The Orlando Magic have been one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference over the past couple of seasons. The reason for that: their young stars. Young players such as Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs and Anthony Black have been important building blocks for the future. However, none are predicted to take the big leap that 2021 first-round pick Franz Wagner is projected to take.
Bleacher Report released an article predicting every team’s potential breakout player this season. The Magic’s representative is the Michigan alum who has quietly already been one of the better young stars in the NBA.
“Last season, Franz Wagner drove the ball more often than the likes of Anthony Edwards, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Donovan Mitchell, Kyrie Irving and even teammate Paolo Banchero,” the article wrote. “At a burly 6'10", that's a lot of force rumbling downhill. Already a signature skill, just imagine how much more effective Wagner's preferred method of attack could be if defenses had to prepare for anything else. Yes, this is about Wagner's three-point shot, which has fallen at rates under 30.0 percent in each of the last two years. His effectiveness as a driver is a minor miracle given the sag-off space opponents allow him. If he manages to convert enough treys to pull defenders farther out on the perimeter, he could wreak real havoc. Even if Wagner never gets his jumper to fall, Desmond Bane's floor-spacing should at least clear out a help defender or two from the lane. The real gains will come if Wagner, already a fringe All-Star, becomes a complete offensive threat.”
A consistent defender, Wagner missed some time last year due to injury like most of the roster. The Magic were plagued by injuries which led to a relatively down season, losing in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. However, with everyone healthy and a potential breakout season from Wagner, the sky could be the limit for this young Magic core.
Wagner is an efficient scorer and the addition of Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies could take away some shots for the young star. However, if Wagner improves even more upon some of his offensive skillsets, he could earn his first All-Star nod. He has already been rewarded by Orlando with a five-year, $224 million rookie contract extension in July 2024 so the Magic are tied to him for the long term. If he performs similar to how Bleacher Report predicts he could, that contract could look like a solid deal in the long run.