Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. to undergo left hand surgery, out at least 3 weeks

Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. will undergo surgery to repair a fractured third metacarpal in his left hand, according to sources. Following surgery, Carter will be re-evaluated in approximately three weeks.

The 6-foot-10 big man fell on his left hand, injuring his third metacarpal, after going for a rebound in the closing seconds of Thursday’s 115-113 victory over the Utah Jazz.

Carter ended his performance with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and one block.

Per multiple NBA betting sites, the Orlando Magic hold 25th-ranked odds to win this season’s 2024 championship. Sportsbooks are showing better odds for the New York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks, and Brooklyn Nets.

INJURY UPDATE:@OrlandoMagic center Wendell Carter Jr. will undergo surgery to repair a fractured third metacarpal in his left hand.

Following surgery, Carter Jr. will be re-evaluated in approximately three weeks and his status will be updated as appropriate. #MagicTogether

— Orlando Magic PR (@Magic_PR) November 4, 2023

Carter, 24, was selected seventh overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 2018 NBA Draft out of Duke University. The Georgia native spent his first three seasons (2018-21) with Chicago.

In March 2021, the Bulls traded him to Orlando, along with Otto Porter and two first-round draft picks (2021, 2023), for Al-Farouq Aminu and Nikola Vucevic.

Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. to undergo left hand surgery, out at least three weeks

In the 2021-22 season with the Magic, the center made 61 starts in 62 appearances. Carter averaged a then-career-high 15 points, along with career highs of 10.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 29.9 minutes per game. Plus, he shot 52.5% from the floor.

Additionally, in Orlando’s 90-85 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 20, 2022, he recorded a career-high 30 points, 16 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block in 31 minutes of action.

Last season, Carter made 54 starts in 57 games. The Duke product averaged a career-high 15.2 points per game, in addition to logging 8.7 boards, 2.3 assists, and 29.6 minutes per contest.

WENDELL CARTER JR pic.twitter.com/qYNtaRQZp9

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) October 28, 2023

Carter matched his career high of 30 points in a 116-108 loss to OKC on November 1, 2022.

Through five starts of the 2023-24 season, the center is averaging 9.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 29.4 minutes per game. Also, he’s shooting 37.8% from the field, 31.3% from 3-point range, and 57.1% at the foul line.

During Carter’s absence, the Magic will rely on big men Jonathan Isaac and Moe Wagner.