ORLANDO – Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. will undergo surgery to stabilize the third metacarpal in his left hand. The preventive procedure will involve placing a plate at the fracture site.
Carter Jr. is expected to make a full recovery and will be re-evaluated in approximately four weeks following the procedure. He originally suffered a fractured left hand on Nov. 2, 2023 @ Utah and underwent subsequent surgery.
Carter Jr. (6’10”, 262, 4/16/99) played in 55 regular season games (48 starts) this season with Orlando, averaging 11.0 ppg., 6.9 rpg. and 1.7 apg. in 25.6 minpg., while shooting .525 (223-425) from the floor and .374 (64-171) from three-point range. He led (or tied) the team in scoring twice, in rebounding 26 times and in assists once. Carter Jr. scored in double figures 28 times and 20+ points three times, including a season-high 25 points on Jan. 19 vs. Philadelphia. He had 10+ rebounds 10 times, including a season-high 15 rebounds on Mar. 10 vs. Indiana, and had nine double-doubles. Carter Jr. also played in seven playoff games (five starts), averaging 7.6 ppg., 6.3 rpg. and 1.3 apg. in 26.4 minpg.
Originally selected in the first round (seventh overall) of the 2018 NBA Draft by Chicago, Carter Jr. has appeared in 315 career NBA regular season games (294 starts) with Chicago and Orlando, averaging 12.5 ppg., 8.5 rpg. and 2.0 apg. in 27.6 minpg., while shooting .517 (1,497-2,893) from the field. He has had 10+ rebounds 118 times (79 with Orlando) and 100 double-doubles (69 with Orlando) during his career.
Carter Jr. was acquired by Orlando from Chicago, along with Otto Porter Jr. and two future first round draft picks, in exchange for Al-Farouq Aminu and Nikola Vučević on Mar. 25, 2021. He has played in 196 games (182 starts) with the Magic, averaging 13.6 ppg., 8.8 rpg. and 2.2 apg. in 28.2 minpg., while shooting .522 (1,005-1,927) from the field.