Franz Wagner averaged a career-best 24.4 points through the first 25 games of the 2024-25 season.

Franz Wagner appeared in a variety of ways for the Orlando Magic when All-Star forward Paolo Banchero suffered a torn oblique ligament.

And now, Wagner has the same injury.

Wagner suffered a torn right oblique in a devastating blow for a team that survived the loss of Banchero and will play in the quarterfinals of the Emirates NBA Cup – but will now be without its second-leading scorer for at least four weeks and probably longer .

Franz Wagner was diagnosed with a tear in the right oblique muscle.

Wagner will be out indefinitely and his return to play will depend on how he responds to treatment.

He will be reassessed in four weeks. pic.twitter.com/JvgxX3Uemu

– Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) December 7, 2024

“Wagner will be out indefinitely and his return to play will depend on how he responds to treatment,” the Magic said in a statement announcing the injury on Saturday. “He will be reassessed in four weeks.”

Wagner was injured in Friday’s loss at Philadelphia. He started each of Orlando’s first 25 games this season, a key reason the team is off to a 16-9 start and advances to the Knockout Round of the Emirates NBA Cup with a 3-1 record in group play.

Orlando will face Milwaukee in the quarterfinals on Tuesday (7 ET, TNT).

Wagner has been without question Orlando’s best player in the 20 games the team has played since Banchero was injured in late October, averaging 26.1 points, 6 rebounds and 6.3 assists in that span – leading the Magic to a 13th- 7 record in these games led contests, 13-3 in the last 16 games.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.