Moritz Wagner has played each of the last three full seasons with the Orlando Magic. He now will be getting ready to gear up for his fourth with the team. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN is reporting that the 27-year-old center will be signing a two-year, $22 million deal to remain with Orlando. He will continue to play with his brother, Franz Wagner, who the Magic selected with the eighth overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Free agent F/C Moe Wagner is returning to the Orlando Magic on a two-year, $22 million deal, sources tell ESPN. Wagner averaged 10.8 points and 4.3 rebounds in 80 games for the Eastern Conference’s fifth seed. pic.twitter.com/ZZTIHbzaB3
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2024
Magic Re-Sign Key Reserve On Two-Year Deal
Moritz Wagner Has Become An Important Piece On An Ascending Magic Team
Standing at six-foot-11, Wagner was selected with the 25th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. He had stints with the Lakers, Washington Wizards, and Boston Celtics before joining Orlando. The Celtics waived Wagner in April of 2021. The Magic signed him later that month, and he has remained with the team since.
In 2023-24, Wagner appeared in 80 games playing 17.7 minutes per contest. His per game averages included 10.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. He shot 60.1% from the field, 33.0% from three-point range, and 81.4% from the free throw line. Both his scoring average and field goal percentage were career-highs for the six-year veteran.
The 2024 postseason was Wagner’s first taste of playoff basketball. The Magic battled the Cleveland Cavaliers to a seven-game opening round series but were ousted in Game 7. During that series, Wagner averaged 6.3 points and 4.4 points in 15.0 minutes.
Second Big Man That Orlando Has Re-Signed
The re-signing of Wagner comes on the heels of the Magic also re-signing center Goga Bitadze. The team is bringing back the 24-year-old (who turns 25 on July 20) on a three-year deal worth $25 million. Bitadze started 33 games for Orlando last season while starting center Wendell Carter Jr. was out with an injury.
It will be interesting to see if Orlando changes the center rotation at all next season. When both Carter Jr. and Wagner were healthy, Bitadze often wasn’t in the rotation. Bitdaze appeared in just two of their seven playoff games for a total of 10 minutes.
The re-signings of Wagner and Bitdaze are just two of the moves that Orlando has made thus far in the offseason. The Magic pried away Kentavious Caldwell-Pope from the Denver Nuggets on a three-year deal worth $66 million. Gary Harris re-signed with the team for two years, $15 million. With the 18th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Orlando selected forward Tristan da Silva out of Colorado.
