Franz Wagner Injury Casts Doubt on Orlando Magic in Latest NBA Playoff Odds

Orlando Magic star Franz Wagner has been out of the lineup with an ankle injury for the last several weeks, and a new update casts some doubt on if he'll return this season.

The Magic forward reportedly still remains without a timetable for return, and he has not played in a game since Feb. 11. In fact, Wagner has played in just four games since going out of the lineup on Dec. 9, leaving the Magic in a tough spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Status alert: Franz Wagner (ankle) without timetable for return.
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) March 10, 2026

Now, in addition to Wagner, the Magic are without Anthony Black (abdominal strain) for the foreseeable future. Despite the fact that the Magic have won four games in a row heading into Wednesday's matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers, their playoff odds have taken a hit.

At DraftKings Sportsbook, Orlando is -280 to make the playoffs (an implied probability of 73.68 percent, but oddsmakers expect them to do it by way of the play-in tournament. Orlando slipped to the No. 7 seed in the East after the Miami Heat won a sixth straight game on Tuesday, and the Magic are now -175 (good for an implied probability of 63.64 percent) to land in the play-in this season.

The Wagner and Black injuries certainly limit Orlando's ceiling as a contender in the East, as both players are integral to the team's success. When he's been in the lineup, Wagner has arguably been Orlando's best player, averaging 21.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game while shooting 47.9 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from beyond the arc.

The Magic are also four games over .500 (16-12) when Wagner plays this season.

If the Magic end up in the play-in tournament, they'll hope to secure at least the No. 7 or No. 8 seed so they have two chances to win one game to make the playoffs. Since they're heavily favored to make the postseason, oddsmakers seem to be confident in thet Magic landing in one of those two slots.

Still, they have just a one-game cushion on the Philadelphia 76ers and a two-game lead on the Atlanta Hawks in the latest standings.

If Wagner is unable to return before the end of the regular season, the Magic may have a hard time getting out of the play-in, which is suddenly full of competitive teams like Philly, Atlanta, Charlotte and potentially Miami with about a month to go before the playoffs.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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