ORLANDO — In the aftermath of the NBA Trade Deadline, Orlando Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman held a candid press conference after the front office’s only move was trading Tyus Jones and two second round picks to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for cash considerations. 

It has been anything but an easy season for the Magic as injuries and inconsistent play have them hovering closer to play-in territory than a top team in a battered Eastern Conference. Expectations for Orlando were sky high after it traded for Desmond Bane in the offseason, and the production has not aligned. 

“It's everything,” Weltman said about the team’s shortcomings. “It's everything; It starts with me and it ends with me. and 'm not happy with it. 

“You know, we've got to do better; everybody has to do better: Coaches, players, my staff, everybody. We've got to recapture the way that we were playing earlier in the season and, as I said, I don't even think we were playing that great then but even with that, we posted some really encouraging numbers.” 

A large point of concern is how little the Magic’s core players — Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs and Bane — have been able to collectively share the floor this season. 

“I mean, it's concerning,” Weltman said. “Look, every team has injuries, you know, but it's having these prolonged injuries. All I can say is, these are soft tissue injuries.  

There's nothing, you know, what can you say? It's the NBA, and this is what happens sometimes. And I do feel like we're a little bit Groundhog Day this season. You know, the only thing is, I also think we're better this year because, you know, we added Desmond Bane."

Of the Magic’s core players, Bane has been the most consistent; playing in all 51 of Orlando’s games. 

Conversely, Wagner has missed the most games of the Magic’s key players; appearing in only 26 games in an ongoing absence due to a nagging left ankle that he suffered a high sprain during a Dec. 7 game against the New York Knicks. 

Initially, the injury caused Wagner to miss 16 games before the fifth year forward came back in time for the Magic’s trip to Europe so he could play in his hometown of Berlin, Germany. 

Wagner appeared in both games in Europe but has sat out since; missing the team’s last nine contests. 

“When you get to the back end of rehabilitation periods, it's the trickiest part, right?” Weltman said about Wagner. “I will say this, I don't think Wild Horses could have kept Franz Wagner from playing in Berlin, and I think Franz felt he was ready to play and, you know, did okay, and I think he was probably had adrenaline coming out of his ears and the next game in England less so.” 

If Orlando is going to reach its full potential, it will need Wagner back sooner than later and the rest of the roster to remain healthy. 

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