The Orlando Magic will return from the All-Star break without one of their star players, as the team unveiled that Franz Wagner will be sidelined indefinitely with a high left ankle sprain. Wagner returned for a two-game stint prior to the All-Star break from the same ankle injury that forced him to miss 25 games since early December.
The Magic stated Wagner is still experiencing soreness in his left ankle, and recent imaging confirmed that additional rehab time would be ideal before he returned to play. Wagner will be reevaluated in three weeks to determine the best course of action from there.
Not having Wagner is a significant blow to an Orlando team that is hanging onto the No. 7 spot in the East. They may not be in danger of missing the play-in, but making the playoffs appears to be an uphill battle at this point without Wagner. In the games he’s missed, the Magic have gone 12-13, not an encouraging number for a team that had high expectations entering the season.
Injuries have been a theme for the Magic over the past two years. This year, Wagner has been the one whose missed a significant amount of time. Last season, it was Paolo Banchero who was limited to just 46 games, and as a result Orlando finished with a 41-41 record. Jalen Suggs has also been limited in each of the last two seasons, which also impacts their backcourt depth and defensive strength.
But even in the 18 games Banchero and Wagner have played together this season, the Magic have gone just 9-9. It’s indicative of a team that has struggled to find any rhythm, which has translated to their on-court success. It’s a difficult reality for the Magic, who were considered to be one of the teams who would rise through the mediocrity of the East to really challenge some of the top teams in the conference.
Instead, Orlando is one of the mediocre teams this season, owning the league’s 19th-best offense and 14th-best defense. Those are mediocre numbers in itself. And those numbers mostly reflect how the Magic have operated without Wagner, so there’s little evidence to suggest this team can go on a run without him.
With all of the injuries over the last two years to this team, it raises a question that has been talked about in the past regarding the future of the Magic with both Wagner and Banchero on the roster together. When both guys were healthy during the 2023-24 season, the Magic won 47 games and lost in a compelling seven-game series to the Cavaliers. And despite a playoff appearance a year ago, they weren’t nearly as competitive in a 4-1 series loss to the Celtics. Both Banchero and Wagner averaged 25+ points, but neither shot the ball efficiently in the process. It’s worth wondering if having both players is stifling their development, but the Magic probably aren’t ready for that conversation.
Until then, we’ll have to see how far Banchero can take Orlando on his own, and see if Wagner returns at all this season.
