Jase Richardson appeared on Orlando's injury report for the first time this preseason, listed day-to-day with a back injury. The Magic have targeted Oct. 21 as his expected return, the same day they play the Hawks.
What happened
Richardson was not on Orlando's injury report before Friday. The Magic listed him day-to-day on Friday, Oct. 16 at 10:09 p.m. ET with a back and torso injury, with an expected return date of Oct. 21. The report's note pointed to his most recent outing, Tuesday's 132-116 preseason win over the Cavaliers, in which Richardson had 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting, including 0-for-3 from 3-point range, with 2-of-2 free throws, four rebounds and four assists in 23 minutes.
What it means for the Magic
Orlando's next game is Wednesday against the Hawks at 7 p.m. ET, the same day Richardson is expected to return. Last season, as a rookie, he averaged 4.4 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 10.9 minutes across 54 games. The Magic are 0-0 since the 2026-27 season has not started, so there is no record split with or without him yet. If he is unavailable, Orlando's heaviest minutes in Tuesday's preseason win went to Paolo Banchero (34.7 minutes, 22.2 points), Desmond Bane (33.6, 20.1), Franz Wagner (30.0, 20.6) and Anthony Black (29.8, 15.0), with Wendell Carter Jr., Jalen Suggs, Tristan da Silva and Jevon Carter also logging time.
What to watch
Orlando's next injury report will show whether Richardson's back and torso issue has cleared ahead of Wednesday. The Magic have already set Oct. 21 as his expected return, which matches the Hawks game. He joins a crowded list: Franz Wagner (shoulder), Anthony Black (ankle), Noah Penda (hamstring) and Jonathan Isaac (knee) are all day-to-day, while Izaiyah Nelson (ankle) is out.
Is Jase Richardson playing vs Hawks?
He is day-to-day with a back injury. The Magic's expected return date for Richardson is Oct. 21, the same day as the Hawks game, but his status for that specific game has not been announced.
When will Jase Richardson be back?
The Magic have targeted Oct. 21 as his expected return.