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Magic’s Franz Wagner Helps Germany Defeat Luka Doncic, Slovenia - NBA Tracker
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AUG 28 FRANZ WAGNER SHOWS OUT FOR GERMANY
As the Orlando Magic await the start of the 2022-23 season, fans get to watch 21-year-old forward Franz Wagner play for the German national team to pass the time.
On Sunday, Wagner was Germany’s second-leading scorer with 16 points as they defeated Luka Doncic’s Slovenia in blowout fashion, 90-71. Wagner’s teammate Dennis Schroder led Germany with 17 points and 10 assists.
Doncic finished the game with 23 points, six rebounds and five assists, but it wasn’t enough.
After averaging 15.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists as a rookie, Wagner is hoping for an even better breakout sophomore season as the youth-infused Magic look to end a three-year postseason drought.
AUG 23 KD STAYS IN BROOKLYN
After putting the entire NBA offseason on hold for nearly two months, it appears that the Brooklyn Nets aren't going to trade Kevin Durant ... at least not anytime soon.
On Tuesday, Nets GM Sean Marks released a statement saying Durant and the Nets have agreed to "move forward" in hopes of building a championship team.
"Steve Nash and I, together with Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai, met with Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman in Los Angeles yesterday," wrote Marks in his official statement. "We have agreed to move forward with our partnership. We are focusing on basketball, with one collective goal in mind: build a lasting franchise to bring a championship to Brooklyn."
Although this likely isn't the outcome Durant had in mind, he likely didn't have any other choice. Given that he has four years remaining on his contract, it was nearly impossible for the Nets to find a trade package that brought back acceptable value for the all-time great. With Durant officially staying in Brooklyn for now, perhaps we will start to see other movement around the league ... such as the New York Knicks trading for Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell.
AUG 20 NBA STARS BACK IN SEATTLE
It's been 14 years since the basketball-loving city of Seattle lost its SuperSonics. If the NBA ever decides to expand again, Seattle could be in the running for getting a team again, but for now, the city has to take whatever form of NBA action it can get until that time comes.
On Saturday night, a handful of NBA stars and potential future stars are set to play in Jamal Crawford's pro-am league, "The Crawsover." The list of players who will be in attendance include: LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, Dejounte Murray, Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Thomas, Tari Eason and MarJon Beauchamp.
The game will tip off at 7:30pm CT and can be watched on the NBA App and NBA.com.
AUG 17 PAOLO vs. CHET
The Orlando Magic's schedule released Wednesday afternoon, and fans are keeping an eye out for when No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero will meet No. 2 overall pick Chet Holmgren.
The pair play against one another twice in the regular season. The first meeting comes Tuesday, Nov. 1 on TNT in Oklahoma City, while the second comes Wednesday, Jan. 4 in Orlando.
AUG 16 MAGIC OPENER REVEALED
The Orlando Magic kick off their 2022-23 schedule with a trip to the Motor City, facing the Detroit Pistons. The Athletic was the first to report the news.
The game will pit the previous two No. 1 overall picks against each other ... Paolo Banchero vs. Cade Cunningham.
The rest of the Magic's 82-game schedule will be revealed Wednesday at 3 p.m.
AUG 13 NBA SCHEDULE LEAKS
Although the full NBA schedule won't be released until next week, a few of the most important matchups have already started to leak out. On Friday, NBA reporter Marc Stein reported that Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks are set to take on LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 25.
"The first draft of next season's NBA schedule has Lakers at Dallas/LeBron at Luka on Christmas Day, league sources tell me," Stein tweeted. "Changes are still possible before the full schedule officially drops next week but Christmas games usually hold."
On Saturday, The Athletic's Shams Charania followed that up by announcing that the defending champion Golden State Warriors opening night game on Oct. 18, which will also be when they receive their rings and raise their championship banner, will be against James and the Lakers.
Stay tuned to The Magic Insider for a full schedule breakdown once it's officially released.
AUG 9 MAGIC SIGN SIMI SHITTU
The Orlando Magic continued to round out its training camp roster Tuesday, signing guard Simi Shittu to an Exhibit 10 deal. Yahoo! Sports was the first to report the news.
Shittu, 22, is from the U.K. but moved to Canada as a child. During high school, he played at nearby Montverde Academy, the same school Caleb Houstan played for.
Shittu played one season at Vanderbilt and went undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft. Since then, he's bounced around the G League and Israel.
Now, Shittu comes to camp with an opportunity to prove he belongs in the NBA.
AUG 7 NBA SCHEDULE DROPPING SOON...
With not much going on in this part of the NBA offseason, many fans are itching to start making plans to go watch their favorite teams next season. The problem is, it's hard to make plans when you don't know dates for certain games. So, when exactly will the 2022-2023 schedule drop? NBA reporter Marc Stein recently weighed in:
"Hearing that the full release of the NBA Schedule for the 2022-23 season is not expected until after next week," Stein tweeted.
AUG 3 MAGIC ASSISTANT DISAPPEARS
Orlando Magic assistant coach Bruce Kreutzer is leaving the team after four seasons.
Kreutzer, who came to Orlando as an assistant under Steve Clifford, is reuniting with him on the Charlotte Hornets staff, per a press release.
Clifford, who coached Orlando from 2018-21, did not coach in the NBA last season but was hired by Charlotte after failing to reach an agreement with their first choice, Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson.
JULY 30 PAOLO BANCHERO SHINES AT PRO-AM
Orlando Magic rookie Paolo Banchero played his first organized public basketball game since the Las Vegas Summer League, and the No. 1 overall pick didn't disappoint.
Banchero scored 50 points for his team in a 122-107 win. His teammate Chet Holmgren, the No. 2 overall pick, scored 34 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.
JULY 26 DRAKE JEFFRIES SIGNS EXHIBIT-10 DEAL
The Orlando Magic continue to add to their roster by signing Wyoming guard Drake Jeffries to an Exhibit-10 deal. Richard Stayman of Mavs Draft was first to report the news.
Jeffries averaged 10.3 points per game last season with the Cowboys and shot over 40 percent from beyond the three-point line. Jeffries appeared in one game for the Denver Nuggets during Summer League.
Exhibit-10 deals are one-year, minimum deals that are often non-guaranteed with the chance to be converted to a two-way contract.
Jeffries will be part of the Magic's training camp roster.
JULY 25 KEVON HARRIS SIGNS TWO-WAY
The Orlando Magic filled their second two-way spot Monday morning, signing Kevon Harris to a deal. The Athletic was the first to report the signing.
Harris spent the past two seasons in the G League with Raptors 905 and averaged nearly 16 points per game with the Minnesota Timberwolves Summer League squad.
Harris, 25, spent four years at Stephen F. Austin for college.
JULY 19 WAGNER BROS. TO EUROBASKET
Orlando Magic forwards Franz and Mo Wagner have been named to Germany's roster for EuroBasket 2022.
Last season, the Wagners joined an elite club of brothers to play on the same NBA team in Orlando. Now, they will be teammates once again for their native Germany.
Franz was a massive bright spot for the Magic in his rookie season, averaging 15.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.
Mo proved to be a valuable depth piece for the Magic, playing in 63 games and averaging nine points per game.
JULY 17 RAFER ALSTON COACHING IN TBT
Former Orlando Magic point guard Rafer Alston coached Team "Skip To My Lou" in The Basketball Tournament's Rucker Park region.
Unfortunately for Alston and Co., the team lost in its first game against HBCUnited, a team comprised of HBCU alumni.
Alston played for the 2009 Magic team that made it to the NBA Finals.
JULY 11 PAOLO OUT IN VEGAS
Orlando Magic rookie sensation Paolo Banchero won't play for the remainder of the Vegas Summer League, per multiple reports Monday.
The Associated Press says that Banchero is sitting because the Magic "want other players to get opportunities now."
Banchero, the No. 1 overall selection by Orlando in last month's draft, has led the Magic to a 2-0 record so far in Vegas. He's averaged 20 points, five rebounds, and six assists through the first two contests.
The Magic take on the Oklahoma City Thunder and No. 2 overall pick Chet Holmgren Monday night at 9 p.m. E.T. inside the Thomas & Mack Center.
JULY 9 PAOLO BANCHERO DUNK AMAZES
It may not be July 4th anymore, but Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero is bringing the fireworks in Las Vegas.
In the first quarter against the Sacramento Kings, Banchero stole the ball, leading to a lonely fast break where nobody else was near him. This allowed Banchero to throw down this dunk ...
JULY 5 ORLANDO FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION GOES AWRY
Thousands of Orlando residents ran in panic Monday night during a Fourth of July celebration after reports of a shooting were made.
The chaos took place at Lake Eola Park, less than a mile away from where the Magic play.
Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolón said that 12 people sustained minor injuries.
JULY 1 GOBERT TRADED TO MINNESOTA
According to ESPN, the Utah Jazz are trading Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Leandro Bolmaro, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt and four first-round picks.
The Wolves now obtain one of the best trios in the NBA ... Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards.
JULY 1 ROBIN LOPEZ LEAVES ORLANDO
After playing last season with the Orlando Magic, veteran center Robin Lopez has moved on in free agency, signing a one-year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Lopez, 34, played in 36 games for the Magic last season, averaging 7.1 points per game.
Now, he joins the Cavs as they look to make their first playoff appearance since 2018.
