How Magic can survive the Paolo Banchero injury

The Orlando Magic are going to be in a tough position over the next few weeks. After the news that their young star, Paolo Banchero, is out for at least four to six weeks with a torn oblique, the Magic are looking for someone to step up in his place. 

Following the disappointing loss to the Mavericks on Sunday, the Magic will need to take a look at the Banchero injury and its impact on their team moving forward. 

The Paolo Banchero Injury Hurts 

Banchero started the season on an absolute tear. The former No. 1 overall pick was averaging 29.0 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists to start his third NBA season. His scoring numbers are a huge jump from last year's 22.6 points per game, even though they do include his 50-point explosion against the the Pacers a few nights ago. 

Yes, it is unlikely that Banchero would keep up these numbers all season, but his improvement is undeniable. Even though the Banchero injury won't have him missing too much time, someone will need to step up in his absence. 

The Magic's Depth Chart Tested

The first and most obvious name to pick up the slack with Banchero out is Franz Wagner. Wagner has been the second-leading scorer on the Magic every season since his rookie year. Now, the focus is on Wagner to take the reins of the Magic offense and show what he can do. 

So far, the results haven't been great. Wagner is recovering from an illness, but his two games without Banchero have left a lot to be desired. In the Mavericks game on Sunday, he only scored 13 points and was inefficient, shooting 6-of-15.