Brooklyn Nets Sign Moritz Wagner to Two-Year, $19 Million Deal

The Brooklyn Nets have continued reshaping their roster at the start of free agency, agreeing to terms with a versatile frontcourt addition in Moritz Wagner.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Brooklyn has agreed to a two-year, $19 million contract with free agent big man Moritz Wagner. The deal includes a mutual option after the first season, similar to the structure of Keon Ellis’ contract, giving both sides flexibility heading into 2027 while still locking in guaranteed money for the first year.

Wagner, a former first-round pick (25th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers), has carved out a steady NBA career as a scoring big who can play both the four and the five. Since entering the league, he has spent time with the Lakers, Washington Wizards, Boston Celtics, and Orlando Magic before landing in Brooklyn.

There had been reported mutual interest between Wagner and the Nets leading into free agency, with Brooklyn identified as a potential landing spot as early as the start of the week. That interest ultimately materialized once free agency opened.

He’s been with Orlando since the 2020/21 season, primarily serving as a backup frontcourt piece behind their rotation bigs. His most productive stretch came during the 2024/25 season, when he posted a career-high 12.9 points and 4.9 rebounds in just 18.8 minutes per game. That breakout year was ultimately cut short after he suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in December 2024, limiting him to 30 games.

Wagner returned last season and appeared in 36 games, averaging 6.9 points and 3.6 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per game following his recovery. He was used in a reduced role down the stretch as Orlando navigated the end of the regular season and play-in race in the Eastern Conference.

Orlando ultimately moved in a different direction at the center spot this offseason, bringing back longtime franchise big man Nikola Vučević in a reunion signing that signaled the Magic were preparing for Wagner’s likely departure and reshaping their frontcourt rotation heading into the summer.

With Wagner becoming expendable, he now lands in Brooklyn, where he will compete for minutes at both power forward and center alongside second-year big man Danny Wolf and Day’Ron Sharpe in a reshaped Nets frontcourt rotation.

The move also marks a notable personal shift, as Wagner departs Orlando where he spent several seasons playing alongside his brother, Franz Wagner, as the two now continue their careers on separate teams.

Brooklyn adds Wagner as part of an early wave of free agency activity as the organization continues building out its roster for the 2026–27 season and reshaping its identity around younger frontcourt depth.

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