Franz Wagner's return makes Magic whole for first time in well over a year

Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley will have his entire core for the first time all season.

Nov 21, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) celebrates with guard Jalen Suggs (4) after defeating the Los Angeles Lakers with a 3-point basket with 2.5 seconds left in the game at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Orlando Magic got excellent news to open the week, clearing Franz Wagner to return from a nine-game absence due to ankle pain. 

Wagner will be on a strict minutes restriction against the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, according to Orlando head coach Jamahl Mosley. He’ll likely return to the starting lineup, which means Anthony Black will return to a bench role after serving as the preferred fill-in through most of Orlando’s injuries to key starters this season.

Mosley is expected to start his opening night lineup for the first time since Dec. 7 and just the 12th time this season. 

Wagner returned from a 14-game absence after suffering a high ankle sprain at Madison Square Garden on the first Sunday in December. He admittedly rushed back to play in the first regular-season NBA game ever played in Germany since it took place in his hometown on Jan. 15. He played in London against the Grizzlies again three days later but hasn’t participated since, missing the next few weeks to get completely healthy. 

It’s a mild upset to see him back this close to the All-Star break since conventional wisdom was that the Magic would hold him out an additional week-plus, but that means the training staff is convinced there won’t be any setbacks. Orlando’s first game until post-break isn’t until Feb. 19 in Sacramento.

Wagner is averaging a team-high 22.2 points through 26 games this season and looked like a likely All-Star before suffering the nasty-looking injury in the first half against the Knicks two months ago. The 24-year-old German international is also averaging 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.1 steals.

With Suggs set to play, this contest against the Bucks will mark the first time in 467 days that both Wagner brothers, Banchero and Orlando’s point guard will all be available to Mosley. That core obviously pre-dates Desmond Bane’s arrival and Anthony Black’s impressive emergence, so we’re going to get a taste of what to expect from the Magic as they look to live up preseason expectations once everyone is in rhythm now that they’re healthy.

The Bucks won’t have Giannis Antetokounmpo available due to a calf strain, but arrive in Central Florida on a three-game win streak. Milwaukee has had a rough time on the road, so it has been installed as a double-digit underdog in the first of two games against the Magic before the league goes on hiatus.