ORLANDO, Fla. - Exactly eight weeks have come and gone since Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero was diagnosed with a torn right oblique.

Thursday morning, as his Magic teammates wrapped up shootaround ahead of the evening's contest with the Miami Heat, Banchero showcased the latest steps of his progress during the media's visible shootaround window as the third-year pro was put through a series of conditioning drills.

"He continues to respond to what we're pushing him through," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley told reporters while Banchero's work continued on the other side of the AdventHealth Training Center practice floor. "So it's continue to look at the days as they move forward. He's able to run higher speeds now, getting on the court a little bit, doing some ball-handling as well as some defensive work. Just little small pieces just to see how he keeps responding to what we're throwing on his plate.

But, "he has not gone through contact yet," Mosley said.

Mosley's media availability came before footage of Banchero's session was recorded by reporters.

Plenty of eyes were trained Banchero's direction. Scattered throughout the gym, Mosley and his staff of assistants, the team's training staff, president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman, and even some players - such as Jalen Suggs and Wendell Carter Jr., who's faces featured big smiles through Banchero's progression - watched along as vice president of player performance and wellness Arnie Kander put him through his rigors.

Among Banchero's activities were...

After each rep, Banchero rested with a towel and rehydrated. While Banchero wasn't going untouched, the contact he was taking is far from what he'd take from an opponent in a game scenario. He's yet to participate fully in practice, and Orlando still isn't putting a concrete timeline for when he could return.

"The reality is, it has to go from the days and how he responds from the initial day and then how we bounce back from there," Mosley said.

Banchero is out for the Magic's Dec. 26 contest versus Miami, missing his 27th game of the season with the injury. But Orlando's All-Star is making positive strides toward his much-anticipated return.

Key reserve guard Gary Harris has missed a month with a left hamstring strain he picked up Nov. 25 at Charlotte. He's missed 12 consecutive games with the injury, and he's listed as questionable for Orlando's Dec. 26 game versus Miami.

"Gary's doing better," Mosley told reporters Thursday morning. Harris would go through a post-shootaround routine, but he did not participate in the team's shootaround.

With the Magic down key bodies in Banchero, Franz Wagner (who was not seen during the media's visible portion of shootaround less than three weeks after his torn right oblique diagnosis), and Moe Wagner (season-ending ACL tear), Orlando is relying on a wide cast of characters to make up for their production.

Harris is a solid defender and shooting threat off the Orlando bench who can be a steadying presence on the floor. Having him back would be a boost to the Magic's depth.

After an 18-point performance that included a dagger three in Orlando's win over the Boston Celtics, the Magic's No. 18 pick from this summer climbed to eighth in the latest NBA.com rookie ladder.

The former Colorado Buffalo is averaging 8.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists a game this season. He's been relied upon in multiple different roles, from starting in the absence of key players to closing out signature wins.

At this pace, da Silva could be in consideration for one of 10 end-of-year All-Rookie Team spots.

The Magic host the Heat tonight, Thursday, December 26 at 7 p.m. from the Kia Center.