Magic's Jalen Suggs Reveals Critical Advice Given to Noah Penda

On Wednesday, the Orlando Magic will open their 2026-27 season by hosting the Atlanta Hawks, and after a 3-1 finish to the preseason, the work has continued in practice.

Already, the Magic are facing adversity with injuries as second-year forward Noah Penda is set to miss time with a partially torn right hamstring. Additionally, Franz Wagner is dealing with right shoulder soreness, and second-year guard Jase Richardson joined Penda and Wagner as an early exit in Friday’s preseason finale against the Miami Heat with lower back soreness.

Someone who knows all too well about injuries is guard Jalen Suggs, and after Sunday’s practice, he talked about how the team rallied around Penda following his diagnosis. First and foremost, Suggs said the team made sure Penda’s mental health was in a good place and wanted to make sure he was ready to embark on the recovery process.

Moreover, Suggs and his teammates wanted to ensure that Penda knows it is a long season, and that in time, he will be back on the floor with them.

Again, Suggs is qualified to give this kind of advice. Heading into his sixth season, Suggs has only played more than 65 games once due to the various injuries he has dealt with. 

Last season, Suggs was limited to 55 regular-season games in which he averaged 13.8 points and 5.5 assists. Looking back on Orlando's final preseason game, in which it beat Miami 136-115, Suggs was pleased with how the game played out. 

He said that even though the Magic came out slowly, it gave them a chance to respond to adversity. He also believes that everyone got quality minutes on the floor and that they stuck to their principles on the offensive end in terms of shooting and spacing.

Now, as Orlando prepares for its season opener against the Southeast Division rival Hawks, Suggs said the team is hammering down details in terms of defense, running habits and offensive execution. 

Suggs is considered to be a key leader of the team, and he is one of the four most important players next to Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane. Essentially, he is the heartbeat of the team, and he is sticking to the process that continues to define the Magic’s growth and readiness for the challenges ahead.

Like Banchero, Wagner and Bane, Suggs is going to need to be the best version of himself to ensure the team has a successful year.