Magic F Speaks on Brother Mo Wagner's Move to Brooklyn

In free agency, the Brooklyn Nets opted to bolster their bench unit rather than pursuing a big-name target, giving head coach Jordi Fernández much more depth than years past.

Both Keon Ellis and Moritz Wagner will bring a much-needed level of veteran leadership to an otherwise young and inexperienced second unit, while giving younger players time to get acclimated to the speed of the NBA.

Ellis is projected to start the beginning of the looming regular season, giving rookie point guard Mikel Brown Jr. time to get fully healthy and comfortable.

Wagner, on the other hand, will be a offensive spark off Brooklyn's pine, while helping Day'Ron Sharpe during his first year as a full-time starter.

After bouncing around to begin his career, Wagner found his home with the Orlando Magic, playing alongside his brother Franz for five seasons.

While leaving his little brother could not have been an easy decision, Franz supported it, as he told media this offseason.

"He was really happy about his deal in Brooklyn. I knew it was a great situation for him," Wagner said. "I know he loves New York… We’re both a little sad his time here has come to an end… But he’s in a great spot."

Thus far, Wagner has looked comfortable in his new threads, scoring 15 points on near-perfect 6-of-7 shooting off the bench in Brooklyn's final preseason bout.

Wagner got going early on in his first stint off the bench, scoring 10 points and knocking down two 3-pointers in the first half.

Adding Wagner's ability to space the floor and knock down 3-point looks is something that Brooklyn has not had in a long time as well.

Longtime starting big man Nic Claxton was a non-threat from distance, while Day'Ron Sharpe has continued to work on adding the long ball to his game.

Wagner is a career 32.3%-shooter from beyond the arc, and has looked very comfortable from distance throughout the preseason.

He also plays with a high level of energy, and at times served as the Magic's enforcer, often talking smack and trying to get under his opponents skin.

This type of player has been absent from the Nets for some time, with the front office continuing to seek opportunities to bring in players who can be role models for the incoming new talents.

The Nets kick off their regular season on Wednesday night against the Charlotte Hornets, with Wagner projected to get big minutes off the bench.