Orlando Magic center Moe Wagner has been working his way back to an NBA floor for over a year after tearing his left ACL in December 2024. Now, he is set to make his debut.
The Orlando Magic and their fans will have a lot to look forward to on Sunday as center Moritz Wagner is expected to make his long-awaited season debut against the New Orleans Pelicans.
It will be Wagner’s first game in over a year after he tore his left ACL against the Miami Heat on Dec. 21, 2024. ESPN NBA Insider Shams Charania tweeted the news on Saturday afternoon, and Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel confirmed the report of Wagner’s return.
Wagner, 28, was having one of the most productive seasons of his NBA career before suffering the injury. He averaged a career-high 12.9 points through 30 games and became a crucial contributor after Paolo Banchero suffered a torn oblique earlier in the year. Despite missing more than half of the 2024-25 season, Wagner’s production and intangibles led to the signing of a one-year, $5 million contract to bring him back.
The return of Wagner will be welcomed during a time when the Magic are once again struggling with injuries. Wagner’s brother, Franz, has been out since suffering a high ankle sprain in a Dec. 7 game against the New York Knicks. Meanwhile, Jalen Suggs has been in and out of the lineup with injuries of his own and is currently missing time due to a Grade 1 right MCL contusion.
“I’m doing really good,” Wagner told the Orlando Sentinel at a holiday event with his brother when asked about his recovery. “I’m feeling really good about where I’m at, finding the joy again of playing basketball and enjoying the process a little more.”
Wagner has become an anchor for his team during his five-plus seasons in Orlando. When healthy, he becomes more invaluable.
“He’s one you know you can rely on,” Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. told the Orlando Sentinel on Friday night. “Not necessarily just scoring, but his energy. He comes in with great energy, always smiling, lifting up his teammates and of course, physically.
“At one point, he was one of the best guys off the bench in the whole entire league,” Carter added. “That’s a guy who you want on your team.”
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