” guard Jalen Suggs said of Banchero. “… He’ll come back into the fold and jell well with us because that’s our brother. Regardless of how we’ve been playing while he’s been off, we want him on the court. And we’re better when he’s on the court.”
The Magic registered a blowout win in Philadelphia on Tuesday, defeating the Sixers by 41 points despite losing Suggs to an ejection near the end of the first half, per ESPN. After big men Carter and Andre Drummond got into a shoving match, Suggs ran in and pushed Drummond, which escalated the confrontation and resulted in a pair of technical fouls for Suggs (Twitter video link). The Magic point guard said after the game that he’d respond the same way “10 times out of 10” and that he took exception to Drummond raising his fists as if he were going to take a swing at Carter. “In my opinion, squaring up is a little too crazy,” Suggs said. “… I don’t regret it. I’ll stick up for my brother every time. I’ll take the fine. Don’t think I should’ve gotten ejected, but I’ll take it.”
One reason for the Magic’s hot streak is the recent play of Desmond Bane. The team’s most significant offseason addition averaged just 14.2 points per game on .431/.293/.857 shooting in his first 10 games, but has improved those numbers to 20.8 PPG on .435/.365/.976 shooting in his past nine. As Beede writes for The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required), that 11th game, in which Bane hit a game-winning three-pointer vs. Portland, may have marked a turning point for the veteran wing. “After making that shot, I just felt the love from everybody,” Bane said. “Orlando’s starting to becoming to feel like home. I feel like I’ve settled in since then.”

Eastern Notes: Pistons, Markkanen, Banchero, Donaldson, Queta

November 24th, 2025 at 4:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Rival executives have frequently mentioned Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen as an ideal trade target for the Pistons, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), who suggests that there are a number of reasons why Markkanen and Detroit would be a logical match.

As Fischer writes, the Pistons explored the market for floor-spacing big men over the summer, with Naz Reid, Myles Turner, and Santi Aldama among the players they considered pursuing at the time. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff also coached Markkanen in Cleveland. And Pistons head of basketball operations Trajan Langdon wanted to go after Markkanen in restricted free agency in 2021 when he was working under David Griffin in New Orleans’ front office, sources tell Fischer.

Still, as Fischer points out, Langdon has projected patience both publicly and privately, so it would come as a bit of a surprise if his front office looks to make a massive in-season move on the trade market. Fischer also hears that the Jazz would likely seek Ausar Thompson in any deal involving Markkanen and says the Pistons have no interest in moving the promising third-year wing. Sources tell The Stein Line that Utah considered trading up for Thompson during the 2023 draft.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

The Magic have ruled out Paolo Banchero (left groin strain) for a seventh straight game on Tuesday vs. Philadelphia, tweets Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel, but the star forward believes his return isn’t far off. “I think I’m in a good spot, just doing some movement stuff,” Banchero told Beede prior to Sunday’s loss in Boston. “The groin feels really good so the recovery’s been going well. … I’m definitely, pretty close. I don’t know when but definitely feeling close.”
The WNBA’s Portland Fire have hired Brittni Donaldson as an assistant coach and assistant general manager, as Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report relays (via Twitter). Donaldson, who spent two seasons on Quin Snyder‘s coaching staff as an assistant from 2023-25, took on a front office role this fall entering her third year with the Hawks. Her title was director of basketball development, methodology, and integration.
While it might be an overstatement to say that Neemias Queta is the Celtics‘ most irreplaceable player, it’s not entirely outrageous, according to Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston. Queta has been Boston’s starting center for all 17 games so far this season and the team has outscored opponents by 16.4 points per 100 possessions when he’s on the court. When he’s not playing, the Celtics are being outscored by 4.6 points per 100 possessions. After Queta left Sunday’s game with an ankle injury, Forsberg examines the Celtics’ options in the event the 26-year-old has to miss time.

Southeast Notes: Miller, Kalkbrenner, Connaughton, Bagley, Mosley

November 22nd, 2025 at 9:54pm CST by Arthur Hill

Brandon Miller posted 21 points and three assists Saturday afternoon as he returned to the Hornets‘ lineup after missing four weeks with a partially dislocated left shoulder, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer (subscription required). Even though Charlotte dropped a 15-point decision to the Clippers to fall to 4-12, there’s a sense of relief in seeing Miller back on the court. Injury problems have limited him to 30 total games after an outstanding first season in which he finished third in the Rookie of the Year race.

Miller played a little more than 25 minutes today as coach Charles Lee plans to ease him back into a normal role. His court time might be limited as the Hornets play Sunday in Atlanta on the second game of a back-to-back and have four games over a seven-day stretch.

“Your first game back, I’m not going to try to push him to the brink as much as I probably would want to, but we want to be smart about it,” Lee said. “I think that we want to be intentional with how we ramp him back up. So hopefully we can keep him in a good controlled space, and then we’ll just kind of just go forward day after day. “How’s he responding? What’s the plan? For him, it’s a little bit different, obviously, coming back from not a lower leg extremity injury.”

Boone notes that Miller provided an early spark for the Hornets, scoring their first eight points, including a crowd-pleasing dunk to open the game. He wound up shooting 8-of-18, but was only 2-of-10 from three-point range.

“We’re all excited for Brandon to be back in the lineup for a lot of different reasons,” Lee said. “I think for myself, I’m really happy with how he handled himself during this process. … His whole process as he went through his rehab and his return-to play-program, he came in every day locked in and excited for an opportunity to keep trying to get better. He saw the progress he was making, which was really good. I’m happy for him to be back out there after kind of having to go through that journey again. I think it ultimately just made him stronger and better.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Lee had his preferred starting lineup together for the first time since the second game of the season, Boone adds, but the good fortune didn’t last long. Hornets‘ starting center Ryan Kalkbrenner (left ankle soreness) and reserve wing Pat Connaughton (right calf soreness) both left the game in the first half and didn’t return.
At age 26, Marvin Bagley III has become one of the veteran leaders on a young Wizards roster, per Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network. During a team meeting last weekend, Bagley talked to his teammates about the obstacles he had to overcome and cautioned them that they shouldn’t get used to losing. “I was in a tough spot as a young player; 18 years old coming in (and) I didn’t really have the older vets to guide me,” Bagley said. “It kind of felt like I had to figure things out on the run, on the fly, by myself. That’s a hard spot to be in, especially in this league.”
Magic coach Jamahl Mosley was able to conduct his post-game meeting with reporters after missing the second half of today’s contest due to illness, tweets Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Mosley said he was feeling light-headed and dizzy during the game and called the experience “scary.” He expects to coach Sunday at Boston, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN (Twitter link). Mosley added that Paolo Banchero will miss his sixth straight game with a left groin strain, and it hasn’t been decided if Jalen Suggs will play on the second night of a back-to-back.

Magic Notes: Suggs, Banchero, Da Silva, Bane, Mosley

November 22nd, 2025 at 6:22pm CST by Arthur Hill

Magic guard Jalen Suggs is determined to become an even better player than he was before arthroscopic surgery on his left knee brought his 2024/25 season to a premature end, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required). Suggs turned in one of his best performances of the season on Thursday, posting 23 points, seven assists, two steals and two blocks in a win over the Clippers and helping Orlando improve to 5-1 in its last six games.

“I don’t even think I’m chasing my former self,” Suggs said. “I’m reaching for who I can be — player and person. It’s great to look back at the past couple seasons, you know some of the old ways I used to defend, even before the knee, and just my movement patterns and all that. It’s great to be based off of but for me, it’s about how do I keep evolving in this league so I can stay present, keep improving, keep helping us climb the ranks to become one of the better teams. Me improving myself and who I am directly correlates with that.”

Suggs only played 26 minutes on Thursday, but that’s because the Magic held a commanding lead after three quarters. Beede notes that he has been steadily increasing his playing time, going from 16 minutes on opening night to 32 in Tuesday’s matchup with Golden State. Coach Jamahl Mosley said Suggs’ level of playing time is being determined by how his knee responds after each game.

“His ability to do all of the little things, putting his body on the line for those moments, making those hustle plays,” Mosley said in describing Suggs’ value to the team. “… I mean, he’s going for blocks on 7-footers coming down the lane. But those are big plays for us. It’s who he is, it’s what he does, and we need that from him.”

There’s more from Orlando:

The Magic have been able to win without All-Star forward Paolo Banchero, who’s missing his fifth straight game tonight with a left groin strain, Beede adds. Mosley said earlier this week that Banchero is making progress, but there’s still no set date for his return. “We’ve just handled it as a team,” Franz Wagner said when asked about Orlando’s success without Banchero. “Everybody’s stepping into their role, playing confidently out there and doing what’s asked of them at a high level. If we can continue to do that, we’re in a good spot right now and obviously playing some really good teams in the next couple games, so we’ve got to continue to get better and keep doing what we’re doing.”
Second-year forward Tristan Da Silva has moved into the starting lineup with Banchero sidelined, Beede states in a separate story. Da Silva filled the same role when Banchero missed several games last season, and he feels “more comfortable” as a starter this time. “Being a starter, that’s already a big deal of responsibility because you set the tone for the rest of the game and most of the time finish the game too,” he said. “My coaches and teammates put a lot of trust into me, and I’m just happy and glad to be in a position like that.”
Desmond Bane‘s fit with the Magic has looked better lately following an uneven start, notes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. President of basketball operations Jeff Weltman admits there was some risk in acquiring Bane in an offseason trade with Memphis, but there’s a belief that he was the right player to target. “We paid a heavy price,” Weltman said. “There’s one pick that we don’t have control over, but the rest we have control over. And Des entering his prime, and a lot of our key young players under contract … we’re not looking at this as one season. Obviously, we gave up a lot because he’s a highly talented player who fits our roster very well. And we’re betting on ourselves.”
Mosley didn’t coach the second half of today’s game against New York due to an illness, the team announced (via Twitter). Assistant Joe Prunty took his place.

Injury Notes: Melton, Banchero, McDaniels, Garland

November 19th, 2025 at 6:16pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors provided an update on guard De’Anthony Melton on Wednesday, announcing in a press release that Melton has intensified his workouts and participated in practices and scrimmages with the Santa Cruz Warriors in the G League (Twitter link). According to the club, Melton will continue to be integrated in practices and scrimmages with the NBA team and will be reevaluated in 10 days.

Melton tore his ACL last November and underwent surgery to repair the tear on December 4, sidelining him for the rest of the 2024/25 season. He has continued to progress through the final stages of his recovery after rejoining Golden State on a minimum-salary deal prior to the season.

According to Anthony Slater of ESPN (Twitter link), December has been the “floating target” for Melton’s season debut, so he could be just a few weeks away from returning to action.

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

Magic forward Paolo Banchero, who is dealing with a left groin strain, will remain out for a fourth straight game on Thursday vs. the Clippers, tweets Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. It’s worth keeping a close eye on how much time Banchero misses, since his maximum-salary rookie scale extension includes Rose Rule language — he could earn a significant raise if he makes an All-NBA team this season, but he’d only be eligible if he appears in at least 65 games.
Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels has been diagnosed with a sprained left wrist after exiting Monday’s game in the third quarter due to the injury, per The Associated Press. McDaniels will sit out on Wednesday vs. Washington, marking his first injury absence since December 8, 2023. The 25-year-old is off to a hot start, having averaged 17.5 points per contest with a 52.1% mark on three-pointers through 14 games.
Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland will miss a fifth straight game on Wednesday after re-injuring his surgically repaired left great toe last week, but head coach Kenny Atkinson doesn’t anticipate Garland’s absence lasting much longer. “He is close,” Atkinson said (Twitter link via Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com). “Really close.”