The Orlando Magic reunited with Nikola Vucevic this summer, and it will be up to him to replace center Moritz Wagner.
Compared to their Eastern Conference rivals, the Orlando Magic have not had an eventful offseason.
While the Miami Heat were adding Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis, and most recently Klay Thompson, and the Philadelphia 76ers were trading for Jaylen Brown and adding LeBron James, the Magic were left to work on the margins because of their first-apron restrictions.
Because of being in the first apron, Orlando’s front office is barred from making a host of moves, but even with its limitations, it still underwent a key change while keeping most of the band together.
To kick off July, the Magic reunited with center Nikola Vucevic. However, they also lost big man Moritz Wagner to the Brooklyn Nets.
After the signing of Vucevic and the departure of Wagner, I provided my thoughts on the Full Court Magic Podcast about both. Here is what I had to say about the loss of Wagner at the time:
"Obviously, the loss of Moe Wagner, you know, a great culture guy. It was really fun having him and Franz [Wagner] on the same team in the same building. You know, they've got a strong relationship as brothers, as basketball players.
And, you know, they had a special year, despite a challenging year, but a special year last season in which Wagner, the Wagner brothers, were able to, you know, play in Berlin, Germany, together on the Magic's, you know, European road trip in a pair of games against the Memphis Grizzlies. You know, that's their hometown.
And so, you know, I'm sure he will be missed by the fans- just a good dude, a hard worker- but he goes, and he gets a lucrative deal in Brooklyn. And so, you cannot blame him for walking."
So, the question is, can Vucevic replace what Wagner brought to the table? The answer is yes.
Wagner was at the peak of his offensive powers during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons when he averaged 10.9 and 12.9 points, respectively. Moreover, he did it while shooting 60.1% from the floor and 56.2 % from the floor.
However, Wagner suffered a torn ACL in December 2024 that forced him to miss the rest of the season and part of the 2025-26 campaign. After returning in January, his role and impact were significantly diminished.
Vucevic, on the other hand, is still very impactful, even at 35 years old. Through 64 games last season, he averaged 15.1 points and 8.4 rebounds, which are significantly higher averages than even Wagner’s top numbers.
If Vucevic can remain healthy, he will not only fill the void left by Wagner, but he will be an improvement for the bench unit.
