The red-hot Orlando Magic are starting to play like the Eastern Conference contenders they were expected to be. Already without Paolo Bacnchero and star center Wendell Carter Jr. for the last 11 games, point guard Jalen Suggs suffered a hamstring injury and didn’t return to Saturday night’s 110-100 victory over the Detroit Pistons.
Suggs left the game early in the second quarter due to a sore left hamstring. Considered doubtful to return to the game after exiting with 10:14 left in the second quarter, Suggs returned to the Magic’s bench in the second, though he didn’t re-enter the contest. The 23-year-old finished the game with two points on 1 of 3 shooting from the field, along with one assist and one block in nine minutes.
“Sore left hamstring, Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said at the Magic’s Saturday night press conference about Suggs injury. “So, we’re going to see how he responds to treatment.”
Orlando Magic Gets Good News On Injury Front, Franz Wagner’s Rise To Stardom, And 2024 First-Rounder’s Case To Remain In Rotation
For his part, according to Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel, Suggs didn’t speak at length about the injury after the game but did say he was good.
“I’m solid. I’m good. Good win tonight.”
Suggs, who signed a huge five-year extension in October, turned in a career season last season. The 6-5 guard has been more aggressive in the early going but has struggled with efficiency as he has struggled with his shot and turnovers. However, he has been just as dominant on the defensive end, finishing 10th in Defensive Player of the Year voting last season.
Suggs has scored in double figures in 14 of his 18 appearances, topping the 20-point mark four times. Suggs has taken a bigger role at handling point guard duties and has struggled with his ball handling. He is a decent facilitator and averages 14.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.2 blocks a game.
In fact, Suggs apparently won’t miss time as he is not listed on the Magic’s injury list for the game against Charlotte.
Wendell Carter Jr. is Questionable For the Third Straight Game
While Suggs is slated to play against the Hornets, Carter is listed on the Magic’s injury report as questionable for the third straight game. The 25-year-old center downgraded to out the previous two games, has been sidelined for 11 straight games due to plantar fasciitis. He has been able to practice several days this past week, so expect him to return soon.
Carter has been plagued by injuries throughout his career. The 6-10 big has not played more than 62 games since Chicago took him with the No. 7 pick in the 2019 draft. Still, he has been a starter almost his entire career due to his rebounding ability and physicality.
Since coming to Orlando in March 2021, Carter has shown drastic improvement on both ends of the court. On the offensive end, Carter continues to excel around the rim, though he has improved his efficiency close to the rim with the Magic. He also has improved his range, passing, and defense with the Magic.
If Carter cannot play against Charlotte, Goga Bitadze will likely start again. Bitadze has shown massive improvement this year after seeing the most action in his career last year with Orlando, his first with the franchise. The 25-year-old Georgian has produced four double-doubles while compiling a career-best 7.9 points and 6.6 rebounds in 14 appearances, including 11 starts. He is also blocking 1.4 shots while shooting 70% from the field.
It will be interesting to see how Mosley manages his frontcourt rotation when Carter can return. Carter and Bitadze have yet to be paired together during their time with the Magic.
Mosley’s Frontcourt Options
Mosley has several options upfront, so the Magic have the top frontcourt in the league. While Carter can play the four, he is more suited to man the middle. He is not the most mobile big, and his offensive skills don’t really match those of the modern power forward.
Per Hoopsstats, the Magic’s frontcourt is the best in efficiency and is a top-three unit defensively. The Magic’s frontcourt outscored their opponents 72.2 -58.4.
Franz Wagner has been starting at power forward since Banchero’s injury 13 games ago. It appears that Wagner will start alongside either Bitadze or Carter, who is likely to be sidelined at least once more for an extended period — as with his history, for the time being.
According to Andscape’s Marc J. Spears, Banchero will be out for a few more weeks and is hoping to return to the court before Christmas.
“Personally — this isn’t from the medical team or anything — but the way I feel, I think [I’m back] before Christmas,” Banchero said. “So maybe that’s a week before. A couple of days before. Now, if it’s around that time, Arnie (Kander) says, ‘Man, no way. You can’t go,’ then I’ll listen. But if he gives me the green light, then I’m going to do it for sure.”
Franz Wagner’s Rise To Stardom
Wagner has long been known as a talented, versatile player. The 23-year-old has really taken a liking to scoring the basketball since being chosen with the No. 8 overall pick in 2021. Wagner has improved as a scorer in each of his first three years, though he has really taken off offensively since Banchero’s injury.
The 6-10 forward has seen his usage rate increase from 26.1% in October to 32.4% in November, as he is touching the ball over 72 times a game this month. As a result, he has increased his offensive production by eight points and three assists to 25.8 points and 6.4 assists. He has scored in double-figures in all 13 games this month, tallying at least 29 in seven of his last eight contests.
“It’s an introduction to superstardom,” Moe Wagner told Sportskeeda about his brother Franz. “Not to exaggerate, but I think he’s understanding his power and how good he can be.”
Wagner, who had a total of four double-doubles in his first three seasons, has two this year. He has produced a double-double of each variety (points-rebounds, and points variety). He also drained the game-winning three-pointer Thursday to give the Magic a 119-118 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
“I don’t know if there’s someone who I would say I play really close to,” Wagner told Law Murray of Athletic. “I think I’m definitely like a tall guard, I would say that. I’m a perimeter player, but pretty tall. I try to do a lot of different stuff out there. And I hope when you see me play, you see that I’m having fun and play for the right reasons. That’s what I hope people see when they see me play.”
Has Tristan Da Silva Earned A Regular Spot In Rotation?
Da Silva, the No. 18 pick in 2024, has taken advantage of his unexpected opportunity. Has the 23-year-old forward done enough to earn a regular rotation spot?
After seeing just five minutes of action in Orlando’s opening night blowout victory over Miami, Da Silva has seen major minutes through the first five games since Banchero has been out. Since the beginning of the month, Da Silva has compiled 7.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 26.8 minutes. During this stretch, he is making 1.2 threes a game with shooting splits of 40.4/34.8/84.8.
Da Silva, who has played better on the road, has scored in double figures four times, including two of the last three contests. While Da Silva needs to be more consistent, he has done a nice job filling a role as a complementary player. He can play four positions, everyone but point guard, defend, and has taken care of the ball— recording a 3.7 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Orlando (11-7) is 8-4 in the games that Da Silva has started with a +3.7 scoring margin when he is on the court during this stretch. The Magic are +1.3 over when he is off the court.
“He’s a player,” Harris said. “He’s smart. He understands where he’s supposed to be. He works hard. It’s just a testament to who he is. He was drafted for a reason.”
Once Orlando is fully healthy, Da Silva will obviously see a significant decrease in playing time. But if Da Silva remains productive, he will likely continue to see consistent time, as Mosley has typically used 11 players this season.
