Moe Wagner Agrees to Two-Year Deal with the Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets have signed Moe Wagner to a two-year deal.

May 3, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Orlando Magic forward Moritz Wagner (21) celebrates a three point basket in the first half against the Detroit Pistons during game seven of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Brooklyn Nets have signed Moe Wagner to a two-year, $19 million deal, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. The deal contains a mutual option guaranteeing the $19M while allowing either side to opt-in (not opt-out), along with having a conversation about doing a new contract next summer.

Wagner should help provide meaningful minutes at center with Nic Claxton heading to the Chicago Bulls in a three-team deal that landed Julius Randle in Brooklyn.

Wagner has spent the past five-plus seasons with the Orlando Magic, providing a solid mix of interior scoring and 3-point shooting mostly in a backup role, though he did fill in as a starter at times.

As the roster is currently constructed, Day'Ron Sharpe should be the full-time starter at the center position, but Wagner could certainly mix and match very well with other bigs in the Nets' lineup, given his capable playmaking skills.

The Nets suddenly have an influx of big man who possess solid playmaking skills, with Randle and Danny Wolf fully entrenched in their rotation.

Wagner likely won't address the Nets' rim protecting or rebounding issues, but he can be a useful resource to Wolf, a fellow Michigan product, and help Nets coach Jordi Fernández run many of the offensive sets that help free up guys like Michael Porter Jr. for clean looks, especially on pick-and-roll and curling actions.

The bottom line is that the Nets seem to be looking to add depth pieces that best complement some of the younger pieces on the team.

The team signed Keon Ellis to a two-year deal to help address some of the team's defensive issues at the point of attack. He'd be a good player for guys like Egor Dëmin, Nolan Traoré and Mikel Brown Jr. to learn from and grow alongside with.

The Nets are also well-positioned to make a big splash, whether it's this season or in the next few, given the treasure chest of first-round draft picks and some of the younger players in the team's cache.

For the team to get to where it needs to be, though, they have to bring in veterans who have experienced what it's like to win at the next level and can bring out the best in some of the younger players on the roster.

Competition breeds excellence, and the best way for some of the young bigs on this roster to grow is to fight for minutes against well-established vets.